The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-02-18
Assassination of Grand Duke
Sergius May End War.
Strong Influences Are at Work
for Stopping HostiIities.
NEW DANGER APPEARS.
and Chinese Said to Be
Acting Together.
In Attempt to Cut the Railroad
Behind KurOpatkin.

St. Petersburg, Feb. 1S.-1:30 D. H.
In diplomatic circles the opinion is quite
generally expressed that yesterdays
tragedy may be followed by the decis-
ion of the government to conclude
peace. For some time, despite the Off
cial attitude maintained by the govern
ment, there has been a growing apprec-
iation of the difficulties of prosecuting
the war in the midst of increasing COM
plications at home and as announced by
the Associated Press yesterday the mat
ter was actually the subject of formal
consideration by the emperor and his
ministers February 16. Strong influences
which it is understood in spite of de-
mails are headed by NJ. Witte, president
Of the committee of ministers, have
1een working quietly in this direction.
General Grfpenberg's revelations fol-
lowed by the murder of Grand Duke
Sergius in the opinion of some of the
aolest diplomats are not unlikely to
lead the emperor definitely to decide
upon peace. In this connection the war
Office Is considerably alarmed by the
new danger threatening the Manchur-
ian army from the sympathetic at
tempts being made by japanese and
Chinese bandits to cut the line of COM
munlcation back of. the army
according to reports about 10000 men
split up into bands of several hundred
each are operating from Mongolia and
are striking at the railroad. A Russian
detachment following up the Japanese
oand which cut the road below Hardin
Tell into ambuScade of two regularly
organized japanese regiments and was
almost cut to pieces, losing half it's
men and one gun The fear is that if
the bands move further north or west
they might interrupt communication to
such an extent as to make it impossible
to supply the army. This danger has
already compelled the triple reinforce
ment of railroad guards below Hardin.
No Terms offered.
Toxic, Feb. 1916 p. m.-The foreign
office pronOunceS as unfounded the St.
Petersburg report that Japan has un-
officially informed Russia of the terms
of peace she would be willing to accept.
Kuropatlzin Preparing for an Advance.
Toxic, Feb 1910 a. m.=Accord-
the Russians are showing increased
activity on both TANKS and are ex-
tending and strengthening their right. !
They also seem to be concentrating a
heavy force on their left in front of
General Kuroki. Fushun is the base
of the late operations and it is esti-
mated that the Russians there num-
Der six divisions. The impression ex-
pairing to assume the aggressive. The !
weather is still unfavorable but the |
excessive cold will soon be over
Chinese reports to the effect that
General Kuropatkin is preparing to
abandon the Shakhe river line and
retire northward are discredited here. |
Shell Oyama's Center.
Toxic. Feb. 1S.-The Russians |
shelled portions of Field Marshal |
Oyama's center and left on Thursday, |
February 1 6. On Friday, the Russian |
cavalry, in retiring from recent at
tack upon Field Marshal Oyama's left |
halted at Liuchiengfang.
KurOpatlxin Changes His Base.
London, Feb. 1S.=According to the |
at Shanghai of the
Daily Telegraph, General Kuropatkin /
apparently is changing his base from
to Fushun.
A Russian Raid.
General Oku's Headquarters, Feb |
1S.-A Russian raiding force of If
teen thousand cavalry, five hundred |
and twenty guns moved south
on both banks of the Lao river to
SiaOpeho on the Hun river directly |
west of Lao Yang Thursday and then
began gradually retreating to the |
northWard.
The force is now IL miles north |
west of Siaopeho and three miles east
Of Lao. The Japanese pursued and
inflicted damage on the raiders.
The Russians on General Oku's
front are inactive.