The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-05-18
GREAT BATTLE NOW
HOURLY EXPECTED
Japanese Concentrating South Of
Fornosa-Manchurian Forces
Ready for Fight Russian Adj
rniral Said to Have Shown I
Absolute Disregard for
Neutrality Laws.
(By Associated Press,

ST. PETERSBURG. May livery dis.
fquietinE reports nre In circulation this i
evening about Vice Admiral Rojestven.i
+ sky's health. It Is said that he has tele-
graphed to the Emperor that 1t Is in-<i
possible for him to proceed. An evening"
paper prints O report that tho Admiral Z
has suffered nervous breakdown. No
official confirmation Of the report that
#RojestvenHky has requested to be res
lieved from duty Is obtainable at the
admiralty. Nevertheless tho Admiral's s /
health has been the cause Of consider- /,
( able anxiety here. 1t Is we'll known that 3
he suffered from kidney trouble before
leaving Cronstadt, and throughout tho |
long voyage to the far East he suffered
at times to such an extent that he had
to be carried about on a stretoher. But 4
the Russian commander stuck bravelys
to his post. II he Is now compelled, on
the eve OF battle, to give up his COM I
mand. the admiralty would regard 1t aaS !
little short Of q national misfortuna !
ojestvensky has proved to be a genius !,
rs an organizer, and confidence is felt !
that he will show equal ability as a.
fighter. Should Rojestvensky be con-
pelled to leave the fleet, the command i
wlll3devolye on Rear Admiral " oelk ersan,,
who Is now with Rojestvensky. a
It'll Is announced from Cronstadt that
Vice Admiral Biriliff, commander-in-chief.
at the Baltic ports. has ordered tho
commanders of the fourth division 5of .
Vice Admiral Rojestvensky's fleet to-
hold their ships in readiness to leave for
the far East BY June 14th. without fail.
Great Events Impending.
May ts-2:4o a. with a suspicious
\ stoppage OF dispatches from Mnnchuria
and strong possibility that Vice-Ad-
miral RoJestvensky has cut his last COM
lmunication with home and set forth on
I the final stage OF his journey to his goal,
either Togo or Via dlvostok, keen inter
est Is manifested in naval and military
circles here in the twofold field Of war.
Though the admiralty, which has been
completely silent since the advent OF Ro-1
jestvensky, In the Chinese Sea, publishes
no dispatches. the conviction Is growing.
that the united squadrons. as indicated
by the Associated Press on May lbth.s
departed from the AMMAN coast mme-s
dIately after their 1uncture. and naval
officials are anxiously expecting news OF
tho first skirmishes between scouts Of tho
hostile fleets
Captain Clado confirmed the statement
OF the Associated Press that the vessels
OF both squadrons are equipped with ap-
paratus for cleaning their bottoms at
sea, He said 1t was entirely possible
for Yice-Admiral Nebogatoff to put the
last finishing touches to the vessels OF
his division during the mysterious in-
terval when they were lost to sight be-
fore passing the Straits Of Malacca.
Neither the admiralty nor individua1 1l
officers have any information regarding
tho rlmored request Of Vice-Admlra1
Rojestvensl<y to be relieved and all who
were questioned regarding the report. es-5
| pressed doubts Of Its accuracy.
On the military side, the indicatlohs 1
saro that events arc rapidly shaping for
| the preliminary stage of another great
battle The Russian army has been res,
fitted and is ready for action and It IS
asserted that General Linevitch IS not
| the man to waste days in inaction. 5
"A further mobilization OF cavalry lns
one or two districts was ordered to-day.