Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1904-05-05
'LAY AUTOMATIC
FLOATING Mine
Japanese Are Credited with
Having Invented New Kind
Of Weapon.
DOES NOT VIOLATE HAGUE LAWS
Vet st. Petersburg Authorities Claim
u Conflicts With Spirit Of conven
ton and Should Be Forbidden as .
Menace to Neutral Ships.

st. Petersburg, May 1.-The Jap
anese are stated to be laying new
kind of automatic mine, floating just
below the surface, several miles out
from Port Arthur. They are of native
invention.
Although The Hague laws do not
prohibit this kind of weapon it is con-
sidered here that the spirit of the con.
vention does, and that, in view of the
fisk to neutral ships, 1t should be for
hidden. #.
The Japanese object is presumably
to make easy victims of any ships of
the Vladivostok fleet, or, at later
date, the Baltic squadron, which may
try to enter Port Arthur
Japanese Threaten vIadivostok.
st Petersburg, May 2.-Viceroy
A,exieff informed the Car that Japa-
nese ships were sighted six miles off
Port Arthur, and that ten Japanese
cruisers and six torpedo.boats were
seen in Usuri bay, near Vladivostok.
The report aroused considerable
anxiety. Naval circles are speculat-
ing whether the Japanese will venture
to approach Vladivostok at closer
range than last time.
Rumors are persistent Of fighting
on the Yalu river, but 1t is declared no
serious engagements have taken place
and that the fighting has been limited
to affairs of outposts, the Russians
contesting and harassing the Japanese
advance.
Martial Law West Of Lao.
Pekin, May Russia is about to
enforce martial law west of the Lao
river, 1t Is understood here. The gov
eminent Is worried and the Dowager
Empress has ordered the provincial
governors to abandon her birthday Gel
ebratiop, and to use the money col.
lected for that purpose to equip $4,000
troops Immediately.
Bridging the YaIu.
Nagasaki, May 2.--Successful
bridging operations are now reported
from the Yalu. The passage over the
river by General Kuroki's army Is not
to be expected until the japanese are
prepared to strike heavily all along
their selected front.
Seventy-Three Drown.
Toxic, May 2.-As a result of the
sinking of the Japanese transport Kin
Shiu Maru, which was torpedoed by
the Russian armored cruiser Rossia,
seventy-three Japanese were killed or
drowned. The Kin Shiu Maru parted
from the convoy Of torpedo-boats in a
. fog and met the Russian feet. She
was ordered to stop, and the Rossia
steamed alongside, summoned her
navigating officers on board the Ros-
STA, and sent a searching party on
board the transport. This party dis
covered two companies of soldiers con
cealed below, and reported the fact
to the Rossia. The latter discharged
a torpedo, which struck the Kin Shiu
Maru amidships and broke her in two.
While the transport was sinking
the soldiers on board OF her rushed on
deck and fired volleys from their
rifles into the Rossia, and as the Kin
Shiu Maru sank several of the sol,
diers killed themselves.
Three boats which fioated free from
the wreckage We're the means OF saw
ing forty-five soldiers and nine of the
Kin Shiu Maru's passengers and crew.
Two captains and three lieutenants
were among the soldiers drowned.
The survivors succeeded in getting
ashore and were conveyed by steamer
to Gensan.
Advices from >Gensan confirm the
reports that the soldiers refused to
surrender to the Russians, preferring
death. One noncommissioned officer
committed harakiri, according to the
ancient Samural custom and the 9th
ers used rifles to kill themselves.
Russians Move Supplies.
Shanghai, May 2.-The bulk of
the supplies of the Russian army at
Lao Yang is now being conveyed to
Feng Huang Cheng. Admiral Alexieff
is said to have ordered the Port Ar
thur squadron not to change its posi-
ton until Admiral Skrydloff arrives.
Meanwhile, the torpedo-boat destroy
ers have been specially detailed to
guard the entrance to the harbor.