The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, February 22, 1904, Page 2

'FRANCISCO CALL, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 29 1904. BLACK SEA FLEl:.T MAY PASS THE. DARDANELLES CZAR ORDERS INQUIRY INTO DEFEAT OF FLEET Officers Who Were 1 o Blame for Surprise at Port Arthur Will Be Puni Special Cablegram to The Cali and New York Herald. the New York lieral T cme displez ror has been aroused ze torpedo boat « futile abuse exper in ded n here he auspi- naugurated in truly th the efferv ho are delighted to vary the intense deadly duil life at the in will smissals and degra- that nfluential c are cir persistent rumors concern- Alexieff, he being, it is upo: ha ions pla as a disappointing g belied the huge ex- L him CZAR'S TROUBLES MULTIPLY. From a high military authority 1 hat the com sariat has f such defective organiza- > puts it, the service has down, which, at this is 8 very serious matter. | a Japanese torpedo boat at ished Copyright, 1904; by Publishing Company. { Many of the most necessary adjuncts of field service ve been overlooked— for instance, portable kitchens, for which a well-known firm here recefved | a rush order at its own prices. All possible artilierists are being dis- patched to the front, th=y, to their dis- appointment, being notified they be used for defending the railroad. r many unexpected reasons the port of troops to the front is much lower than was expected, the antici- pated average of 7000 per diem having fallen to 2000. It is thus expected that, far as Russia is concerned, there be considerable delay in taking action, and, if hostilities are com- menced foon, it will certainly not be due to the initiative of this ry. SAYS JAPAN LOST A SHIP. The official account of ‘the battle of Chemulpo, given by Pavioff, Russian so will Minister to Korea, who left Seoul for | China on February 13, 1s practically identical with the report previously cabled. Pavicil says that the Japanese captain of the cruiser Takachiho sunk his vessel the night following the bat- tle and that the Russlan fire silenced the Asama’s fore barbette and wrecked her bridee. The Asama transferred eighty killed or wounded to a transport. The Japanese Minister on the same night had an interview with the Em- peror, according to Pavloff's report, and threatened to occupy the imperial palace unless Japanese sovereignty in Koreg were recognized. Grand Duke Aiexis, conversing at the Yacht Club, confirmed the report of the sinking of a Japanese cruiser and Chemulpo. FRENCH FINANCIERS PLAN MEASURES TO STEADY THE MARKE —Prominent financiers ultation to-day, and en which will be put n to-morrow to prevent of the depression which since the opening of the war in the Far st nd particularly on Friday and charcterized the Bourse. nment is assisting these ef- ositively denying that there s any ground for alarm over further mplications erious result of the weakness of rket is shown by the estimates | isted on the Bourse, which e diminished in value about 1,600, - francs within the past two February French rentes| here 3 francs 25 centimes; 1 francs 10 centimes; francs; Brazilian 4 ; Bank of Paris, 98 | Lyonnaise, 87 francs; Suez, 200 francs; Thomson-Houston, 50 francs, and Rio Tintos, 64 franes. It is recognized that something must be done to stop the reckless efforts to All the financiers who discussed the matter to-day united in saying that the was pre-eminently produced by speculation based on the general fear of complications arising out of the | war between Russia and Japan, and it | was beceuse of this that capital had d about intervening. The financiers who have been consulting to- | day propose to act together to uphold the market to-morrow, and this, lak9n| with the denial of the sensational re- | Berlin and Madrid, is ex- € about a reaction, or at | crisi ports from pected to 1 least to produce a firmer market. De Verneuil, a member of a prom- inent company operating on the Bourse, called at the tc ention to-day to the fact that me of the Bourse in itself was ex-l cellent he =aid, “that very short- “ even, the market will | ill resume its normll] ndent at Madrid of the | in the session of the | Government will % ports of foreign alliances, | ¢ the cause of the excitement | -, and will say that the| troops are only precau- the purpose of enfore- | h neutrality in the war in the moevem ns Ogala and Shimaouloi of the | artillery, who are attending a of instruction in the School of at Fontainebleau, were re- »d to-day by the Japanese Govern- ment. RREC PR s She—The paper says “his method of receivir his guests was quite uncon- ventional.” I wonder what that means? He-—It means simply that he is boorish, but has plenty of money.