The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1904-02-04
WAR READY
TO BEGIN
Admiral AIexieff Empower
ed to Commence.
MIKADO HOLDS COUNCIL
War May Be Declared at Once
Russia's Reply is Still
Unsatisfactory.
MIKADO HOLDS COUNCIL

LONDON, Feb. "A dispatch from
st. Petersburg says the Russian gov
srnment has given Viceroy AleXcieff au-
.hority TO declare war and open HOSTILE
ties 81 his own responsibility If cir
cumstances render it necessary.
The dispatch adds that an imperial
manifesto declares that war is expect
ed If the japanese government does
not accept the conditions proposed in
Russia's response, which, it is asserted.
Is Russia's last word.
Late dispatches. from Tokyo indicate
that the prolonged tension has reached
a climax there.
The Marquis Ito, president Of the
privy council, was summoned from the
country during the night. The en-
peror received him, and a council Of
the elder statesmen was held with the
war minister and three admrals.
The conference lasted several hours.
While it was going on Premier Katsu-
ra and Foreign Minister Komura had
long audience OF the emperor.
Although the government officials
continue reticut it is manifest that
the situation is of the gravest and that
Il crisis IS near at hand The time in
which the Russian reply will continue
to be a factor in the situation is mar
rowing.
The patience Of the government il
becoming exhausted, and if the expect
Oh answer is delayed many days longer
the issuance of an ultimatum by ia
pan will become Inevitable.
The japanese feel that the existing
conditions have entitled them to
more prompt reply and are bound to in
fer that the St Petersburg government
is determined not to yield, but is util-
izing the time to advance its prepara-
tions for war.
The highest officials make no pre-
tense of concealment of their exasper-
alton ut the tardiness of the Russian
reply.
An unofficial dispatch says it is ex-
pected that the Russian reply will
mean war,
Port Arthur dispatches Indicate that
in response to the japanese war meas
ures important naval and military
movements have been effected. The
Russian squadron heretofore inside
the harbor, consisting of the battle
ships Retvisan, Feresviet Czarevitch,
the cruiser Fremiaschel, the battle
ship Orel, the cruiser Smiley and the
battleship Sevastopol, have Joined the
outside fleet consisting Of the battle
ships Petropavlovsk, Probiedn and
Poltava, the cruisers Diana, Fallada,
Askold, Varyag and Boyarm and the
gunboat Buban.
The latter has just arrived here from
Chemulpo, Korea, with complete Jap
anese charts of the Korean coast
The cruiser Digit, the torpedo gun
boat Gaidamak and the sloop-of'W war
Zabiyaka, four punbohts and the tor
pedo iotilla remain inside.
simultaneously the Third brigade Of
Siberian rifles and two batteries of ar
tillery started for an unannounced
destination from the Lao Yang, south
of Mukden.
Altogether about 1900 troops have
departed, leaving 10000 men at Port
Arthur exclusive of the troops man
ming the fortifications.
In consequence of the military au-
thorities monopoliZing the use Of the
railroad the latter has declined to
transport any more commercial freight.
The telegraph company declines to
accept any more press or private mes
sages, so they will have to be routed
via Chefu.
The authorities declare the naval
and military dispositions should be re-
garded as precautionary, not as often
| sive.