The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-06-02
RUSSIA TO RISK A FIGHT
REPORT THAT KURoPATKIN IS
 TO TAKE OFFENSIVE.

Desperate Effort to be Made to Save Port Arthur-GeneraI SaIKharOff Gives
 Details of an Affair in Which He De-
 cIares a squadroA of Japanese Cav airy Was AnnihiIated.
 London, June 2.-No confirmation has yet been received of the reported heavy fighting near Port Arthur or with Ku- ropatkin's army, although the latter is not regarded as improbable. Rumors persist that court influence at St. Pet ersburg is being actively exercised to induce General Kuropatkin to assume the offensive in an sndeavor by vic tory to retrieve the Russian military reputation.
 The Daily Telegraph's St. Petersburg correspondent says:
 "A recent coucil of war decided that Kuropatkin should risk an engagement. The emperor ratified this judgment, even going so far as to authorize the dispatch of troops from the German frontier to the Far East on the ground that as Germany was benevolent, she might be trusted safely. All hopes are centered now in Kuropatkin, who will make desperate efforts to save Port Ar thur.''
 Against these statements must be placed the official contradiction com mmicated to the Associated Press and already cabled that General Kuropat- kin wnl1ld move southwark
 The correspondent of the Standard at Tokio announces that non-combatants are quitting Gensan, owing to incur sions of small parties of Russians into northern Korea. The situation there is not deemed a serious one.
 The Morning Posts correspondent In Vienna learns that the Stabilimento Tecnico at Trieste has engaged to de- liver five armored cruisers to Russia, the first two within year, the others subsequently at intervals of ten months.
 St. Petersburg, June 1.-General Sak- haroff has telegraphed as follows, un- der to-days date, to the general staff:
 According to reports the Japanese comnander in the action of May 30 near vafangrow had three battalions of in fantry in reserve. Our losses were + men killed and 23 wounded and Lieuten- ant Meyer and another officer, whose namc has not been ascertained, wound led. The Japanese losses were very con- lsiderable. One squadron of the 18th Japanese cavalry was annihilated in a hand to hand encounter and another scudron which came to it's assistance suffered great loss from the fire of our frontier guards and rifiemen. We cap ltured 19 horses"
 St. Petersburg, June 1.-The war of- fee does not believe the report from ITokio that Japanese division has en- ibarked for northern Korea to check an alleged advance of Lieutenant Gen. leral Linevitch's army. A high military lauthority points out that Linevitch would have to march 300 miles over diff that distance before he could get with in striking reach of the Japanese army.
 This authority admits that such a task lis impossible and not worth attempting since 1t would not imperil the Japanese supplies in Manchuria which are com ing by sea.
 The Japanese are more lively to rein force their armies in south Manchu- lria or on the Liao Tung peninsula, where 1t is believed they are concern Itrating every available man.
 The admiralty attributes the failure to destroy the crippled cruiser Bogatyr to the absence of Japanese warships near Vladivostok.
 A private letter from Liao Yang dated May says that on good author Iity General KuropatlSin then had 14O,- I000 men read to take the field.
 London, June 2-The Times corres- pondent at Chefoo cables:
 During the interval of thirty hours between the Russian evacuation of Dalny and the Japanese occupation anarchy prevailed. The local Chinese officials allowed the prison to be forced with the result that about 200 cut throats had the run of the town.
 Some time will be required to make the ports of Dalny and Talienwan safe for shipping to enter, as the San Shan tao islands have been connected very skillfully with the mainland by mines lzigzagging over large field The dam age to the Russian works ashore is in- significant. The Japanese have much railway material on the way.
 There is no information yet as to the fate of the Russian gunboat and -four transports which were in Talien- wan bay during the battle of Kin Chou. It is just possible that the Bobr slip ped away during the night of May 26. Immediately after Talienwan bay shall have been safe a Japanese siege train Twill be landed when presumably the second army corps will quietly invest Port Arthur, while third army corps and specially organized flying column will cooperate with the first army icorps in the advance of Mukden.'
 MTNTNG PORT RTHTrR