Arizona republican., 1904-04-20
Keep the St. Petersburg
Officials Guessing
LANDINGS HERE AND THERE
ViCerOy Alexief Desires to Resign His
PositiOn-Report Of a Raging Battle
at Port Arthur on MOnday-Nothing
Yet Doing on the Yalu.

st. Petersburg, April 19.-No con-
firmation has been received here up to
this hour of the reported arrival of Il
big fleet of Japanese transports in the
Gulf of Chi l.. Reports differ widely
as to the destination of the fleet. Kin
Chou, situated on the narrowest part
of Liza Tung peninsula, above Port
Arthur, Kai Chou, south of New
Chwang, and New Chwang itself being
mentioned by various reports. An at
tempted landing at the head of Lao
Tung gulf has been anticipated sor
some time, but latterly the Russians
have been inclined to believe that they
have so strengthened their position
there that the japanese have abandon
ed the idea of landing more than a
raiding party TO cut the railroad to
Port Arthur. 1t is considered possible
that the Japanese may have decided
that the time is oppOrtune to land at
Kin Chou with the object of cutting
of and investing Port Arthur.
The chances of effecting a landing in
neutral Chinese territory on the coast
west of Lao TunS peninsula are now
regarded as remote, as the Russians do
not believe the Japanese Will dare TO
risk arousing the Chinese and thus
bringing down upon themselves the
condemnation Of the powers, whose
good opinion they are striving 10 OBJ
tain. The fact is. the Russians seem
greatly at sea as 10 the japanese
plans. In the best Informed military
quarters the correspondent of the AS
sOciated Press finds con siderable
skepticism in regard to the reported
Japanese landing IN Lao Tung gulf
and an inclination to think it has been
too widely advertised to prove more
than a ruse. If a heavy landing oc-
ours now, except in Korea, Russian
authorities are more disposed 20 be-
lieve il would be near Taku Shan.
The Japanese transports are eX-
pected daily at the mouth of the Yalu
river. Reports chat there are 5000
COssaCks in The neignborhood of Cen
san are denied. Russian cavalry is
scouting along the east coast of Korea,
but not so far down as Gensan. While
there IS almost constant sklrmishing
along the Yalu, the Russians do not
anticipate land fighting for some time,
not believing the japanese viii seri-
oCsly attempt crossing of the river
until their advance can be supported
! by two corps, which. advices indicate,
about represents the strength of the
Nikados soldiers in Korea.
The general staff is of the opinion
that the japanese rear must be pro-
tected and that a third corps must be
/ landed and entrenched in a line across
the peninsula before a real forward
movement can begin. Lack of trans
] Tfnf1 facilities TO -
Russian advices, are delaying the
japanese. Both in Japan and Korea
the roads are in Il dreadful state. The
japanese horses are dying by the hun
dreGs. Il viii he impossible to bring
up regular field artillery and they will
have to rely on mounted guns.
General Kuropatllin's dispositions,
| the general staff says. are progressing
rapidly and satisfactory. Troops con-
| centratiEE below Mukden are being
! sent to their allotted positions
About $4,000 are employed in guard =
/ ing the railroad, but that number is
considered sufficient. They are main
/ ~ on duty about the massive bridges
/ and heavy cuts, etc, where serious
| damage could be done by explosions.
/ There is no necessity for heavy guard
along the ordinary road bed. where the
| damage could be repaired in a few
/ hours. The Russians know that the
! japanese are making desperate efforts
| to cripple the road by blowing up
! bridges. 4 number of Japanese Off
GERS have already been caught red
! handed, but the Russians believe the
measures taken viii prevent the pos
! sibilitV of such q catasfropba