The San Francisco call., 1904-02-28
Calls Special Correspondent Graphi-
calIy Describes Opening Scenes
of the War
BY OSCAR KING DAVIS.

points. AT various places throughout
Toxic small signs had been hung out
setting forth the fact that they were
meeting points for soldiers. Men in
uniform began to collect about them
IN little groups of six or a dozen. Here
and there their friends gathered also
often many more in number than the
soldiers. They stood around and
laughed and joked as if it were all
great fun, with no possibility of a more
serious side.
Some of the newspapers began to
show embryotic symptoms of excite
ment and issued extras about the size
OF auction dodgers. These were hawked
through the streets by men who ran
about ringing little bells and going a s
IL their mission was to see who could
cover the greatest distance before night
without regard to the number of dodg-
ers he disposed of. Some Of them va
ried the performance by having two or
three bells in a bunch, and one fellow
had a string of them-hand bells fas
tened together by a cord. He had
chosen them regardless of size and
their discordant clangor carried farther
than his cries
DEPARTURE OF TROOPS.
All day on Sunday unusual activity
was evident in Toxic. There were
many persons in the streets, but all
were coming or going and no crowds
collected anywhere except about the
gates of the barracks, where the SOL
diers were gathering. 1t was common
talk that during the night several troop
trains had moved out from the military
station, which is not the one regularly
used for passenger traffic. The men
coming in were TO take the places in
the barracks vacated by those who
had gone and to wait there until their
turn came to go forward. 1t is the
general supposition that the main base
OF the army will be at Hiroshima, down
on the Inland Sea- as it was during the
war with China. There the Emperor
is likely to establish his headquarters,
with the general staff, and about there
most or the troops Will be concentrated.
from UJina, port near Hiroshima,
and from Moji and Shimonoseki, on the
famous straits of Shimonoseki, the main
embarkations of troops will probably
take place. The troops now moving
out are going to Hiroshima or into
camp near there, to await their time
to go aboard the transports.
During Sunday and yesterday the re-
servists came in steadily. Now and
then there was group Of two or three,
but for the most part they came singly
Each was in his uniform, and almost
every one of them had a little bundle
whatever 1T was that he wanted to take
along. But only on very rare occasions
old one Of them carry his own bundle.
That was an office reserved for the
friends who focked with him. There is
no parading of the troops through the
streets here when they go to war, no
final march past their friends and
relatives who throng the streets and
cheer them on, no grand public leave
taking en- masse. A different custom
prevails. The friends of the reservists
go with them to the barracks and at
the big gate where all civilians are
shut out they say good-b by. If the SOL
dter. has anything to carry they lug it
for him. Most of the men on Sunday
and yesterday marched along stoicaIly
at the head of their little professions,
now and then exchanging a Joking
word with those who tagged after them
Occasionally one walked with two or
three friends and more formed little
column behind him. Occasionally one
OF the group carried a bamboo pole
from which fiaunted long streamer