The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-02-11
JAPAH FOLLOWS
 UP HER VICTORIES Seizes the Important Port of Masampo and Gains Command of the
 Corean Straits.
TO ESTABLISH BASE THERE
ANUMBER oFLARGE MERCHANT
 SHIPS CAPTURED.

The Successes of she Japanese nj Port Arthur and chemulpo Fully Con- frmed-A Report That the First Class Cruiser yariag Was Captured-Fur- shcr Details of fhe Engagement Or Fort rtArthur-Repor of Second Attack on the Place Not confirmed.
 Tokio, Feb. 10.-Japan has seized Ma sampho and dispatched heavy force there. Japan will fortify the port and establish a naval and military base there.
 Masampho is an exceedingly import ant point as it controls the Corean channel and is an excellent base for fu- ture operations.
 Tokio, Wednesday. Feb. 1O.-The Russian commercial steamers, including the Ekaterintoslav, Moukden, Russia, Argun and Alexander They were cap- tured by the Japanese in Corean and adjacent waters at various times since Saturday by small cruisers. Some of the steamers are rich prizes. The small steamer Koeik is detained at Yoko- hama, it's status not being clear.
 London, Feb. 11-Despatches to the Daily Mail from Tokio and Nagasaki dated February 10 report the arrival at Sasebo. Japan, of two large Russian steamers. One is the Volunteer Fleet association transport Ekaterinoslav which recently landed troops and arms at Port Arthur. and the other is the steamer Argun, belonging to the Chi- nese Eastern Railway company. Both were captured by the Japanese cruisers Sai Yen and Hei Yen ins the neighbor- hood of Fusan, Corea. The Ekaterinos- lav is of 10000 tons displacement. and had been fitted Up as an auxiliary crui- ser. She had thirty rifles on board and was on her way from Vladivostock. The Argun was going to Vladivostock from Nagasaki. The Russian whalers Glo- rige, Nieelai, Alexander and Michael, captured by the Japanese. have also ar rived at Sasebo.
 London, Feb. 11.-Special dispatches from Tokio this morning announce the arrival of Japanese troops at Seoul, but beyond this the dispatches published in the newspapers here this morning add practically nothing to the knowledge of the actual situation.
 The Tien Tsin correspondent of the Standard sends in a report that Rus
 
 nese at Liao- Y Yang, in consequence of which the officials at Shan -Hai-Kwan are greatly alarmed and are appealing ito Pekin for protection.
 Other dispatches from Tien Tsin say that four hundred French troops have been ordered from there to Seoul for the protection of the French legation at the Corean capital, the emperor hav- ing taken refuge there. These reports lack confirmation.
 The correspondent of the Daily Mail at Tien Tsin says that Li the favorite court official of the dowager empress of China, has been decoyed away and be- headed by order of Yuan Shi Kai, com- mander-in-chief of the Chinese army and navy. u was pro-Russian in his feelings.
 The Che Foo correspondent of the Daily Express asserts that the Russian cruiser Diana was injured by a shot from the Russian shore battery at Port Arthur, and that the cruiser Novik ana the battleship Poltava have also been beached at Port Arthur.
 Special dispatches from Tokio report that fugitives from Vladivostok accuse the Russians of openly footing Japan ese houses there without interference by the police.
 Che Foo, Wednesday, Feb. 10.-Upon the withdrawal of the Japanese min- ister from St. Petersburg, the Japan ese fleet and transports proceeded to Masampho, which was occupied and the fleet then sailed for Port Arthur. The rest of the Japanese ships are guarding Northern Japan, fearing that Russia might land a force from Vladivostock and for the further purpose of prevent ing four Russian cruisers from joining the Russian fleet at Port Arthur. Other Japanese war vessels are cruising to intercept Russian vessels coming from damaged at Port Arthur are the Per- soviet, Carevich and Retvizar The criuser Boyarin was beached when the tide was falling and has not been float ed and will be damaged as a northeast gale was blowing to-day. The Japan ese fleet has probably retired to Ma sampho and it is not known whether there was another attack on Tuesday night. General Tchiehikoff tooq com mand of the Russian troops i'll Man churias
 Washington, Feb. 1o.-The United States legation at Tokio made two re- ports to-day to the state department upon the war. The first reads:
 "A naval engagement was begun to- day at noon (9th) outside the harbor of Chemulpo. The Japanese squadron
 fCof1tirIled on T1ird Do