— * Philadelphia Prese. Anvzn'nnm Headache 8L CSE, Dizziness, Indigestion, ralgia arc caused by sick nerves. soothing the nerves and stimulat- neir action, Dr. Miles’ Anti-Pain Pills relieve almost immediately. Unlike any other pain remedy. they ng | KING | EDWARD STANDS READY TO OFFER HIS MEDIATION FOR PEACE PARIS, Feb. 22.—The Petit Paris- ienne’s London correspondent says that during an interview preceding the Geparture from London for St. Peters- burg vesterday of Count Bencken- dorff, the Russian Embassador, Lord Lansdowne, the British Foreign Min- ister, intimates to him that King Ed- ward was willing to offer his media- tion in the war in the Far East if the Czar thought he could accept it. In a dispatch from Harbin the cor- respondent of the Matin says General Velkoff, who is on guard on the Mon- golia line, has arrived there with Gen- eral Dasielevsky of the engineer corps. Half of the Japanese fleet, the corres- pondent also says, I8 covering the landing of troops in Korea and the other half is seeking the Vladivostok squadron. The Echo de Paris’ St. Petersburg correspondent says, with regard to rumeors in circulation that the ap- pointment of General Kuropatkin to | the command of the Russian army in Manchuria meant that Viceroy Alex- ieff was losing favor, that the truth is follov When the war broke out the Czar asked Viceroy Alexjeff whether he deemed it necessary to send a general to command the troops, and if so whom | he preferred. The Viceroy replied that he considered it necessary to have a chief commander of the land troops, but that he had no preference as to who should be selected. The Czar thereupon asked him whether General Kuropatkin would be agreeable, and the admiral repiied, ‘Absolutely; but I beg your Majesty to discharge me from all re- | 'sponsibility for the land opetations, leaving these to General Kuropatkin.’' " Alexieff retains the viceroyship, but | General Kuropatkin is empowered to communicate directly with the Czar. While France has acceded to the British proposal for the' extension of neutrality by China to all points in China leased by powers save those oc- cupied by Russia, the Foreign Office says that such action in ho wise im- pairs the rights of the powers under their leases. The question has been brought up that the British proposal tending to reaffirm Chinese sovereignty over the points occupied, as well as to | foreign municipalities, but the view of the French authorities is that there is no change in the status of these territo- ries in consequence of the extension of Chinese neutrality to them. Gil Blas affirms that at the last min- isterial council it was decided definite- { 1y to put off President Loubet’'s visit to Italy, but the reason for the postpone- .| ment has not been announced. Foreign Minister Delcasse inforgned President Loubet and his colleagues that the Russian army operations would not begin seriously before April and it is considered impossible that the Presi- dent shall take part in the fetes which will attend his visit, while the ally of France is engaged in a desperate strug- gle. MARSEILLES, Feb. 21.—The French steamship Salasie sailed from here to- day, carrying troops and supplies. Her destination is Tonquin, Indo-China. The Government has also chartered the French steamship Adour for the same purpose. L'ORIENT, France, Feb. 21.—Fifty sailors now on leave here, destined for the Far East, have been recruited. ain nothing Injuriozs, and you will ever know you have taken them, except by the relief they afford. of on March 6 as at first contemplated. BREST, France, Feb. 21.—The prep- will | They will sail on February 25 instead | t, guccess on land. Dr. Miles’ Anti-Pain Pills Have become a houschold remedy An explanation of Gre: Dardanelles. free hand in the Balkans. | L [ tained by Japan's fleets. | place no res rictions upon corr Bourse. will soon follow. Four Russian 1! | i front. ST. PETERSBURG, Feb. 21.—In spite of the ridicule.cast upon the idea from various sources, once again the Porte | has lent a willing ear to the diplomatic suggestions of Russia that the Black Sea fleet should one day be found un- expectedly in the Mediterranean, Tur- key being assured that, this once an accomplished fact, not one of the pow- | ers would have a word to say in objec- tion. The only difficulty, however, which lies in the way of an arrangement by which the Dardanelles could be passed is that Abdul Hamid sees that it is in his power to exact in return terms which, as much as Russia would like to get her splendid Black Sea squadron out, are more than this country can di- gest. These terms are that Turkey be given a free hand in settling the Balkan difficulties in the war which the com- ing months are deemed certain to bring. This is the