The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, February 16, 1904, Page 4

FRANCISCO: “‘CALL, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1904 ACCIDENT CAUSES LOSS OF RUSSIAN CRUISER WITH ALL ON BOARD ST. PETERSBURG, Feb. 16.---The Russian second-class cruiser Boyarin was accidentally blown up by a mine on February 13, In the harbor of Port Arthur, in the same manner as was the Russian torpedo transport Yenisei. all of whom, it is understood, were lost. RUSSIANS CRUEL TO PRISONERS Maltreatment of De- tained Japanese Is Charged. A LT United States Consul Protests Against Outrages. N 'CHWANG, Sunday, Feb. 14.— About fifty Japanese men on their way were arrested at Taihai- February 12 with their wo- nd arrived here in custody. The n Consul, Henry T. Miller, vred the release of the women, Vice Alexieff ordered their re- transportation, together >se in Manchuria, to d e numerous Japanese com- of Russian ill-treatment. is alleged th H 1d elsewhere, who ar- Mukden on February i that many of them aten and detained un- hased their release. When Newchwang. nt them to Shan- st the cruel treatment > refugees by Russian | ted a census of all | ed to Port Arthur. | If was menaced by | provocation and the | commanding at Newchwang ex- | regreis his and promised to | Cossack. The civil | sed to afford bet- | refugees. ! offi s say the| and cannot be repaired in | e the command of the sea. the Russian land forces ed. They are trying to ang declared they to blow up their vessel ger. They are employ- hlight all night long over ing plains. of telegraphic communi- ens to complete the iso- except by di ck Admiral Alexieff has for- ‘den all ships to enter any of the | ©o* the Liaotung Peninsula. Fm‘—i eigners are not permitted to move | without military permission. e foreign missions at Mukden, hending a Chinese outbreak, are the missionaries and their | away. The reports that Japanese ships have been seen using searchlights off | Newchwang and off the coast near | Minchou are fictitious. There are about 2000 troops now at Newchwang. — JAPANESE SECTION { HANDS CONTRIBUTE lies TO THE WAR FUND| PORTLAND, Or., Feb. 15—Six thou- | sand dollars has been raised toward the war assistance fund by local Jap- anese. Amounts have been received ranging from $25 to $2000 by S. Ban, head of the committee. “What do you think?” he sald to- | day. “A party of five Japanese section hands on a railroad sent in $150 from Junction City this mérning. Each one contributed from $25 to $30. In a few days we will have raised $10,000, and this amount will immediately be sent to Japan. We will then start on an- other fund. Notices and subscription lists have been sent throughout the State and they will bear golden fruit. 1 headed the list with $2000, and the clerks in my office all gave from $100 to $200 apiece. Every ome is enthusi- over the fund. e are fot desirous of recelving contributions from Americans at pres- ent. We want to make this first con- tribution all our own.” About a dogen of the naval reserves of this city, who have been called to service in Japan, will leave for their country on the next Maru liner from Seattle. BRITISH NEGOTIATIONS WITH RUSSIA ON THE MANCHURIAN QUESTION LONDON, Feb. 15.—A lengthy pre- liminary paper issued to-day contains correspondence regarding the Russian occupation of Manchuria, covering the period fggm July, 1800, to January 8, 1904. On the latter date Count Bencken- dorff, the Russian Embassador to Great Britain, communicated to former Sec- retary Lansdowne a formal declara- tion that Russia would not interfere with the existing treaty rights of the powers. Lord Lansdowne expressed satisfaction with these assurances, but he expressed his regret that Russia should have found it impossible to take even a single step in pursuance of a policy which she thus . prescribed for herself, and said that the people England were looking for some con- crete evidence of Russia’s intention to fulfill her promise. For example, the announcement that Newchwang would be evacuated at an early date would have a reassuring effect, and Lord Lansdowne was not aware of any local culty in the way of this movement. e s German Embperor Is Not Ml BERLIN, Feb. 15.—The rumors circulated regarding the alleged ill- ness of Emperor William are abso- jutely ungrounded. He went out walk- ing this morning, visited Chancellor von Bulow and transacted the usual state business. It | 400 Japanese refugees | 10, | Some of their | | e women under | ed to the civil adrhin- | of | | | 11 I KEEPING RUSSIAN FLEET BUSY WHILE ARMY LANDS WASHINGTON, Feb. 15.