Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-09-12
Big Russian Fleet Leaves
Cronstadt for the
East.
PLANS ARE CONCEALED
Meagre Reports From Mukden
State Kuropatkin is Still
Retreating.

Cronstadt, Sept 12.-The Baltic fleet
which is to form the second Pacific
squadron started from Cronstadt to
Libau and the orient yesterday.
The vessels of the fleet are as
follows:
The battleship Souvarof, Vive Ad
miral Rojestvenskys flagship; the Ma
varin. Sissoi Veliky. Borodino, Alexan-
der Ill, Orel, Oleg, and the Osliaba,
Rear Admiral Voelkersams flagship
the cruisers Admiral Nakhimoff, Omit
iri Donskoi. Aurora, and the Almas,
Rear Admiral Enquist's flagship. and
several torpedo boats and torpedo boat
destroyers.
Going Direct to the Orient.
The fleet will merely touch at Libeau.
where it will be joined by twelve trans
ports, colliers. and supply ships al
ready waiting there. and will then pro
coed direct to the orient.
The scene on the departure of the
fleet was an imposing one. At dawn
the first anchor was hOisted on the
swift cruiser Aurora, which. accom-
panied by two torpedo boats. slipped
out of the harbor. The town was
awakened by the booming OF the guns
of the forts as the Aurora sped to-
wards Libau in advance of the main
squadron.
Gar Witnesses Departure.
At o'clock in the afternoon. the
time set for the departure of the re
mainder of the fleet. the imperial
yacht, with the emperor Grand Duke
Alexis. the high admiral, and other
high naval officers on board. put out
from Pctcrhoff. on the other side of
the bay, with an escort of three tor
pcdo boats. Admirals Rojestvensky.
Voelkcrsam. and Enquist went on
board the imperial yacht and personal
ly said farewell 10 the emperor.
Preparations Are Elaborate.
The plan of the cruise has not been
divulged, but it has been carefully
mapped out. Golfers accompany the
fleet for the purpose of supplying the
torpedo boats and torpedo boat de
stroyers, whose steaming radius is
small Other colliers have already
sailed or are awaiting OIOers at foreign
ports 10 meet the squadron on the way.
All the vessels are equipped with ap-
paratus for coaling at sea.
The general opinion is that the YES
sells will go by way of Suez, but some
rumors say that the Cape route will be
taken.
The decision of the admiralty to
send out the fleet in the face of the
existing situation in the far east is
evidence of the temper of the govern,
mcnt TO prosecute the war to a finish
Gar Decides Fleet Must 60.
1t is understood that there was con.
siderable divergence of expert opinion
on the question of delaying the sailing
of the fleet until the spring. but the
emperor turned the scale in favor OF
immediate departure.
Reserves Called Out.
ST. Petersburg. Sept. 12.-The en-
peror has called to arms the reserve
troops in twenty-five circuits of the
governments of Khersov Bessarabia
Ekaterinoslav. and Taurida. belonging
10 the military district of Odessa. anC
also one category of reserve officer.
throughout the empire.
LOSSES of JnpaneSc.
Washington. d. C.. Sept. IA dis
patch from Toxic which has reached
the Japanese deCation places the tota
casualties on the Japanese side at I'll,
battle of Liaoyang at 1889 officer
and men killed and wounded. OF thes,
the army of the right (Kurokis) los
1896. the center CNodzu's) 1892. anC
the left tOku's) 7.6S1 The number o
officers killed was 1856. and the numbe
wounded 464
AIexieH Resigns.
London. Sept IA dispatch 4
Reuters Telegram company from 81
Petersburg says il is understood tha
NiCeroy AleXieff in view of the para
mount military exigencies in the ia
east has placed his resignation in TIL
hands of the emperor. but that no dc
cision with regard to it has yet bee
made.
Years Campaign is Ended.
ST. Petersburg. Sept. 12-The wa
office Is reluctantly disposed to admi
that with the defeat of the Russian
AT Liaoyang all hopes practically d,
parted of turning the tide of war thi
year. Patiently and doggedly in spit
of successive reveTses by land and Sc,