reason why Admiral Skrydloff, the bulldog of the Russian navy and its most intrepid and most daring leader, was lately sent for to come to St. Petersburg, the first inten- tion being to appoint him to the com- mand in the Far East, but the disasters at Port Arthur rendered his going there useless and at the same time empha- sized the essential necessity of getting the valuable Black Sea squadron re- lieved. EXPLAINS BRITISH A(,'l‘l\m Hence Admiral Skrydloff hurried back to Odessa, where he was received with marked ovations, showing fully that the people clearly understood the importance of the mission he might be called upon to carry out. This also may explain the report of the feverish haste with which the Brit- ish fleet, including the reserves, is be- ing mobilized, and it also possibly ex- plains the recent quite unexpected note of Turkey to the powers concerning Bulgaria, which looks like a prelimin- ary declaration of war against that country. The trans-Caucasian troops are heing mobilized and ordered to occupy the frontiers of Turkestan and Persia, this being a strong reminder to England that Russia' is ready for war over these two frontiers. KUROPATKIN 1S POPULAR. The appointment of General Kuro- patkin, who was yesterday relieved of his functions as Minister of War, to the chief command of the Russian army in the Far East, was gazetted thi§ morning. With the possible exception of Gen- eral Dragomiroff, formerly Governor General of Kieff and later member of the Council of State, General Kuropat- kin is the most popular man in the Russian army. As a bluff old soldier who has fought his way up from the bottom to be Minister of War, he ig the ideal of the enlisted men. Not one in the Czar's army has seen more fight- ing and no one can tell a story better. There is never a dull moment in his company, for he intermingles. the humorous incidents of his campaign with tales of the self-sacrifices of the men to whom he led with Skobeleff over the parched wastes of Geok-Tepe or over the icy slopes of Plevna. No one meeting the short, grizzled warrior in his charming home on the sunny side of the Moika would guess the extent of his power or the burden of responsibility weighing on his shoulders. As Minister of War he was considered a just chief who gave re- wards and administered punishments without fear or favor. It is small won- der, therefore, that the Russian army adores him. .GRAND DUKES GO TO WAR. The appointment of General Kuro- patkin to direct command in the field has been received with enthusiasm and his leadership inspires complete con- | fidence that there will be no mistakés and that Russian arms will be carried I General Kuropatkin will be accom- panied to the front’by the Grand Dukes aration of the cruiser d’Assas and the | Boris, Alexis, Nicholas and Michael with. The instructions of the Mihister in | of the Navy to the commanders of the | ¢ the Alexandra Palace, Tsarskoe- thousands of families, where they never | vessels have been received here. fai] to cure all tln mlsernble ail v relieved me of severe who has suffered a great deal ralgin nnd dizziness has_been n, and relieve those 1it- iments whicl are so com- che, ner- vousness and indigestion. but my mother MU'I“neu- B “But 1 thought, pleased?” torpedo-boat destrovers Javelin .and | Nikolaivitch. The Emperor and Em- Pistolet is being urgently proceeded | pregs gave a lunchéon to-day to Gen- observed the simpie | Alexis is unknown, but it is undoubt- D,. Mile€' Anti-Pain Pills have not | minded person on the outskirts of the | edly an important one, as he has been crowd, “that a king could do as he|in supreme command of the Russian eral Kuropatkin and the Grand Dukes Selo, and bade them farewell. The exact mission of Grand Duke navy, as president of the board of ad- “Not at all,” replied the other person, | miralty, taking an active part in the their use."—MRS. G. H, mm 382 W. | craning his neck. “Didn’t you see how | negotiations preceding hostilities. He | 2rd Bt. Moorestown, N. J. umqnannmmmmnwm um:s«nu Never sold in bulk. had to do it.”