The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-02-26
Wants to Liberates Part Of His
eettforsDutics Else
where.
FORCES CLOSE TO
EACH OTHER IN KOREA
Battle on Land May Take Place
Short ,=i;l Orders ,tl1s +: Bal Bal.
zig Fleet s tle baE !a.,a East, ' 4.
None ofTtlie VI .5Iapra11es 4
War Vessels Are
Injured.

Especial CabloEto The Times Dispatch.)
E LONDON. Feb. ..s5.---1hat there Is likely
to be decisive action botl, at Port Arthur
and in northern Korea within the next
few days is generally believed in well
Informed circles here.
The efforts of Admiral, Togo to bottle
up the Russian fleet in Port Arthur is
taken here to indicate desire on the
part of the Japanese naval authorities
TO liberatc II part Of the fleet for other
duties. One Of these is believed to bo
to cooperate with the land forces ON tho
send Il force after the Russian squadron.
which is reported as operating IL the
Red Sen to intercept Japanese vessels
coal-lnden from Cardiff and with sup
plies from other ports. which ships arc
compelled to pass through the Suez
Canal. It Is altogether likely that the
effort to bottle l,p the Port Arthur fleet
will not be abandoned, and further news
from there is expected atsany time.
News as to the movements of the lalHl
forces in Korea is fragmentary ard
somewhat contradictory Up to this tlnio
Tho Japanese plan OF campaign has not
been developed.
May be Feint.
The story of tho landing Of a Japanese
force at Possiet Bay and the suggestion
Of a drive ut the railroad to the west of
,Vladivostouk may be IL feint or Il move
merit In force. Experts regard tho eformer
as more likely.
That the Russian ana Japanese out
posts in Northern Korea arc close to
each other, if not actually in touch,
seems probable lfrom the best news OBJ
.talnablc. Whether Japan IL ready to
hazard mn engagement is not clear. ! t
seems to be surc. however, that she will
not make an advance movement until
her plans have been completed, and 1t
appears equally clear that Russia has no
intention OF, forcing the fighting.
Z very interesting statement Is con-
tanned In Il cable message from Paris,
saying that representatives OF the Japa-
l,esG government have opened negotiar
tons for the purchase OF several 0f the
latest model airshps TO he used In mill
tnry and naval operations in the East,
This project, If successful. will bc q
startling innovation in the art of war
and will probanly he tho most cdfectivo
plan or speedily bringing m enemy to
terms, No fortification or battleship
would then be safe. An airship could
sail over ship or fort and drop any
quantity OF explosives, just where they
would do the most damage and could not
be reached by any gun yet devised
,rln fact that Russia considers the sit
nation critical is evidenced by tho fact
that the Baltic fleet has been ordered
TO proceed TO the far East
The Manjur still remains In Shanghai
ana the danger of International compli-
cations has been further Increased by tho
Japan Korean treaty which bids fair to
draw France in as an ally To Russia,
News from tho Balkans Is very dis
nuleting and war may break out there at
any moment between Turkey and Bull
gnrja This will undoubtedly Involve sew
erai Of the other European powers.