The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1904-03-25
CHANNEL
SHOPPERS
Japanese Sink Seven More
Steamers.
AT HARBOR ENTRANCE
Russian Fleet at Port Arthur
Now Cornered and
Helpless.
AT HARBOR ENTRANCE

LONDON, March %. - A dispatch
from Tokyo says:
"On the night Of March % the Japa-
nese feet renewed the attempt to bot
tie up Port Arthur Sixteen warships
escorted seven merchant steamers to
the mouth OF the harbor, and under
cover of the bombardment the steam
ers ran in and were sunk in the de-
sired positions. Three thousand Japa-
nese officers and bluejackets volun-
teered for this duty"
A great japanese force has been
massed for an advance on Harbin,
starting from the mouth of the Tumen
river below Possiet bay. This Is at the
northeastern junction of Korea and
Manchuria.
Heavy columns are also concentrated
north of Pingyang for an offensive
move on the Yalu river.
A st. Petersburg report says that the
japanese deliberately contemplate a
violation OF their pledge to respect
Neutral Chinese territory and win land
troops at Shanhaikwan, according to
reports received by the minister of war
here. The presence of disguised Jap
anese soldiers acting as spies along the
Shunhaikwan road has been establish
ed, and Russian agents report that
there is every indication Of an intend
ed landing ON the west coast of the
gulf of Liaotung. The information
conveyed by these agents seems to CO.
incide with other information indicat.
ing complete change in the Japanese
plan of campaign or Of its entrance
into second stage practically involy-
ing the abandonment of further heavy
landings of troops in Korea.
According to advices received by the
government there are only about TO-
600 japanese troops in the Hermit
Kingdom at present. 1t is considered
possible that the japanese reckSaed
on complete mobilization there much
sooner, but that the difficulties met
with in transporting troops from Ja-
pan and over the roads in Korea proved
more serious than expected, and the
Japanese found themselves unable to
deliver a frontal attack in Manchuria
before the Russian troops arrived in
sufficient force to check them. At
any rate the latest advices indicate
that the japanese will not send many
more soldiers into Korea. They may
make diversion at Possiet bay in the |
direction of Vladivostok, but their
main objective henceforth will be in |
the gulf Of Liaotung.
The Russian military authorities /
have felt themselves compelled to con-
slider the foregoing possibility and to
take the necessary precautions. The
International complications which
might arise out of japanese landing
on neutral Chinese territory have also
received careful consideration, for al
though it is specifically declared that
It is not believed Japan would dare to
the agreement made in le-
sponse to the note of United States
Secretary of State Hay as well as in
Japan's other public professions, there
Is reason to affirm that the Russian
line of conduct in such contingency
has already been decided upon in pTin-
ciple. The assurances obtained from
Peking require that the Chinese au-
.horities should oppose with their ar
my such a step on the part of Japan.
A high Russian official states that
1T would have worse consequences
Tor other powers than Russia If ia
pan should enter neutral territory, for
'uch a step would obviously be for the
purpose of inveigllng China into the
light If Japan should be successful
n this there would be an uprising
against foreigners which would be ten
old greater than the Boxer affair.
rhe mere possibility is pregnant with
III sorts of dangers, but we can hard
y believe that Japan will venture to
'iolate the neutrality of China as she
lid that of Korea"
1t is learned that the Russian mill
ary attache at Peking is now at New
hwang watching the movements Of
he Chinese troops.
Strong fortifications have been erect
d for the defense Of Harbin and LAO
nng