—Informa- | tion has reached here that nearly 20,000 Japanese troops were landed at Che- | mulpo yesterday, the first division of | a large number which will be thrown into Korea as rapidly as possible in the effprt to thoroughly occupy the | strategic points in the Korean empire, while the Russian fleet is bottled up | in Port Arthur. By one conversant| with the Japanese plans it is said that the repeated attacks upon Port Arthur | are not for the purpose of seizing that | place at present, unless an unexpected | weakness in the fortifications there | should develop. They are part of a| well defined plan for the harassing of | the Russian fleet until Korea can be occupied. The bottling up of the fleet there enables the landing of troops in Korea without the convoy of a large number of warships. The reports of disorder in various parts of Korea has- tened the operations of the Japanese, in order that they might obtain posses- sion before anarchy became prevalent and foreign Interests were menaced in consequence. The taking of Port Arthur will form the second number of the war pro- gramme. First, however, it is learned that the Japanese propose to cut the line of communication well up on the railroad running from Newchwang to Port Arthur. It is expected a large Japanese force will land at Newchwang shortly for this purpose. | The Navy Department denies posi- | tively that any American naval officers | were aboard the Japanese ships in the | fighting at Port Arthur. It is said | that our Government requested permis- | sion of both Russia and Japan to place an American naval officer with each of the fleets, not as a combatant, but| purely in the capacity of an observer. | While neither power refused the re- | quest outright, still they did not ac- | cede. 5 The War Department is having | equally bad luck in trying to place military observers with the land forces of Russia and Japan. Eight officers | were selected for this duty and re. quests were made that they be per- mitted to accompany the forces in the field, but a favorable response has not yet been received, and it'is feared that it will not be. Takahira, the Japanese Minister, called upon Secretary Hay to-day, and it is understood that the reported de- tention of about 100 Japanese subjects in Port Arthur was under discussion. | There seems to be a lack eof positive information on the subject, and until the facts are known the State Depart- ment is inclined to go slowly in repre- sentations to Russia. It is bound to make them, however, if Japan formally requests it, as the department has un- dertaken to represent Japan so far as | the interests of Japanese subjects in Russia are concerned. Taking notice of the reported escape | from Port Arthur of the American | cargo ship Pleiades, under cover of a | etorm, the department officials are in- clined to believe that she may have brought away some of the detained Japanese. It is said that large license is accorded by international law to military commanders in such cases as those and they freely exercise discre- tionary power as to the ingress and | egress into and from towns practically besieged, like Port Arthur, of persons who might carty damaging informa- tion to the foe. The Insular Bureau of the War De- partment is informed that the wvalue of the Mexican dollar at Hongkong to- day was 48% cents, a jump of twe points since Saturday noon. This places the coin on a practical parity with our own sliver Philippine peso. The Mexi- Attacks Upon Port Arthur Made to Prevent Interference With Japan’s Military Programme. can dollar has practically advanced from 37 cents to its present figure within a year. This last increase is explained at the War Department by the statement that the war has caused a heavy drain, Chinese and Japanese merchants converting much of their stock into cash to be prepared for emergencies. The resuilt is expected to be the practical extirpation of the Mex- ican dollar in the Philippines, an ob- ject very much desired, for a heavy import duty on Mexican dollars will keep them out of the islands, once they are withdrawn. o AR ACCOUNT OF PORT ARTHUR BATTLE AS RECEIVED IN RUSSIA ST. PETERSBURG, Feb.15.—The first unofficial account of the battle off Port Arthur on Tuesday last has been re- ceived in a telegram dated Port Arthur, February 9. It is as follows: “At half past eleven the Japanese squadron of fifteen vesels began the bombardment of Port Arthur. Our squadron and the fortresses replied and the battle lasted forty minutes. “The Japanese squadron could not stand the well-placed first fire of our fleet and forts, and began a rapid re- tirement. The Japanese flagship was seriously damaged and, according to the testimony of an eye witness, five | other Japanese ships were considerably damaged. Boats belonging to the port report that they saw two Japanese ships sinking at sea. “Our losses afloat were two officers wounded, one so slightly that he con- tinued fighting; six men killed and fifty-four wounded. In the forts two men were slightly wounded. The bom- bardment of the forts and the town did no damage, but frightened the pop- ulace. At intervals during the night, firing was heard at sea.” The dispatch adds that the temper of the army and navy is excellent and that the bulletins circulated by the Novyerai have begun to tranquilize the people. No attempts have been made by the Japanese to land on the Kwang- tung Peninsula. The repairs to the ships damaged by the torpedo attack are proceeding rap- idly. Captain Belliaeff of the gunboat Ko- rutz, which was sunk at Chemulpo, writing to relatives on January 9, just previous to the battle, said: “I am ready to go to sea at any min- ute. From day to day we have been expecting a fight with the Japanese. ‘We expect sudden attacks, without