Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1904-05-27

in BalIOons.-Little Figh
sacks are Harassing I
The Russian General Stoessel says
it was q japanese submarine boat
that blew up the Petropavlovsk. He
was standing on Golden Hill and saw
submarine boat torpedo the Russian
battleship.
The Korean government has de-
clared against Russia and her soldiers
are aiding the Japs.
Eastern waters are full of deadly
mines. Both the Japanese and Rus
sian navies have laid these torpedoes
promiscuously and hundreds have
gone adrift at sea, to the menace of
commerce.
Among the baggage of General
Kuropatkin is coffin on which is
silver plate, with his full name,
"Alexeieff Nekolaue Kuropatkin,"
engraved on it. The reason for his
carrying the coffin is given that he
confidently expects to be killed be-
fore the war is over.
A japanese shell killed twelve
ladies belonging to Russian officers
families while sitting at tea in Port
Arthur.
The talk INDUCED in in some
quarters about Russia being ready to
listen to peace proposals and that
her allies in Eupope despair of her
making a better showing in the war
may well be dismissed AS foolish,
Measured by the experience of other
great wars, the present conflict has
not yet fairly started, nor have the
Russians begun to fight. They were
caught as unprepared as were the
British by the sudden invasion of
their territory by the Beers, and they
have suffered similar reverses because
of the fact.
TO FIGHT BALLOONS.
One of the reasons for the desper-
ate effort or the Russians to get that
ammunition train" to Port Arthur
has leaked out. There was little
need, it appears, for more ammuni-
ton, great quantities being stored in
the fort, but General Stoessel was
exceedingly anxious to be provided
with balloons to oppose those of the
Japanese. Before the war Russian
authorities loaded on vessel COM
plete balloon equipment for Man
churia, but it was captured by the
Japanese, who will use it perhaps in
their operations against Port Arthur.
elf the Japanese try to drift
balloons over Port Arthur, and drop
explosives on the fortress" said an
officer today, "the world will hear of |
the first battle in the air."
BATTLESHIPS LOST.
The greatest disaster yet suffered
by Japan on land or sea was the loss
OF the battleship Hatsuse and cruiser
Yoshlno, both on Sunday, May Is.
The cruiser was sunk by a collision
with the cruiser Kasuga, off Port
Arthur during fog, only 90 of her
crew being saved. This would mean
loss of more than 200 men.
Admiral Togo also reports the
japanese frst-class battleship Hat
suse was sunk by striking Russian
mine. Only 800 of her crew were
saved, which would mean a loss of
over 400 men. She was the pride of
the japanese navy.
The Russian cruiser Orel, while on
her way to Cronstadt to receive her
armament, sustained damages which
rendered it difficult to keep her afioat.
A dispatch after confirming the
report of the stranding of the Russian
protected cruiser Bogatyr on the
rocks near Vladivostok, adds that the
Bogatyr subsequently, was blown up
6y the Russians to prevent her fall {
ing into the hands of the Japanese.
The Bogatyr was fine, modern cruis.
er of $3.50 tons displacement and
10000 normal horsepower. The
speed of the Bogatyr was estimated to
be over % knots. She could carry
l 100 tons of coal, and her crew
$50 men.
ARE CHINESE GOING TO MIX?
General Ma, commander of the {
Chinese troops, is in constant COM
munlcatlon with Toulisan, the chief
Of the Chinese bandits, who are
military organization under
4 japanese instructor.
Toulisan's district is the granery ]
u Manchuria. He is a great organ [
ger, and has built seven immense {
sranaries, which are strongly garri- |
'oned. Toulisan ordered the inhab- q
tants to bring in their surplus grain c
.orbldding them to sell It to the
fusslans and ordering them to re- {
erve the grain for the Chinese C
'rmles, which are coming from the h
=
Hundreds of disguised soldiers are a
coming up the river, styling them Q
elves workingmen. They remain t
die and are well fed, while the Rus n
lans are unable to get food. The a
;hinese officials are obseauious to d
,onlisan, who collects the taxes of b
he districts. n
Swarms of disguised Chinese
oldlers are in the vicinity of Lao h
lang, and Chinese troops are guard O
ng the Shan Hal Kwan-Shin Min h
Jung railway. The Russians are
avlng the greatest difficulty in
acifylng the inhabitants, who
pparently are anxious to rise against v,
hem. 4
Toullsan, General Ma and Viceroy o.
uan Shi Kai are nartiaann of ~