Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-02-19
RUSSIA'S REPLY TO HAY,
 MCCORMACK HAS IT.
Russian Troops i'm Yalu Valley in High Sprfts-yice~ roy AIexieff Withdraws From Port Arthur to the North--French Newspaper Correspond ent Says Harbin Will be Base of. Russian 0per- ations. ....

st Petersburg, Feb. 1s.---Russia's g ror1iy to Secretary Hay's note on Chi na was handed to Ambassador McCor mack to-day.
 Ra.is, Feb 1o.--It is announced off ciaNy that tho French government has issued instructions relative to the ob- servanca of neutrality and that, prac- taeally. they are the same as those is- sued by the late Admiral Besnard, the former marine minister, concerning the observance of neutrality during the &uanish-American war. But 1t is point ed out that the French navigation laws contain no positive requirement that heIIigerent ships shall leave neutral port within twenty-four hours, and that. therefore, this matter Is one oI regulation by. custom, instead of being legal requirement., as under the Brit ish navigation laws,
 No change has yet been announced relative to permitting the Russian s1usdron to remain at Jibutll, Bremen somaliland. the authorities evidently being desirous to fully observe the re- rnfvements of neutrality without un- necessarily causing offense or embar' < rassment to a power with which France Is closely allied.
 st Petersburg, Feb 19.-To-day and ], ,.n.r,arrow. the closing days of carnl- val week, will be observed practlcalis ! ]. onlv by a cessation of work. There 2. will be little rejoicing sucn . calnl- val time is not remembered. lnefe have been. no festivities and no gay .le,oh ,oarties to the islands. Instead, -,.s,s,Is gather about the bands playlnS 5 IrS4hS streetg or follow the troops de- parting for the frorS .poo of
 None of the reports from aDroad v renewed Jauanese attacks on Fort Al +n,1,. has vet been officially connrmeu' s1thonch private advices continue p v report an attempted landlIlg, "niell yan-repulsed. ,ar,,c,
 An official com munlea ton unno ny.ic,- ing Russia's withdrawal Irom 4o,, pu,eAJ, ;s nation in the St Louis e4poslaon p = TAy,Iiehed in the following terms
 .Srha ministry of finance hefepy .,,,,,ss M to the notice of intending eA. s,sssas-a at St Louis that 1n yisSx. .sssRs 9h - Ssssss,rsaI of merchants and Iua i'le ILus f1s.t,,vxrs owing to existing circuIh- - in send exhibits to Amerlca, sas1 psssasan Qovernment has fecos- ss.5 .ae tfa necessity to decline to par ..cipate in the afor ementloned eAposff
 rtha Novoe yremya, in leading eal- toy;eI on Secretary Hays proposai III 1.a ! reaard , to the neutrality of Cnlna, sass r does not see why Russia au..,ase canaoe agree to 1t, if 1t means oniy .'-'lAi onAns''o
 sar,,a Socnment appears to probect p,ssia from q flank attack" the Novoe ysrarva - adds. "and recognizes Ter eA- oa,,4srra1 r,osition north of the Grea. yUeil huf fhe note stands or fails WIsn T, 4t,s. raaIitv of Chinese neutrality. so ,.,,o, "a China honestly and successI ul- U " maintains neutrality, Russ1a Wiii De nnwflling to violate 1t.
 W. N. KakovZoff, who yesoeluay .s,. was aruointed finance minister III su., as eession to M. PIeske, is conslaereo .,so - sba most determined opponent ol ,u sns financial policy of M. WlIIe. no - eIaS ha, for many years been amni.lous @ ~ an- ,orna finance minister and was ap .a,;r,fad MT Wittes assistant While tne fstTer hald the portfolio, but owing 10 . a5sa0reement he resigned M. ho- EryxnT is regarded here as oelng \ -Sfa conservative financ1er and It is rapavod that under his administrator 1a,,ssian credit abroad will be sus- *stysa Tn spite of M. Kokovzoff's 8 ap ! rs,;ntunant it is consistently rnnlorea tha+ M. wftte will be given supreme control of the finances. ,, - Aa . means of meeting the e1tra- o,xiinary war expenses, the Bourse Ga- zette says it believes the present ls favorai,la time for an income faX, .shscn win not meet with opposition ouviuc to tho general readiness or the nation to share the burden Imposed oy the war.
 Paris, Feb. 19.--A representative oA fhe Matin who has reached the center If the Russian military concentra ton at Harbin after great hardships, que fo the trans Siberian railway trains hainc. crowded with thousands of sol di4rs. in a despatch dated from liar hin yesterday confirms the announce rlent that that place will be the main Das se of the Russian land operations
 Thus far the base has succeeded in uafutaiuing 2ts comfnunication with Port Arthur. The concentration of sxoops, the correspondent says, pro- cse6s systematically. and provision has been mada fer the speedy arrival of 11o,0 900 men from the divisions of Moscow, Kiefe and Varsovie. Before fwalve days shall hava elapsed tue Kussians will have disposed of an :, army of 100000 men through Man chtIria,
 & Intense demoraIfza ton exists among the populace and the people of the surrounding villages are Hooking into tho town. seeking to reach West eyn Russia. The railway trains, how ever, are blocked and oyer 2,000 voy- ngers are thus held up. The intense cold prevailing increases the suffer ing and adds to the difficulties of bringing forward troops
 Paris, Feb 19.-Signdfcance is at faehad to the FigarO's discussing the possible retreat of the Russian forces From Port Arthur towards the north. Edr0Ta which ia for qkAIv fero-