The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-03-16
EMANATEs FROM TOXIC.
Story of Russians Giving Up Port Ar
thur Absurd.

thur Absurd.
St. Petersburg. March 15.-From the
highest official quarter the Associated
Press has received information that
there is absolutely no foundation for the
rumOrs pcrsistently sent out from Toxic
that the Russians are abandoning Port
Arthur
1T is the vericst nonsense" said the
official informant Of the Associated
Press. Nothing has cOncurred there
10 warrant such reports. The Japanese
fleet has not been seen for fOTty-eight
hours. The motive Of the Toxic gov
eminent i'm spreading this story il
probably 10 influence public feeling i'm
Japan for the purpose OF creating en-
thusiasm while a war loan is being
floated."
The newspapers here manifest the
greatest indignation over the report.
the Roerss Gazette characterizing il as
autr0geaus and a British Invention. At
tention is redireCted 90 the order Of the
day, issued by Lieutenant General
StoeSgel. commander at Port Arthur.
in which he declared that that place
never would be surrendered as repre-
senting the Russian position. Relative
10 this point military officer said to
the Associated Press.
Too Absurd to Discuss.
This mere statement carries its own
yefutation. unless we meant to heat an
ignoble retreat all along the line If
we abandon Port Arthur we leave our
feet there to be doomed II is too alb
surd 60 discuss
General Kuropatkin expects to reach
Nukden March 26. Everything will be
sidetracked in order 10 get him 10 the
front on schedule time.
The general may proceed on a flying
visit on his duties as cOmmandeT-iu-
s.Tarr i 10
bears an autograph letter from the en-
peror to Niccroy AleXied. 90 whom he
will report Ii is understood that the
vicerOy then viii turn over the entire
direction Of the land operations TO Cen
eral Kuropatkin. who viii transmit his
reports 10 the emperor through the
1iccrov hut practically this is the only
point on which Niceroy AleXieff VIII
maintain superiority
General KurOpdtlSin had his plan of
campaign practically perfected before
ne left here for the far east. He re-
turned to St Petersburg quietly from
his country home and his presence here
was not known for four days These
four davs he devoted to the Ella liberation
of his plans. in connection with his staff
and with the aid of the Information in
possession of the ministry Of war. as
we'll as Of the special reports from the
theatre Of war.
Somewhat Superstitious.
4 superstitious idea prevails here ;hat
General Kuropatkin will signalizc his
birthday. which will occur on March
3O and which is also his patron saints
day. with some important act.
ON account of the difficulty OF hous-
ing the vast number of troops poured
fnto Mukden. "a 900 have been sent for
ward within the past few days toward
oil rslafTn IN CON
the Z 900 troops already at kusan and
Anju and the stream Of soldiers from
European Russia is now being held ut
Hardin The housing problem viii dis
appear with the advent OF warmer
weather, but in the meantime the gov
eminent is hurrying forward large
numbers Of portable collapsible wooden
quarters. 500 Of these having already
been dispatched from St. Petersburg
and 5000 from Moscow.
Napoleon's Command
Price Louis Napoleon has gone TO
Caucasus. accompanied by Prince Mar
at. Prince Louis will relinquish his
command of the cavalry division OF the
Caucasus and then proceed to the far
cast. where he will take supreme COM
inand Of the cavalry under General
kurOpat kin-
General Neidermueller has gone to
fhe front to take charge OF the military
communications and will be response
Die FOR the regular movement OF mill
tary trains.
The dowager empress today inspected
her OWL Red Cross detachment. which
e. proceeding TO the front.
The statement of General ZilinslSy
that the Russians found poisoned
swords left by the fleeing japanese has
aroused much comment. Similar
swords were used by the Chinese dur
ing the Boxer rebellion especially in
Manchuria, and the slightest wound
inflicted by them proved fatal The
uxc of such weapons is prohibited by
to Geneva and The Hague conven-
tions.