a previous declaration of war. The wood- en fittings are being taken ashore. We have no armor; our strength is only in the guns and the courage of our men. ‘We Russians often depend on courage, and the outcome is all right. It may happen that it will not fail us now. I shall do all possible. If they send us to the bottom, say a good word for us.” ptbicaind b1 FREQUENT FIRING OCCURS IN THE BAY OF PORT ARTHUR CHEFU, Feb. 16—The steamship ‘Wenchow, arriving from Port Arthur reports that eleven Russian ships were struck in Tuesday’s engagement. It is said that the cruiser Askold, with a big hole at the water line, has been towed into the inner basin and beached. The battleship Sevastopol has a shell hole Jjust above the water line and is useless No details of the disaster have been given out. She had on board 196 officers and men, RUSSIAN WARSHIP AND TORPEDO BOATS PASSING THROUGH SUEZ CANAL. > o in rough weather. The cruiser Novik has a hole in her afterport side. The battleship Retvizan is on the beach and her bottom has fallen out. The cruiser Pallada was torpedoed abaft the en- gine-room. The battleship Cesarevitch, which also was torpedoed, has been docked. The others were chiefly dam- aged in their upper works. The whole ficet has been taken Into the inner harbor, and Port Arthur is depending for protection upon her forts, which have been reinforced. There is frequent firing, which is presumably drawn by Japanese torpedo-boats. Fir- ing was heard at midnight on February 11 at intervals; also on the night of the 12th and 13th. On February 14 the fir- ing continued until § o’clock in the aft- ernoon. An eyewitness claims to have seen eighteen dead landed from the Russian ships on Tuesday. It is understood that Admiral Stark has been reduced for his failure to repulse the Japanese attack. The cruiser Novik was the only vessel to do effective work. She gave chase to, the Japanese torpedo-boats, and ac- cording to the Russian account sank two and captured one. The Wenchow had 400 Japanese refu- gees on board, and there was an ex- citing time during the battle, as shelis fell all around the Wenchow. After several orders were given her to leave port and as often revoked, she was al- lowed to sail on February 14. The Rus- sian authorities supplied her Japanese passengers with rice, but paid no at- tention to a signal for a fresh supply of water, It is said that the European residents of Port Arthur have been reassured, but that the Chinese are making frantic ef- forts to get away. Reports of Russian victories are, it is said, being circulated to buoy up the hopes of the residents. It is apparent that the Russians have for the present decided not to use their fleet, but to depend upon the land forces. Eleven ships will have to be re- paired before she can take the ag- gressive on the sea. The captain of the Wenchow reports that he was heid at Port Arthur until all the Japanese in the vicinity were gathered and placed aboard. Japanese were brought from points as far away as Harbin. A few Japanese are left in Manchuria. The refugees left their homes and stores, in many instances losing thousands of dollars. Several Japanese have been arrested on the charge of having in their pos- session maps and charts. Refugees who go to Japan can give the Government valuable information. ————————— JUDGE ADAMS WILL DECIDE BURTON DEMURRER United States Court Will Rule on Case of Fraud Against the Kansas Senator. ST. LOUIS, Feb. 15.—Judge Adams, in the United States District Court, an- nounced that he .will to-morrow make known his decision on the demurrer of United States Senator J. R. Bur- ton of Kansas to the indictment charg- ing him with accepting money from the Rialto Grain and Securities Com- pany for using his influence with the Postoffice Department to prevent the issuance of a fraud order against the Rialto Company. | i following uncensored story: Uncensored Account by Eye Witness Says Japanese Battleship, Cruiser and Two Torpedo Boats Were Disabled. : Special Dispatch to The Call. LONDON, Feb. 15.—A correspondent | who says he was an eye-witness of the | Port Arthur naval fight sends from | Yinkow (Manchuria), the port of New- | chwang, under date of February 11, the About midnight on Monday the town was aroused by the firing of-big guns. Six Japanese torpedo-boats had ap- preached within half a mile of the Rus- sian fleet and were showing lights, funnels and signals just like those of the Russians. The Japanese torpedo- beats crept quite close to the Russian ships before they were discovered. Each of the Japanese boats discharged torpedoes, three of which took effect, striking the battleships Cesarevitch and Retzivan and the cruiser Pallada. The three damaged ships returned to the harbor to avoid sinking. Notwithstanding the continuous fire from the ships and forts four of the Japanese torpedo-boats escaped. One, however, was sunk and another, which was in a sinking condition, was desert- ed by the crew and was afterward cap- tured by the Russians. The action ceased at 3 o’clock in the morning. The loss on the Russian ships was eight killed and twenty wounded. Apart from the disablement of three Russian ships the damage done