The San Francisco call., 1904-03-18
RUSSIAN CHIEF INTENDS
TO FORCE THE FIGHTING
Kuropatkin Will Assume the Aggressive
on His Arrival at the Scene
of War.

ST. PETERSBURG, March 1.-THE
charge against the japanese of violat-
ing the rules Of civilized warfare IN
using explosives forbidden by The
Hague convention finds no echo in re-
sponsfble circles here. The japanese
are acquitted on that score by a high
naval officer, who holds a very respon-
sible position, and who said to-day:
The accusation against the Japan
ese Of using explosives to produce pois-
onous gases is based on q misconcep-
tion. They are employing the same
explosives as other armies and navies.
1t is notorious that the bursting OF a
melinite shell between decks generates
fumes from which the men are liable
TO asphyxiation, but the Russian shell
is no better and no worse than that
used by the Japanese. We have not
complained in this respect, whatever
we may think about the manner In
which Japan began hostilities."
The wife of Grand Duke Constantine
is preparing II 900 Easter eggs, in or
der 20 provide each sailor in the Far
East with a souvenir. Each egg viii
contain a portrait Of the Emperor, a
book, soap and towel, a tobacco pouch,
nOtepaper. etc, wrapped in handker-
chief bearing pictures Of Peter the
Greats boat and of Russian naval VIC
tories. The eggs will be sent to the
Far East next week in order to arrive
there IN due season.
A bureau viii be established here to
give information to relatives Of jap
anese prisoners and undertake the de-
livery Of letters, and the safekeeping'
until claimed, Of effects and letters
found on the battlefield. or remaining in
the hospitals after the death of pris-
oners.
PLANS OF KUROPATKIN.
The first headquarters Of the Man
churisn army after General Kuropat-
kins arrival will be at Liaoyang, the
general having selected that point in
stead Of Mukden. whence TO direct the
operations. Liaoyang is ten miles
west Of the railroad, being connected
with the main road by a special line,
which viii be completed by the time
General Kuropatl1in arrives and has
many advantages over Mukden, being
the point whence the telegraph line
and the "Peking road" go to the Yalu
River.
Another road, not marked on the
maps, leads almost due east to an ex-
tinct volcano. Paiktou san. or Long
White Mountain, in whose crater is
a sacred lake. The road was built by
the Chinese. whose Emperors former
~ went there to shoot tigers. with
which the region is infested. Two
rivers. the Tumen and the Yalu, rise
near the mountain. Liaoyang. conse-
ouently, commands both roads over
which troops will be sent, according
to necessity. Laioyang also has the
advantage Of being nearer TO the from
tier Of China in the event of punitive
measures being required against the
Chinese. It also is close to Liaotung
Peninsula, Newchwang and the mouth
OF the Liaoho.
JAPAN HAS ADVANTAGE.
While the Russians are mobilizing
for the purpose of working out an Of
fensive military problem, they will be
prepared to move heavy forces in any
direction to meet the japanese, whose
command of the sea gives them great
freedom IN selecting their points of
attack.
General Kuropatkin will live on a
train with his staff and be prepared
to move TO any point where his pres
ence is required. If the japanese land
in force on the coast Of Northern Ko-
rea, General Kuropatl1in will move his
headquarters farther north, along the
railroad. If there is fighting along
II, IL
he viii go forward 10 Fungwangcheng.
Great precautions are being taken to
guard against surprises. The Japan
ese have always shown a preference
for night attacks and most rigorous
orders have been issued to keep UP a
continuous advance of scouting par
ties and TO have heavy pickets out at
night
General Kuropatkin is now near
Omsk, Siberia He is making very
fast time, averaging more than 532
miles per day. everything being side
tracked to get him to Mukden on
March 26. the only stops, except to
change engines, being occasionally to
inspect passing troop trains.
STATUS OF THE KOREANS.
Russia does not regard Korea as a
belligerent and viii not do so until
there is evidence that Korea actually
is making common cause with Japan.
Russia now considers the Korean
Government as being under duress
and that all its acts are void.
Although no confirmation is obtain
able Of the dispatch from Seoul say
ing that a Korean official in the Tu-
men River district had received notice
that Russia considered Korea as a
belligerent and would act accordingly,
in Government circles it is considered
quite possible that the Russian COM
manders along the Korean border may
have warned the Koreans that they
must not impede the Russian military
operations, under pain of being con-
sidered belligerents. Even should
Korea throw in her lot with Japan
and join in the hostilities, Russia
would not deign to regard such an
ally Of Japan as a second power within
the terms Of the Franco Russian alli-
ance.
The military authorities in the Far
East have reported here that there is
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