Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-12
MILITARY FORGOTTEN.
Interest in Port Arthur Squadron
Paramount in Public Mind.

| ST. PETERSBURG, August r. 2:10 p. m.
| Everything else, from a military stand
| point. seems to be forgotten in the general
| anxiety concerning the fate of the Port
| Arthur squadron. The future plans of the
admiralty hang upon the preservation of
| the bulk of the squadron and 1t is not too
much to say that the present is regarded
| as being the most critical moment of the
| war. The admiralty till noon declared that
| it was without official advices as to the
| whereabouts Of the squadron and could not
confirm the report that the protected cruiser
Novik and another Russian warship (the
battle ship Czarevitch), had put into Using
chou at the entrance of Kiaochou bay, the
German concession on the Shangtung PENN
sula.
Nevertheless, as stated by the Associated
Press last night, private dispatches seem
to show that the squadron may have been
communicating with Russia after passing
the Shangtung promontory, and hope is
high that the squadron successfully broke
through the Japanese ships and is now
steaming for Vladivostok. The departure
of the squadron in the face of the superior
Japanese fleet is commended by all classes
The papers consider that the squadron is
taking desperate chances. but at the same
tine they loud in their praise of its
dash.
The Russ says:
THE squadron is now somewhere in Pa
cifc waters, discharging it's heroic duty.
The prayers of all Russia accompany it,
The Novoe Vremya believes that the
vagueness of Admiral Togo's report shows
that he is trying to hide unpleasant truths
now definitely known.
The armored cruiser Bayan did not ac-
company the squadron. the injury she sus-
tanned by the explosion of a floating mine
having rendered this impossible.
The admiralty declines to confirm or deny
the Chefoo report that the Vladivostok
squadron has been reinforced by purchased
| warships, but the report is given credence
Murder Denied.
NAKHICHEVAN, Russia, August r.
There is absolutely no truth in the report
published in the United States August in
a dispatch from Berlin that the chief OF
police Kooznezoff and the head of the for
est department, Tregubenko, had been
murdered openly in the streets here. All is
quiet at Nakhichevan.
Explains Lull in Operations.
LONDON, August IA dispatch from
| Anshanshan to the Central News relates
that. according to Chinese reports. the lull
| in Japanese military operations arises from
| the fact that three divisions of Gen. Kuro-
ki's force have been sent to assist the
troops besieging Port Arthur.
Tokyo's Report to London.
| LONDON, August IA dispatch from
| Tokyo to the japanese legation here says
| According to reports received up to the
| present. the Russian squadron emerged
! from Port Arthur, was attacked by our
feet south of Yentao and dispersed The
| Askold Novik and another cruiser and
| destroyer took refuge at Kiaochou. An
other DESTROYER took refuge at Chefoo On
August IL five Russian battle ships, a
cruiser-probably the DIANA hospital
| ship and several torpedo destroyers seemed
| to regain Port Arthur.
| Our fleet is believed to be unchanged.
| Yentao or Yangtau, is a small island of
| the Elliot group, in the Korean gulf. 1t is
| about 10 miles northeast of Port Arthur.
Dispatch From Alexief.
ST. PETERSBURG, August 12.-The en-
peror has received the following dispatch
| from Viceroy Alexieff dated August IL:
! According to a report from the command
ant at Port Arthur the squadron put to
| sea August 10. The steamer Mongolia fol-
| lowed the squadron. The following Japa-
nese vessels were on the horizon Three
| frst-class cruisers, eight small cruisers and
| seventeen torpedo boats. The port had
| been bombarded with siege guns for the
| past four days.
Joy Over Squadron's Escape.
The emperor has just received telegram
| from kaichou which is being deci-
| phered.
| The latest news that four of the Russian
| battle ships are off Shanghai is received
| with great satisfaction at the admiralty,
| as ting that the bulk OF the squad
| ron has escaped.
The telegram to the emperor probably
| contains an official account of the sea
| fight.
| Russian Ship Probably Sunk.
| TOKYO August 12.-Admiral Togo re-
| ports that the Russian battle ship Care
| witch was probably sunk on August TO-
| 1t is believed here that majority of the
| Russian feet has returned to Port Ar
| thur.
Paris Can Give No Reason for Sortie.
! PARIS August 1.-THE foreign office
| here though officially confirming the re-
| ports of the sortie of the Port Arthur
| squadron and the fact that a naval en-
| gagement occurred, cannot give reason
| for the sortie or the result of the combat.