to the fleet and forts was not very great. The Japanese fleet again came in sight about 11 o'clock on Tuesday fore- noon. There were in all fifteen ships in two lines of battle—six battleships, six first-class cruisers and three second- class cruisers. The Russians had out- side thirteen large vessels under Ad- miral Stark. After the commencement of the action the populace fled toward the hill outside of town. On both sides I counted more than 300 shells, few of which reached the mark. The others did not explode. The Japanese warships steamed slow- ly past, in line of battle, to the west- ward and about four miles off, each vessel beginning to fire when opposite the Russian ships, which were two miles off shore. The action became gen- eral. There was no maneuvering, sim- ply heavy and fast firing. The firing ceased at noon, the Jap- anese ships withdrawing to the south- ward, having one battleship and one large cruiser put out of action. One small boat was chased and was sunk by the Novik (Russian)., which after- ward received a shell at the water line, but reached port all right, Admiral Stark signaling “Well done,” while all the rest of the fleet cheered her ar- rival. Even the three Russian ships aground fired during the action. The casualties on the Russian side were twenty-two killed and sixty-four wounded. Nearly half of the casual- ties occurred on the Pallada and Novik. The Japanese fleet sailed southward at 1p. m. and all was quiet. et o ITO’S SENTIMENTS TOWARD AMERICANS TOLD IN WRITING TOKIO, Feb. 15.—Marquis Ito to- day gave the press a written expres- sion of hig sentiments toward . the American people, as follows: “It is with profound satisfaction that I see so many symptoms of spontane- ous sympathy with which the free- thinking people of your great nation seem to watch the present crisis. In my opinion it was evident that Russia's high-handed expansion toward the hegemony of the East, combined with Der recent strenuous military efforts LOSSES'OF THE FLEETS IN FIRST NAVAL FIGHT| ibeen captured and has arrived at hereabouts, has been becoming a daily | increasing menace to our own future | safety and peaceful existence. Either | to enter into a cordial and durable un- | derstanding with her, clearl- defining and mutually recognizing the respec- tive spheres of interests and binding | her thereby to a certain amount of | self-restraint in the future, or else mi have recourse to measures for safe- | guarding our future independence, ere | it was too late. was the drastlc di- lemma from which we could not longer | escape. We have tried our best to ob- | tain our object by the first alternative and we have sacrificed much energy and time and many opportunities for the sake of peace. Having failed, how- ever. there remains no other way for us but to stand up in defense of our own future safety and our own future undisturbed enjoyment of the fruits of peace and civilization. No trace of race prejudice, no smack of revenge or chauvinism, nothing but the cool rea- son of state necessity and of self- preservation influenced Japan's action. The rest I leave to the impartial judg- ment of civilized nations, which in the course of their past history must have had many experiences of noble strug- gles in defense of the honor and safety of country. “I take this opportunity of express- ing my thanks once more for all the cordial hospitality shown me during my sojourn in America.” i ilinss” il RUSSTAN FLEET IS SEEN OFF THE SOUTH COAST OF JAPAN| NAGASAKI, Feb. 15.—The French | and Russian Ministers to Korea have requested the Japanese Government to allow the survivors of the Russian ships Variag and Korutz, which were sunk in the fight at Chemulpo, to pro- | ceed to Shanghai. They guarantee that the Russians will remain there until the war ends. Martial law has been proclaimed in Nagasaki. It is rumored that a Rus- sian fleet has been seen off the south | coast of Japan. The East Asiatic Company’s steamship Manchuria has | Sasebo. The steamship Manchuria sailed from Copenhagen on November 20 for Port Arthur and Vladivostok. She is of 3708 net tons register and was buiit at Copenhagen in 1891 Sl o SIXTY CHICAGOANS | TO ENLIST IN THE ARMY OF MIKADO CHICAGO, Feb. 15.—Sixty Chicago- ans, many of them veterans of the Spanish-American War, will, it is said, | leave this week for Japan. Five for mer members of the Illinois National Guard and the regular and volunteer armies of the United States, left to- night for Pacific Coast ports, whence they will sail for the Orient. Owing to the neutrality proclamation of President Roosevelt, the men are keeping their plans secret, but it is intimated that the purpose is to join the Japanese forces. ’ The sixty will go West in small parties of five and six and sail for Japan on different steamships. Their ultimate destination is Tokio. ———————— This is Exhibition Day at Benguiat's Rug Sale, Palace Hotel (Marble and Ma- ple rooms). Don't fail to attend. * | been seized. | trance NEUTRAL - SHIPS ARE RELEASED Port Arthur Officials Heed Protest of Nations. Alexieff Explains the Cause of Their Detention. YINGKOW, Sunday, Feb. 14.