The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-03-18


serves its full fighting capacity II
steam pipe on board bursts, and Rus-
sian boats got away.
KOREA NOT BELLIGERENT.
st. Petersburg, March 1S--A commu-
nication from the foreign office is pub
lished here confirming the statement
made to the correspondent of the Asso-
ciated Press that Russia does not re
gard Korea as belligerent and will not
do so unless she is sure that Korea is
actively making common cause with
Japan. The communication, after re1ter-
ating the assertion that Russia consld-
ers 1t implicitly a neutral state, acting
under pressure by Japan and deprived
of the power of free action, and that
Russia, therefore, cannot regard as
valid any treaty to the benefit of Japan,-
nor the abrOgation of Russian cOnceS-
sions, proceeds:
Should the Russian troops encounter
Korean forces operating against the
Russians under the Influence of Japan
ese officers, who are forcing them to act
| against the wishes of the Korean gov
ernment, the Russians are instructed
not to fight them as though they were
troops of a belligerent state, but to con-
fine themselves to placing them under
arrest
GEN. DRAGOMIROFF TALKS.
Paris, March 1S.-The st. Petersburg
| correspondent of the Echo de Paris
has interviewed General Dragomiroff,
ex-governor general of Kieff and late
q member of the council of state, who,
while making reservations owing to
his personal ignorance of localities in
the theater of war. gave the following
conclusions at which he had arrived:
| The Japanese will be much hamp-
cred by the necessity of making an in
vasion by sea. Sea crossings are al
ways disastrous to cavalry, which is
| seriously the weak point of Japanese
troops. Moreover. the japanese will
! need in Korea conveyances drawn by
horses, to which they have been unac-
customed. The Japanese will not be
able to depart far from the Korean
coast. as they must remain near their
shi0s-
The general added that the Russians
must watch the Yalu river, which is
| liable to sudden floods and which it
not return 1t is essential, he said. to
have a strong bridge. fortified on the
side where the Japanese are.
MIKASA WAS DAMAGED.
| Port Arthur, Thursday, March IL
According to informa ton received
from Russians at Shanghai, during the
firing at Port Arthur February 10 and
| IL the battleship Mikasa was struck
! by ten projectiles and seriously dam
aged. Two Japanese battleships and
two cruisers have been docked for re-
pairs at Nagasah and Sazebo and q
| 600 wounded men are said TO be in the
wounded and sick at Port Arthur are
making good progress towards recov-
erzr
JAPANESE LANDING DELAYED.
New York. March 1s.-The proposed
Japanese landing at Wonsan, on the
eastern coast. has been further de-
Iayed, says a Herald dispatch from
Seoul, Korea. by the threatening atti-
I7tude of the vladivostok naval squad
ron, consisting of four ships. which
are now anchored at Possitet bay, an
excellent base for attacking Japanese
transports approaching Wonsan- 1t is
reported by the projects of northeast
! ern Korea that bodies of Russians, ac-
companied by interpreters. are survey
ing the country. ascertaining the pop
ulation the quantity of supplies and
the sentiment of the people
MATSUDA IS CHOSEN.
Toxic. March 1S.-It is expected that
| imperial sanction will be given imnle-
| diately to the election of M Matsuda,
one of the leaders of the constitution
! aliSt party, who was today elected
4 president of the house of representa-
| tives and that the diet will be formal
/ ly opened by the emperor himself OH
Sunday or Monday next. Both the
constitutionalistsa and prOgressiveS hav-
ing decided that in view of the urgent
1 need of united action upon the part Of
Japan at this juncture to support the
government, insure the complete ap-
proval of the governments financial
programme for the prosecution of the
| war. M. Matsuda was minister Of fin
! dnce IN Ine Okufla CdDln0I anu IllHlS-
ter of education in the Ito cabinet.
NICHOLAS LOOKS PALE.
st. Petersburg. March $3.50 p. NJ
The emperor visited the new admiralty
dock yard today. He was looking pale,
but was cheerful and smilingly greet
ed the 10000 dock workers who turned
out to welcome him. The emperor went
on board the transport Kamtchtka and
inspected the vessels arrangements for
accommodating 1000 men. She will be
ready in a few months. The emperor
then boarded the first class protected
cruiser Oleg. The Olegs engines are
ready, but her turrets and coming
tower are not yet armored and her
guns are not in position. His majesty
asked number of questions and look
| ed pleased at what he had seen.
NO JAPANESE DEFEAT.
Paris, March 1856 P. M.-No re-
ports have been received at the foreign
| office or elsewhere, confirming a bourse
rumor of a great japanese defeat
which probably grew out of the un-
feat of 200 Japanese by a Russian force
| of 300 men.
DENY LOSS OF SKORL
st. Petersburg. March 1880 p. m.-
The admairality has no confirmation of
the reported loss of the torpedo boat de-
stroyer -Slxori off Port Arthur
GENERAL VI HAK MOVES.
Seoul March 1S-The United States
cruiser Cincinnati took to Che Foo the
Korean General vi Hak Kyumen and
Chamberlain Hak Sang, both advocates
| of the declaration of the neutrality OF
Korea submitted to the powers in Janu-
ary, the effect of which would have
been favorable to Russia When the
Japanese We're victorious at Chemulpo
the advocates of neutrality became
| alarmed and many of them came to the
American legation and sought an asy-
lum. Minister Allen declined to receive
them and urged them to remain at
their homes, stating that nothing would
happen to them if they followed his
advice. None of them have been mo-
Tested. Hak Sang, who went between
the emperor and the legations, and was
a frequent caller at the American lega-
i tinn took reflIse in the Palace Of FLOW