The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-15
Sensational Plan Is Adopted by the
Admiral in Opening Often
sive Campaign.
COAL IS RUNNING SHORT
And Supply of Ammunition for
Big Guns in Port Arthur
Forts Is Limited.
JAPANESE NOW AT DALNY
Marines Are Alleged to Have
Landed-Russians May Fall
Back for a Time.

LONDON. March IA correspondent of
the Daily Mail at Nieu-Chwang says that
after the removal OF the battleship Retvizan
four Russian steamers, the Harbin, the
Hailar, the Ninguta and the Sungari, were
anchored at the mouth of the entrance to
Port Arthur in proper position and sunk,
leaving only a small channel available,
Vice Admiral Makaroff having previously
ordered the whole fleet to remain outside
with steam, economy in coal being unneces-
sary.
The dispatch, which is prominently dis
played by the Daily Mali. and which the
correspondent says is ION Russian informa-
tion,'' is, il true, news of the first import
ance, confirming the idea that Vice Admiral
Makaroff will adopt the offensive and make
a desperate attempt to bring together Rus
sias scattered naval forces, or endeavor
to inhict damage upon the Japanese navy
The story must. however. be viewed eau
tiOusly. the only approach 10 confirmation
from any quarter being i'm dispatch from
a correspondent of the Daily Telegraph at
Yin-Kow, which merely says: ''Vice Ad-
miral Makaroff has issued orders to the
effect that the saving OF coal is unnecessary.
but that the big-gun ammunition in the
forts must not be wasted. Evidently this
ammunition is running short
There is no other news to hand on the
subject.
The Daily Telegraph's Toxic correspond
ent sends an unconfrmed rumor 10 the ef-
feet that Japanese marines have landed and
occupied Dalny
1t may be remarked that the British
newspapers all regard Vice Admiral Togo's
report that he has laid mines at Port
Arthur a mere bluff and they say that
such d feat would be impossible under
fire. The Daily Mail thinks that if Vice
Amiral Makaroff closed the channel it was
in order TO prevent the ingress of japanese
torpedo boat destroyers. as was done at
Wei-Hai-wei during the Chino-Japanese
war
II is a subject of unceasing remark and
conjecture that nothing has been heard
of the vIadivostok squadron and it is be-
ginning to be believed that it is really in
side the harbor OF vladivostok.
The Standards Toxic correspondent says
that according to a dispatch from Gen.
Sen, the Russians are believed to be with
drawing from the northeast frontier Of
Korea and concentrating at vladivostok.
The correspondent of the Morning Post
at Toxic throws a light upon Japan's
mated that Japan will be able to maintain
a war for eighteen months without borrow
ing abroad. The policy is to retain the gold
in Japan and IL is believed that Ii will
not be necessary to spend abroad more
than one-eighth of the cost of the war.
this expenditure being chiefly on coal.
cordite anti steel The fact that Port
Arthur is completely bIockaded permits a
great saving. because Japan will be able
TO charter vessels at peace rates.
The correspondent of the Times at Seoul
comments on the remarkable civil influence
which the Japanese brought to bear upon
Korea without adopting an attitude of over
bearing coercion. The correspondent says
that the contrary everything is being
done TO concilate the Koreans, but he
points out that from Chemulpo to Seoul
every controlling influence is Japanese
railroad. police and telegraph. He adds that
Japan must have been laying the foundation
for this condition of affairs for many
months