Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-02-23

The New York Herald'S st. PETERS,
burg correspondent cables that he has
reliable authority for stating that there
has been a serious conflict between the
Russian and Japanese outposts on the
Yalu river as the result of which the
Russians were driven back with loss
of more than $500 men. The report
has not vet been confirmed. The AS
sociated Press claims to have gotten
information from the japanese minis
ter in London to the effect that the re-
mort Is extremely impossible for the
reason that the Japanese force In that
locality Is not sufficient to inflict such
a heavy loss.
A Russian warship has been find
ing refuge in the Chinese harbor Oh
Shanghai for several days past. II Is
afraid to come out on account OF the
Japanese ships lying in wait. A cable
Of Monday says that Japan has re-
ouested China to order the Russian
ship to put to sea, and that emma mas
done so with the understanding that
she will use force if necessary. A re-
port from the Chinese government Is 10
the effect that Chinese neutrality Is
conditional on circumstances ana tha'
n NAV be necessary at any time 10
take an active part in the war. There
seems to be no other idea than that II
China enters into the conflict she Will
he on the side Of Japan.
The Baltimore Underwater IN lts
issue of last Friday, prints the list OF
losses of all the fire insurance COM
panies in the Baltimore fire. The totai
gross loss is s32,S64,Ss4, of which so'-
900 900 falls upon the local companies
The estimated total Of salvage IS w.
7se 7S2 which leaves a net loss to the
insurance companies Of ss1,Os5'lSz. IL
has been learned that many OF the
large wholesale dry goods houses form-
ed an insurance pool among themselves
which amounted to about s5,oOo'ooo'
from which practically nothing Will be
realized. Another development is that
very few Of the tenants of the so-caiieo
f1reproof buildings carried any insur-
ance.
According to the gossip in the var
ious European capitals. it seems to De
an open secret that the war has cauent
Russia totally unprepared. II IS salo
that a large number OF unscrupuious
scoundels and ..ilventurers nave Sc
cured the confidence of the czar during
the past few years, and been elevated
to high positions. AS the result the
corruption in the administration OF
army and navy affairs has grown be-
vond estimate and the millions of gold
that were paid out presumably Tor IN
creasing the army and navy have oeen
appropriated to private uses. AS the
result, the army in the east is not any
thing like as we'll prepared for aggres-
sion or even to hold its own as the
czar had thought.
The foreign correspondents con-
tinue to publish stories Of the EFFORTS OF
Russia to secure the release OF her
BLACK Sea fleet. The latest story is to
the effect that Russia has proposed 10
Turkey to negligently leave the OAR
danelles unguarded some night ana the
powerful fleet will quietly escape out
into the Mediterranean Sea. After that
Russia will agree to assume all re-
sponsibility so far as the other nations
are concerned. Turkey is represented
as being disposed to listen to the sug-
eestions; but as price for carelessness
demands a free hand in the settlement
of the troubles that are brewing In the
Balkans and this free hand Russia Is
not quite willing to give. The Russian
Black Sea fleet consists Of rs torpedo
boats, 10 torpedo boat catchers' anu
five large warships ranging from 9'ooo
to $4,000 tons each.
The latest advices received by Bar
on Hayashi, the Japanese minister 10
Great Britain. lead him to believe that
the Japanese troops may wait TWO OF
three months before undertaking ag-
eressive operations in Manchuria. He
said: 1--WE have found Russia so unex-
pectedly unprepared that I should not
be surprised II the Japanese troops con-
tent themselves with establishing a
thorough organization and advancing
the construction Of a railroad toward
the Yalu river. Russia appears less
prepared than China in 1895. I believe
that only three trains a day can De
run through Manchuria. Supposing
these equally divided between the
troops and supplies, as would be neces-
sary, Russia could not possibly
strengthen her land forces before April
Japan's naval coup was so unexpect-
edly successful that think the troops
will take their time. The shallow in
lets are now frozen over, retarding the
Decentralization of troops. This is es-
pecially true at Port Arthur, where
the nearest landing Of troops IS lmpos-
sible owing to the ice"
Charlotte Observer: Within the
next ten days DR.. ]. H. McAden ana
Mr.. ]. C. Springs will divide among
seventeen heirs-nieces and nephews-
Of the late Henry Grafton Springs
1851, 900, this being the amount receiV-
ed through the recent sale of personal
property belonging to Mr.. Springs.
Thirty days hence all the real estate
belonging to the estate of Mr.. Springs,
which comprises some of the most val
liable property in the city, will be sold
at auction and the sum received there
from will also be divided among the
heirs. DR.. McAden stated yesterday