—Chicago Tribune. ‘he shuddered when' he kissed the other | presided at the special council which king? He didn’t want to, but he just pgl.red Russia’s Imdellvered reply to Ji SUMMARY OF THE OALLS SPECIAL WAR NEWS From.a high authority in St. Petersburg The Call’s special correspondent has learned of the repulse of the Russian troops in outpost engagements on the Yalu. Russian loss was 2500 men, but is in doubt as to whether these figures include the total num- | ber of Russian killed and wounded to date. The harbor of Shanghai is soon to be the scene of a navalbattle. The Russxan gunboat | © Mandjur, Which was in the harbor at the outbreak of the wartand was uniible to escape, has been ordered by the Chinese authorities-to leave and has ignored the demand. A Japanese squadron has been ordered to go mto the harbor after the Mandjur. doomed, as Japanese ships ace in \\amufr at the harbor entrance to attack when she appears. dden naval activity comes Russia is negotiating with Turkey for.pernission for the Black Sea fleet to pass through the The Sultan, seeking to‘profit by Russia’s stress, may arqmeece if he be given a at Britain's { Count Cassini, Russian Embassador to Washington, in an interview expresses the con- | | viction of his Government that Secretary Hay's note relating to the neutrality of Chiha cloaks no concealed motive, and that Washington was actuated solely by a desire to cont—ne the war area to the smallest possible space. | The Japanese Government continues its rigorous censorship and practically no war | news is permitted to leak out, except an' occasional ‘denial of Japanese.repulses or of losses sus- Russia, on the contrary, has removed the censorship entirely and will espondents in Russian eities. French financiers are planning measures to prevent a continuance of the panic on the A French troopship has sailed for Indo-China, carrying soldiers and supplies. Grand Dukes will accompany Commander in Chief Kuropatkin to the Alexis paid a memorably pleasant visit to the United States when, a young man. His career as high ad- miral is well known and brilliant, and he has always surrounded himself with a notable staff. The Grand Duke has been a prominent figure in two capi- tals. During the busy months of win- ter he is often seen here walking on the Grand Orskaja, to and from the stately palace, and in front of the new admiraity dockyards. Hie favorite re- sort is the yacht club. He spends his summers in Paris. Grand Duke Alexis is now in very bad health, but his desire to go to the front could not be resisted. If his health permits he may exercise general direction of the naval movements in the Far East. BORIS IS A HUSSAR. Grand Duke Boris is a lieutenant of Hussars and is considered a daredevil of the soldier sort. He is likely to dis- tinguish himself in battle and probably will be on the staff of Grand Duke Nicholas, After Boris returned from the United States he bought the palace fogmerly occupied by Embassador Mc- Cormick. Grand Duke Nicholas Is 47 years of age and is considered the foremost cav- alry expert in the Russian army. He is tall and fair, with a pleasant face. As the occupant of the responsible post of inspector general of cavalry he will be able to advise General Kuropatkin, who is an infantry specialist. Nicholas is one of the few Grand Dukes who married a commoneg, and though his marriage has not been re- corded it is none the less a happy one. His wife was the widow of a wealthy merchant named Bourenin. With General Kuropatkin's appoint- ment as commander in chief of the army and the presence of Grand Duké& Alexis in the Far East, the opinion is strengthened that while Admiral Alex- ieff may remain as Viceroy, the active direction of operations will pass out of his hands. YANKEE OFFICER CRITICIZED. The action of the commander of the United States gunboat Vicksburg, in declining to join the commanders of other foreign warships in a protest against the attack of the Japanese fleet at Chemulpo which resulted in the sinking of the Russtan cruisers Variag and Korietz, promises to cause much discussion here. The Novoe Vreyma’s London corres- pondent cables that the protest of the British captain against the Japanese attack, on the ground that it was a| breach of neutrality, proved ineffectual because the American would not assent. Newspapers here are laying great stress on the personal note of Kurino, the Japanese Minister in St. Petersburg, to Count Lamsdorff, the Russian For- eign Minister, on the eve of the notifi- cation of the severance of diplomatic relations, in which Kurino expressed the hope that the rupture would be of brief duration. They point to this in- cident as a proof that Russia had no reason to believe that Japan intended to follow up the rupture with actual hostilities. Official news received here confirms the report that none of the crew of the Korietz was lost. An immense congregation attended the requiem to-day for Count Neirod, the only officer killed aboard the Variag. The Count was a great favorite in St. Petersburg society. JAPANESE WARSHIPS NOT DAMAGED EXCEPT THROUGH ACCIDENTS commander from various quarters saying that Ad- miral Togo's fleet was partly crippled in the operations at Port Arthur are unfounded. It has not been necessary to send a single large ship to Sasebo for repairs. Two torpedo destroyers have been damaged, but not in fight- ing. The Akebono, in attempting to coal from a collier during a collided with the Oboro, disabling her machinery. Both were sent to Sasebo to be repaired and they will be ready for service soon. The armored cruiser Chigoda has been docked at Sasebo and cleaned. ‘She had been in the water for months and her bottom was so foll!d that ker speed was impaired. © The battleship Shikishima, which ‘was on the eve of war, was repaired in time to participate in Ad-| miral Togo's attack on Port Arthur. On February 9 she was returning to sasebo aner the mvll maneuvers M TOKIO, February 21.