—The administrative authorities at Port Arthur have formally notified the American and British Consuls there of the release of neutral ships which had Both Consuls have asked for explanations. The ecivil adminis- tration of Port Arthur has intimated that Viceroy Alexieff will not recog- nize the Consuls in matters relating to Port Arthur and Manchuria. The Russians are commandeering supplies at Newchwang and the Chi- nese are alarmed and are closing their shops and placing their possessions under foreign protection. Russian residents at Newchwang, fearing that the army will be unable to protect them and their property, are depositing their treasure under the jurisdiction of foreign flas Thursday, Feb. 11.—In consequence of the attack by the Japanese upon | Port Arthur Viceroy Alexieff has or- dered all foreigners and civilians to leave that place. The families of the Russian officers in Manchuria are be- ing sent to Russia and this is causing great pressure »n the railway. Dalny was the first place to be deserted. These non-combatants and civilians have abandoned all their property at Port Arthur and Dalny. The Russians freely admit their unpreparedness for the Japanese at- tack to have been a terrible blunder. Only half the shins were in line of battle and their officers were ashores celebrating the anniversary of Vice= roy Alexieff’s birth. A stirring episode was the re-ene into the harbor of the war- tch and Novik after the fight, ame in under their own steam, with bands playing and men cheering. Throughout the afternoon and night of February 9 wounded men were being removed to the shore. PORT ARTHUR, Saturday, Feb. 13. In answer to the demand of the British Government for an explana- tion of British ships having been held up by the Russians at Port Arthur Viceroy Alexieff replied that the ves- sels were detained because they had Japanese on board. The shots fired at the British steamer Fuping by the Russian guard- ship at Port Arthur as the Fuping was leaving that port last Tuesday were, the Viceroy says, due to a misunder- standing on the part of the officers of the guardshi RUSSIANS HAVE NOT ASKED PERMISSION TO PASS DARDANELLES ships Cesarevi LONDON, Feb. —Answering & question in the House of Commons to- day as to whether the British Gov- ernment was taking steps to secure an arrangement for the neutralization of Newchwang during the war, the Foreign War Secretary, Earl Percy, replied that the Govermment did not consider it to be practicable to neu- tralize any territory in the actual oc- cupation of either of the belligerents. Home Secretary Akers-Douglas, con- firming press dispatches, announced that the British Government not only had not been approached with a sug- gestion that it should consent to the Russian Black Sea fleet passing out through the Dardanelles, but said there was no reason whatever for sup- posing titat Russia contemplated such a violation of her treaty obligations to the European powers. Foreign Minister Lansdowne an- nounced in the House of Lords to-day that he had received a cable message from the commander in chief of the Chinese station giving absolute denial of the report that the Japanese fleet had been allowed to use Wethaiwel as a base of operations against Port Arthur. The commander in chief added “Weihaiwei did not know operations were proceeding until I notified them. In fact, Weihaiwef's first direct knowl- edge of belligerent proceedings was the visit of the steamship Fuping to report the circumstances of her being fired upon when leaving Port Arthur. The air is full of baseless rumors, ob- viously deliberately concocted.” The White Star Line steamer Ma- jestic, which is to sail Wednesday from Liverpool for New York, will take among her passengers the Earl of Caithness and General Sir William Nicholson, director general of mili- tary intelligence of the War Office, and Colonel J. A. L. Haldane of the Gor- don Highlanders, who will accompany the Japanese armies in the fleld. —_—————————— NO BIDS ASKED IN SAN JOSE FOR A FRANCHISE City Tires of Efforts of Competing Companies to Obstruct New Railway. SAN JOSE, Feb. 15.—The Board of Supervisors to-day granted Mehling & Lockwood an electric railway fran- chise for a distance of about 1000 feet along the Alviso road from the north- ern city limits of this city. This gives them a connection with a franchise secured inside the city and their pri- vate right of way leading to Alviso. Upon the advice of the District At- torney the franchise was granted without calling for bids. This was dbne because of the previous attempts made to block the building of an ele tric railway from this city to Alv For many months Mehling & Lock- wood have been trying to get a fran- chise that would give the road thev are going to build between San Jose and Alviso an entrance into this city. but a bidder would always anpear and outbid them for the franchise. E. D. Crawford of Gilroy was the agent of the parties and it is believed repre- sented the Southern Pacific Company. A few weeks ago the City Council granted Mehling & Lockwood a fran- chise for a line inside the city limits without asking for bids. ———————— cm. Feb. 15.—The Lothrop Publishin: ompany assigned to-day. Liabilities estima:- ed at $150,000. 0.