Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1904-02-26

BfedG eXCenC On GOpneTS. One WOulu
suppose, from the lean and hungry
appearance Of the wolves late in the
winter, that their chief diet is sun
shine and snowballs.
The condition Of the Russo-Japanese
war shows no change since last
week. Everything is report" "ru-
NOR" and lacking confirmation. All
that is known is that the Russians are
in bad condition in naval matters.
Il large number of their ships have
been damaged by the enemy or by the
incompetency of their own officers.
Russia is trying in an apparently per-
functory manner to obtain permission
from Turkey for her Black Sea fleet
of warships to pass through the Dar
,danelles. But, even should the Turk
agree, there is the treaty with Eng
land against the use of the strait by
any of the great powers. Russia. also
asked permission from Germany for
the Muscovite Baltic fleet to pass
through the Kiel canal to the North
Sea. This was refused, the German
government announcing that neither
belligerent power would be allowed to
use the canal. There are persistent
rumors Of more attacks by the Japs
ON Bort Arthur, but they are only
reports. It seems that both parties
to the war give out nothing Of i'm
portance, and what is furnished is
undoubtedly in many instances put
forth with intention to deceive and
mislead the enemy. 1t is reported
that the Russians will retire to Har-
bin, some 500 miles north of Port
Arthur, leaving the latter place to its
fate. Harbin will be made their
headquarters, and there the Russ will
wait until, in his Judgment, he has
enough soldiers to overwhelm the
Jap. But SO far the Jap seems to
meet every emergency with remark
able promptness, and it is probable
that he carefully considered all such
contingencies even before the war be-
gan. Harbin is city of 10000 peo-
pie, where the Trans-Siberian railway
branches into two lines-one to Vlad-
livestock and the other to Port Ar
thur. Japan, having greatly weak.
ened the Russian fleet, is able to use
a good part Of her navy in conveying
her troop-ships to various points on
the Korean coast, and there are few
places of vantage in that country,
from a military standpoint, that are
not occupied by the brown heather
with Christian principles. AS usual,
when two nations are at war, there
are all sorts OF rumors as to other ma
tions mixing up in the difficulty. But
it is likely that the ruling powers OF
the other prominent countries will
think twice ere they enter the game.
In fact, all in the wayzof news Of a
general war that comes one day is
denied the next. AS far as readers of
the metropolitan newspapers can
Judge, every country is carefully OBJ
serving its promise of neutrality be-
tween tile belljgerents, and will con-
tinue to do SO unless Its honor or in
terest is seriously assailed. The Jap
anese and Russian soldiers seem to be
approaching each other at or near the
Yalu river, and, unless the entire
Russian army shall be withdrawn to
Harbin, it certainly will not be a
great while until we hear Of one or
more sanguinary BATTLES in that
region. Another report from Jap
anese sources, however, is to the
effect that, If the Russians retreat
to the north, the Japs will occupy
Port Arthur and the other strategic
points they Withdraw from. and wait
until warmer weather before they adj
vance toward the northern frontier
Of Manchuria. There are all sorts Of
reports respecting the situation along
the line Of the big Russian railway
and at Its terminus. It is not defn-
itely known whether Russia has 50,-
600 or. 300, 600 troops in Manchuria--
numbers all the way between the
maximum and minimum figures here
named having been reported. One
rumor WIN announce that trains, i,