Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1904-02-25
THE REPORTS ARE VAGUE.
RUSSIAN REPULSE WITH A LOSS OF $500
49, MEN is ONE.
IT,: S. FLEET GOES TO HANGAAjAPANESE MINISTERS ARE
TALKING FORCED MARCHES OF BIG FORCES--FlGHT-
ING ON LAND YET TO COME.

l Before j. DAYS shall have ollpseu me
Russians will have disposed OF nm
army OF 100000 men through Man
hchur.a. Intense Generalization exists
among the populace, ana the people of
the surrounding villages are Hooking
into the town. seeking TO reach west
ern Russia. The railway trains. how
ever. are blocked. and over 1000 voy
ayers are thus held mp. The intense
cold prevailing increases the suffering
and adds TO the difficulties Of bringing
forward troops.
Reports received from Korea state
that Russian troops are advancing
toward Seoul and that II strong posi-
ton at Ping Yang has been occupied
by them. Their present movements,
however. do not indicate any immeN-
ate intention of attacking the Korean
capital.
The st. Petersburg paper Svelt says
regarding RuSsia'S designs I'm Korea
that the country must pass under Rus
sian control as n matter of self-pre
ScrVation we must now confess that
we are no great sea power and per-
hans never will be. Russia naturally Is
Il territorial power Our strength lies
in our army We have every confidence
that our army will shortly begin OPP
crations i'm Korea. and drive out ia
pan. Whercupou we must annex the
country and establish garrisons at
Seoul. Yonghamphu. Masampho and
elsewhere.
1t is now believed both in London
ana on the continent that Niceroy
AleXieff has decided To fall back upon
Hardin. practically abandoning Port
Arthur. Nladivostok and the whole of
southern Manchuria to the Japanese
and that he is. perhaps, hoping that
the reduction OF Port Arthur and
Nladvostok will occupy the enemy
while he is concentrating his forces at
Hardin.
Significance is attached to the Fl
garo's discussing the possible retreat
lof the Russian forces from Port Ar
thur towards the north. The Figaro
which is intensely pro-Russian and eli
joys the favor of the Russian court.
says: The Russian note explaining
tho delays in the military operations
has had the effect Of confirming Vice
roy AleXieif'S plan To Withdraw north
ward toward Mulidcn and Harbin
The military editor of the Figaro de
careS this would bP u wise and tao
teal movement. MS the Russian troops
Care better able 50 make stand urther
north.
Dispatches from both Japanese and
Russian sources ire to the effect that
the Russian army on the Liao-Tung
peninsula has been surrounded by
Japanese troops. II is estimated there
are 10000 Russian troops on the pen
Inc ~
lated ut the southern end OF the PENN
sula have becn cut off. Admiral
.hexiefI. with Gen. Plug and the en-
tire headquarters staff, has evaded the
japanese lines and removed the head
quarters To Harbin. 60 miles north OF
Port Arthur, ut the junction of the
Alanchurian ana East China branches
of the Siberian railway. BY military
experts this step is regarded rs show
ing that the Russians have given up
all hope of holding the peninsula and
Port Arthur against a joint attack 10y
the Japanese land and sea forces.
which is now expected AT any mo-
inent. Reports from Tien Tsin say
that the land battery OF the Russian
fOrtifications on Golden Hill ut Port
Arthur have been destroyed by the
blowing mp Of the powder magazine.
No details have been received. but it
is believed the explosion was the re-
suit of an accident. \ number OF
Russian troops in the battery at the
time are reported to have been killed.
Ii IS the belief OF the Japanese navy
department that the Russian second
class cruiser Boyarin was torpedocd
and sunk by the destroyer Heyatori
i'm the torpedo attack on the Russian
feet ut Port Arthur last sunday morn
ing. \ dispatcI from St Petersburg,
dated February Ii. stated that the
Boyarin was blown up with loss OF
40 officers AMI II en-. February 13, by
a mine which II accidentally struck.
Under date of the 18th ii is reported
that Russia has seized the Chinese
treaty port Of New Chwang. Fifteen
hundred Infantry. the correspondent
; asserts. entered the native city with
bands playing and banners dying. Fan
ic and confusion prevails among the
native population New Chwang com
mands Lao rnng gulf. and is connect
ed by rail with Mukden AMI Hardin,
RussianiZed portions OF Manchuria. III
driven back from Port Arthur New
| Chawng would form an excellent base
for Russian operations i'm Manchura.
! Now Chawng was taken by Russia In
! 1895 ami evacuated i'm 1902, when it
was made an open port.
i 4 dispatch from Koke. Japan. i'm re-
! porting the Japanese naval attack on
! Port Arthur Feb ~. says the Russian
guardship in the harbor and another
Russian wasship lying outside the har-
Dor wer> torpedoed and that the Jap.
anese retired without sustaining any
i injury.
President Roosevelt has been rorm-