The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-02-27

phia. The first bulletins will probably
be received about 9 o'clock.
formed. In any event it is taken for
granted in London that Vice Admiral
Togo's recent operations are to facili-
! tate Japanese debarkatiOn on the Lao
| Tung gulf or elsewhere.
NO USE FOR FRENCHMEN
London. Feb. ga report which en-
/ anates from St Petersburg says that
the japanese minister at Seoul. Ko-
i rea, has requested the Korean govern
ment to hand the French minister his
passports.
SCOUTS SIGHT EACH OTHER.
London, Feb. 27.-Russian and Japa-
nese scouts sighted each other Thurs
day morning at Sukchen, 25 miles
north of Ping Yang, Korea, but did not
| come IN contact. cables the Toxic cor
| respondent of the Times The Rus
SLAMS are now moving southwark of the
! Iumen river. where the roads are ex-
tremely bad. The changes in the Ko-
rean cabinet have brought into power
the partlsans of the United States and
/ Japan Russian soldiers have seized
! the premises of an American mining
company at Unsan, north of Ping
Yang.
LATEST PORT ARTHUR FIGHT.
st. Petersburg, Feb. 27-The Port Ar
thur correspondent of the Russ tele-
graphs as follows:
"On the morning of February 25.
japanese squadron consisting of six
battleships and four light, cruisers ap-
peared on the horizon. The Russian
{ cruisers Askold, Bayan and Novik
We're in the outer harbor. The Jap
anese ships, upon attaining a position
within 80 cable lengths (about Az miles)
/ of the Russian ships opened an attack.
At this time two of our torpedo boats
were returning to our ships from Pigeon
bay. All the Japanese cruisers at
| tempted to cut them off, nevertheless
~ rf -
reaching Port Arthur, while the other
/ turned back. The scene of the battle
was thus cut in two, the Japanese bat
tleships cannonading the Askold, Bay
and Novik, which were supported by
! the batteries and cruisers pursuing the
/ Russian torpedo boat which entered
the Pigeon bay. The cannonading
lasted 40 minutes and several shells
fell at various points in the fortress
One Chinaman was mOrtally wounded
/ by a splinter and one by she'll In
/ yesterdays affair the maneuvers of the
j Japanese appeared to be defective.
While turning back to sea the Japanese
battleships got punched and our ships
did not fail to take advantage of this
! fact. They opened a running fire and
one could clearly see shells bursting
amidst the tremendous target. This
clumsy maneuver on the part Of the
Japanese is considered as affording
weighty reasons for the belief that the
enemy's losses We're heavy.
! "A Japanese torpedo boat lies on
bank off FIT. White Wolf. 1t is appar-
emily one of those which participated
in the night attack with the freighters.
s'I close hearing our cannonading but
without knowing the occasion of it.
RUSSIA DECLINES A LOAN.
st. Petersburg, Feb. 27.-The minister
of finance, it is stated, has again de-
clined firmly the offers of several groups
of leading foreign banks to float a Rus
sian loan. on the ground that there is
no need for adopting such a course.
THE ASKOLD IS SOUND.
st. Petersburg Feb. 27-According to
a telegram received from the command
er of the Russian cruiser Askold, at
Port Arthur, all rumors regarding the
sinking of his vessel are false The
commander adds that the Askold is
quite sound.
TOLSTOI CONTRIBUTES.
st. Petersburg, Feb. 27-Count Tolstof
has contributed a thousand sets of his
works, the profit from the sale of which
is to be expended for the benefit of the
| troops taking part in the campaign in
the far east.
ALEXIEFF TO THE CZAR.
st. Petersburg, Feb. 27-A copy of a
| telegram from Viceroy Alexieff to the
czar has just been given out. 1t is da-
ted February 25. The place whence it
| is sent is not given but is supposed TO
| be Mukden- The message follows:
| "A squadron of the enemys vessels,
numbering 16, approached the fortress
at about IL o'clock this morning and
opened bombardment on the cruisers
Askold. Rayan and Novik, which were
/ in the outer harbOr and also on the
fortress. The firing continued for half
an hour. Then our cruisers went into
the harbor. The enemy fired for sew
| eral minutes on one of our batteries,
and then began to leave. They stopped
within sight of the fort, but out of
range of fire.
AT this time, four of the enemy's
cruisers detached themselves from
squadron and proceeded to Pigeon Bay,
where they quickly opened fire on our
4 torpedo boats that were cruising there
They directed also a strong cannonade
against the shore The commandant
consequently sent troops to Pigeon
Bay. The firing lasted for 80 minutes
but no landing was made. The Japa-
nese cruisers then departed. Suitable
measures have been taken to oppose a
possible move on the part of the enemy
! to creep up by sea.
Our losses were one man wounded
at the battery.
'I respectfully report the above to
our imperial majesty.
"ALEXIEFF."
JAPANESE LANDING LOOKED FOR
st. Petersburg, Feb. 27.-A dispatch
from Port Arthur dated February 26,
says:
AT 1 O'Clock this morning several
Japanese torpedo boats were sighted
| from here with their sails set for the
purpose of distinguishing their charac-
ter The battleship Retvizan and shore
/ battery opened fire on them and con-
tinued firing until draybreak without
any visible result. After daybreak a
| japanese squadron, apparently convoy
ing troops, was sighted. At a quarter
past II the squadron came nearer and
an engagement which lasted 40 minutes
ensued- There was no damage. Few
shells fell in Port Arthur
1T is expected here that the Japa-
nese will attempt a landing soon.
An inspection of the Japanese fire
ships sent into the harbor on Febru-
ary "a, shows they were loaded with
coal and kerosene and that electrical
Internal machines had been placed in
the midst of the CARGO
ono NADC