Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1904-02-25

}Sg# HafOln, Feb. 2O.-The exodus from
Port Arthur continues, and heavily
i SS laden trains are pouring out thou
sands OF useless refugees who will
consume the provisions required by
the troops. Two thousand travellers
are waiting for possage over Lake
Baikal. They are suffering severely
from the extreme cold. One hundred
J. a and twenty thousand men of corps
Q d'armee from Moscow, Kieff and
d ss8 Poland are expected. and within
i Twelve days there will be in Man
churia 100000 Russian soldiers.
Two hundred Japanese disembarked
y Tuesday at Talienwan. Two-thirds Of
es them were sabred by Cossscks. The
n rest escaped and returned to their
t ships.
l3a5a5N Looting Town Without Restraint.
@ Shanghai, Feb. 20-Refugees who
have arrived here from Chefu on
' board the Wenchow report that when
fgs they left Port Arthur on the 18th, sol
oilers and bandits were looting the
town without restraint. So far had
this gone that the Russian tradesmer
In the town were barricading their
premises against marauders.
' Abandon Port Arthur.
@ Berlin. Feb. 20. From sources In
exceptionally close touch with Rus
A sian military opinion it is learned
that Alexieff, in view of the utter i'm
possibility Of maintaining and protect
ing line of communication 1900
miles long as vulnerable to attack as
is the railway through Manchuria,
y J, has determined to fall back upon
Hardin, leaving Port Arthur to work
out its own salvation.
! 7BB He is now fortifying Hardin and
preparing the place as the base of a
large army He has the fullest con-
fdence that Port Arthur will be able
]! TO stand prolonged SIEGE should the
Japanese be allured by that tempting
bate, as were the Beers at Ladysmith,
IS Kimberley and Mafeling.
Place japs in Dilemma.
@ The Japanese will be placed In a
dilemma If they advance on Port Ar
fhur, and there will be a perpetual
menace to their rear if they do not
advance. Alexieff will collect his
forces at Hardin and wait until
spring, meanwhile concentrating his
! troops. Then, it is claimed, he will
advance in such overwhelming
strength that no resistance to him
y will be possible.
y The news has been received in Rus
&Sian military circles with consterna-
ton. 1t has caused a more painful
u sensation than the calamities which
have befallen the Russian fleet, as it
more clearly than any event that has
= occurred reveals the formidable ma
y ture of the enemy to whom Russia is
4. opposed.
A Mere Incident.
d8 st. Petersburg, Feb. 90 - Admiral
S Alexieff has transferred the central
seat of Russian military authority in
81 the Far East from Port Arthur to
& Hardin, and the fate Of Port Arthur
the peninsula now is mere Incl
dent in the viceroy's scheme of de-
u Tense
f5E Informed Of the far-reaching char
y acter of Japan's plan of campaign,
IS Alexieff realized at once that the chief
z commanders proper position was at
u Hardin. where the trans Siberian rail
Y way divides into two branches-one
going to Port Arthur and the other
s. TO Vladivostok.
Hardin as they arrive from the west
g. Some of these forces will be dis
patched to reinforce the army at Vlad-
rs lvostok and others will be sent south
3 To Join the Forces
lat Newchwang, Tachwangho, Antung
and the other lower waters of the
d Yalu river The troops sent to vlad-
Ii dvostok will be distributed so as to
tas guard the coast between Vladivostok
Land Korea and the Southeastern
Il Manchuria frontier. Thus it will be
s5seen that Admiral Alexief appreci-
ates the enormous scope of the opera
tons Japan is initiating.
WIS Ahead of the Russians and Japanese
are hardships that would be enough to
dishearsen any but the most indom
liable generals. The mountains of
Manchuria are difficult of passage.
the roads are terribly rough. the
weather cold and stormy and the
population an uncertain and danger