The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-04-11
While the Nation Celebrates
Easter Holidays.
NEW CHWANG CLOSED.
Approaching Vessels Receive No
Answer to Signals.
Russia Continues to Buy German
Merchant Vessels.

The Easter merry making is in pro-
gress. business being suspended. the
government departments are closed
and the war bulletin boards are bare
except the order for the mobilization
Of the naval reserves. Only three
newspapers appear and they are in
the form of fly sheets. NJ. Meshoheriky,
in the Grashadanin, pays a fine tribute
to Prince Hilkof, the minister Of rai1-
roads, whom he compares with Peter
the Great. working with his own hands
on the Ba.ikal railroad to stimulate the
workmen to perform marvels like Peter
at the foundry in st. Petersburg. The
minister will return soon to Baikai to
resume personal direction Of building
the circular line, which it is hoped viii
be running by July, a year earlier than
planned Prince Hilkom expects soon
to have seven two-sectiOn military
trains running daily
In addition to the list printed yester-
day the NovOe Vremya this morning
contains the belated Easter greetings
of the officers ofthe warships Retvizan
Petropavlovsk. Gaydamak, Vsadnyk
and Galiak and tbs transport Angara.
The model Russian three inch quick
firing guns, firing eighteen shots a.
minute are being issued to the artil-
Iery colleges of St. Petersbu for the
purpose Of instruoting the senior cadets
in the handling Of these pieces The
emperor will confer diplomas on them
In May, instead of next fall
Pray for Victory.
. vladivostok, April 1.-THE church.
es todav have been crowded in OBJ
servance of the Easter holidays with
people praying for victory. Many OF
the inhabitants who fed from Vladt-
vostok to khabarovsk. eastern ST.
IBERIA. at the outbreak Of the war. are
now returning here
Compared to Sebastopol
sebastopol. April 1.-THE observ-
lance of Easter here was marked by
: a patriotic demonstration in honor Of
the arrival of the captain and other
surviving members Of the crew OF the
Russian. gunbaat Aorietz vice Ad-
rniraI Skryd1off, the commander Of
] the Fsussian Black sea fleet in hand
I ing them the cross OF St George
/ compared their exploits to the heroic
| defense Of the Russians at SebastopoA
New Chwang Is Closed
2 Chefoo, April IL, p. ma Chi
nese steamer has just returned from
New Chwang. The port pilots would
1 not respond to her signals for them
| to take the vessel up the river. Two
British steamers found themselves in
the same predicament. The port Of
New Chwang is practically closed te
commerce.
Russia Buying More Ships
New York April 1.-THE Russian
government has not ceased its pur-
| chase of German transatlantic liners
/ Berlin. The correspondent asserts
: that negotiations are pending for the
purchase of a considerable number Of
German vessels. These are to be
: armed and together with the Smo-
l Iensk and the Oreal of the Black sea
feet are to form a flying squadron Of
fast cruisers
Onicial Explanation.
New Chwang, April 11.-An official
! explanation was issued today of the
, firing of guns from the fort here last
a night, which caused a certain amount
: of excitement and the killing of two
Chinese. 1t appears from the official
: | statement that owing to the fact that
the officers of the garrison did not
| understand the system of customs
| fash signals in use at the mouth OF
) the river. for the purpose of signal
: ing the depth of the water on the
: bar, so as to enable ships to put to
sea, fire was opened last night at some
pilot boats and outward bounu mer-
r chantmen. These vessels were sighted
: by the forts some time after midnight
} and at 1890 the artillery opened hre
: ! on the vessels, twenty-four shots be-
ing fired, including projectiles from
/ large guns. The effect of the fire
| had not been reported uD to noon
[ TODAY but the firing caused excite
ment among the troops, during which
| a sentry fired on and killed two Chi
| nese opposite the foreign settlement
and three miles from the firing The
! Chinese had become alarmed at the
| the river.
In view of the reports received here
of japanese activity in Korea and OF
| the arrival of Japanese troops on the
: Yalu river, it is understood that the
: troops of the garrfsons had been fully
! warned that il was possible the Jap
anese would make an attack on this
place, and the citizens on hearing the
: firing naturally supposed that the at
A tack was being made last night
Japan's First Army in Korea
Paris. April 11.-Oficial advices re-
: caived today by the French govern
ment confirm the press dispatches an
; nouncing that Japan's first army, con-
z sisting of four army corps Is now COM
! pIeteIy landed in Korea and GI--1- the
second army. consisting of a similar
number of eorDs, is about to start The
points of debarkation of the second
army are not known
japanese Trainers Must Go.
st. Petersburg, April 1.-THE reports
; that NJ Lessar, the Russian minister
at Pekin had made strong representa-
tions to the Chinese government on
the subject Of the Japanese military
instructors in the service of China and
; the Japanese officers with General
s Mas army demanded the issuance Of
orders for their dismissal are confirm
= ed here. Russia regards their contin-
n ued presence where they are as being
: a most serious threat to her. 1t is
I pointed out that without the consent
Y Of the Pekin government, the japanese
2 officers. who are with General Ma,
t who is now north Of the great WALL