Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1904-04-09
WILL MAKE
SACRIF ICE
RUSSIA WILL COURT pEsTRuc-
TON OF BALTIC FLEET TO
GAIN POINT.
AN HEROIC SCHEME
Hopes to Work Enough Damage
Among Japanese Before Destruction
of Baltic Fleet to Put Enemy At
Disadvantage When Fleet Attacks.

Paris, April S.-Russia has adopted
desperate plan to increase the strength
Of her navy in the far east.
Realizing that Japan holds the bal
ance Of power in Asiatic waters, it has
been decided to sacrifice the Baltic
fleet, which is comparatively small, in
an action with Admiral Togo's squad.
ron, in the hope that enough Japanese
vessels may be<put out of action to al
low the czar's Red Sea and Vladivos-.
tok fleets to join that Of Admiral Mara
rolf at Port Arthur.
Official Information.
The information of this intended
move on the part Of Russia was COM
municated to one Of the embassies here
through official channels. 1t is not
current rumor, as SO many reports of
the intended actions of the belligerents
are, but comes from official sources as
the determined Russian plan.
Russia feels that it is essential that
she herself assume the preponderance
of naval power in the east. To do so
she must have her other fleets join Ad-
miral Makaroff's squadron, which would
| give him more vessels than Admiral
Togo has.
AnnihiIation Expected.
1t is foreseen that this will be a
most difficult task, and would proba-
bly, be impossible unless heroic meas
ures were adopted. Hence the desper-
ate measure of sacrificing one of the
fleets that the others may join Ma
karoff.
Togo viii Fight.
That Admiral Togo will intercept
the Baltic fleet before it can reach the
protecting guns of Port Arthur is con-
| sidered absolutely certain. When this
is done, the little force OF warships
will engage the big Japanese squadron
in as fierce a naval battle as it is able
to produce, in the hope of disabling
many of the Mikado's ships.
1 That the Baltic fleet may, and prob
ably will, be annihilated is fully real
ized, but the Russians consider that it
will have served most valuable end,
even in the worst event, if thereby the
czar gains the supremacy of the sea.
Russians Occupy corean Towns.
Seoul, April s.-Russian troops are
occupying six of the largest border
towns on the Tumen river in north.
eastern Corea.
i A Corean prefect has sent report
that the Russians and Chinese who
were at Yongampho have Withdrawn
to Antung, across the Yalu river. On
ly few merchants remain at the for
mer place.
! The Japanese authorities have nc
confirmation of a reported engagement
between Russians and Japanese al
Xvii Sung.
Naval Battle Reported.
| Wei-Hai-Wei, April 8. - The move
ments Of warships in the straits be
tween here and Port Arthur during tn
last two or three days has been mos
\ mysterious. Yesterday morning tn
Russian cruiser Bayan came within
thirty miles of Wei-Hai-Wei and chase,
and overhauled the press dispatch-boa
: Haimun. Later on the presence of an
other Russian cruiser in the strait
was made known, and finally, still
later, number of Japanese warship
were sighted.
These reports have given rise t
rumors Of big naval engagement
but of this there is no confirmation, a.
though, as it is evident that the riva
fleets are both cruising in the sam
waters, meeting is by no means in
, probable.
1 Will Try to Hold Antunq.
Yin-Kow, April 8. = While the frs
1 line of defense is a strong position
: selected by General Kuropatkin, nea
t Feng- -Huang-C Cheng, it is believed til
: Russians intend to hold as long a
possible at Antung, which command
: the Pekin road. The place has man
. natural advantages for Defense Ger
i eral Kurokis army finds it's advanc
v severely impeded by bad roads, whic
: make it difficult to push forward til
4 supplies, which are dragged by coolie
requiring eight days march from Oh
: yon-Ju to the Yalu.- For seventy mile
: the river is 500 fathoms wide and {
! Yongampo it is ice laden and barre
i by islands, whence the Russian shar,
t shooters can harass the Japanese a,
: vance.
The Russians have intrenched then
selves heavily near Hai-C -Cheng to bloc
the progress of the Japanese in cas-
they succeeded in landing at the hea
i of the Leao-Tong gulf.
w. r. CROSBY SHOOTS WELL.
Illinois Man Was High Gun at Te
nessee Shoot esterday.