Perth Amboy evening news., 1904-03-25
HARBOR IS BLOCKED
Japanese Sank Seven Steam
ers as Channel Shoppers.
RUSSIAN FLEET NOW POWERLESS
Strong FOrtincatiOns at Hardin and
LiaOynnE Japs Reported About
to Invade Chinese Ncutral Ter
ritory-TOgo's Report.

ri~tory-TOgO's Report.
LONDON, March %. a dispatch
from Tokyo says:
ION the night of March % the Japa-
nese fleet 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 Hardin,
starting from the mouth of the Tumen
river below Possiet bng. This is ut 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 will 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
Shanhaikwan road has been establish
ed, and Russian agents report that
there is every indication of an intend
cd 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 a complete change in the Japanese
plan of campaign or of its entrance
into a second stage practically involv-
ing the abandonment of further heavy
landings of troops in Korea.
According to advices received by the
government there are only about 10
1000 japanese troops in the Hermit
= Kingdom at present. 1t is considered
POSSIBLE that the Japanese reckoned
on a complete mobilization there much
sooner, but that the difficulties met
with in transporting troops from ia
pan and over the roads in Korea proved
more serious than expected, and the
japanese found themselves unable to
deliver Il 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 a diversion ut Possiet bay in the
direction of Vladivostok, but their
main objective henceforth will be in
the gulf of L%iaotung.
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 Il japanese landing
on neutral Chinese territory have also
received careful consideration, for, all
though it is specifically declared that
it is not believed Japan would dare to
violate the agreement made in re-
spouse to the note of United States
Secretary of State Hay as well us in
Japan's other public professions, there
is reason to affirm that the Russian
line of conduct in such Il contingency
has already been decided upon in prin-
ciple. The assurances obtained from
Picking require that the Chinese au-
thorities should oppose with their ar
my such a step IN the part of Japan.
A high Russian official states that
sit would have worse consequences
for other powers than Russia if ia
pan should enter neutral territory, for
such a step would obviously Ee for the
purpose of inveigling China into the
fight. If Japan should be successful
in this there would be an uprising
against foreigners which would be ten
fold greater than the Boxer affair.
The mere possibility is pregnant with
all sorts Of dangers, but we can hard
ly believe that Japan will venture to
violate the neutrality of China as she
did that of Korea"
1t is learned that the Russian mill
tary attache at Picking is now at New
chwang watching the movements of
the Chinese troops.
Strong Notifications have been erect
ed for the defense of Hardin and Lao
yang.
The construction of batteries at
Newchwang continues to be fevcrish-
ly pushed, and it is believed that that
place will shortly be in a condition to
resist even Il determined assault by
the Japanese.
KurOp0tISin mt IrI<utSk.