—The reports |! He adds that the The Russian warship is S from Petershurg. Another | e — T X Negotiations Between the Czar and the Sultan Explain the Warlike Activity of Great Britain. Special Cable to The Call and New Yo rk Herald. Copyright, 1904, by the New York Herald Pnbushlng Company. while chzmg!nx her berth atruc bot- tom. The accident was at first re- garded as serious and it was believed |that Japan would have to defer the war until the Shikishima could be repair- ed, owing to the then evenly balanced naval strength of Japan and Russia. ‘When docked it was found that the damage to the Shikishima was slight and repairs were effected in a few days. The accident was kept secret and few were informed of it. It was generally believed that the Shikishima ‘was still docked at Saseho and unable to participate in the attack on Port Arthur. Admiral Togo's men were eager to fight and the men of the torpedo squadron who were sent to reconnoit- er at Dalny on the night of February 8 were bitterly disappointed when they missed the Port Arthur fight and they have almost demanded of Ad- miral Togo that he permit them to engage the enemy at the next op- portunity. Captain Takonouchi, a former naval attache at Paris, has been appointed to command the Nisshin and Captain Oinouyu, late chief Kure navy yard, has been apointed to command the Kasaga. These are the cruisers which were purchased from the Argentine Republic. The Kasaga has gone to Kure to outfit. She will be ready for sea in two weeks. The Nisshin is outfitting at Yokahama and will be ready in three weeks. The Russian Vladivostok squadron was reported to-day on the west coast of the island of Hokkido, attempting to cut the cables. The navy depart- ment, however, discredits the report and believes that the squadron is still at Vladivostok. Ay SHORTAGE OF PORT ARTHUR'S SUPPLY OF FOOD GROWS SERIOUS CHEFU, Feb. 21.—The United States cruiser New Orleans and gunboats ‘Wilmington and Annapolis, which sail- ed from Manila on February 15, under command of Rear Admiral Cooper, upon arriving here received orders from the Secretary of the Navy to return to Shanghai. When the outbreak of hos- tilities between Russia ad Japan. oc- curred, Admiral "Evans, commanding the Asiatic fleet, dispatched a cruiser squadron to Shanghai and Admiral Cooper’s squadron to Chefu. Secretary Moody has ordered all the ships to Shanghai. They coaled and left imme- +| diately, not giving any reason for their sudden departure. The Russian forces in Manchuria are so far acting entirely on the defensive. Extensive preparations are being made at Dalny, Port Arthur, Newchwang and Laioyang to prevent the threat- ened landing of the Japanese troops. A big force of men is -at work on the damaged vessels in the Port Arthur harbor and efforts are being made to raise the battleship Retvizan. The supply of fresh vegetables and beef in Port Arthur is getting very short and speculators are endeavoring to engage steamships to run the block- ade. fisthi TV WASHINGTON DOUBTS THAT THE VICKSBURG LET RUSSIANS DROWN WASHINGTON, Feb. 21.—Adverse comment by the Russian press of the conduct of Ccmmander Willlam A. Marshall of the United States steam- ship Vicksburg before and during the Russo-Japanese naval engagement at Chemulpo is received with surprise here. It is not believed that he refused to extend humane aid to members of the crews of the Russian ships Koreitz and Variag, which were blown up. No detailed report of the engagement has been received from Commander Marshall, but the teachings and tradi- tions of the United States navy have always been conducive to humane and generous action at such time. It is not known whether the Vicksburg picked up any Russian seamen from the waters of the harbor, but neither is it known that any of the Russian seamen perished while Americans looked on and refused aid. —_—— Atchison girls have often swung from any to Rucile, but they swln: mnmr in Topeka, where a girl has appeared ‘as Lu Cille. of staff of the | HAY_ PENS A SECOND NOTE TO THE POWERS Russian Embassador Expresses His Govern- ment’s Satisfaction With American Attitude. Special Dispatch to The Call WASHINGTON, Feb. 21.—Secretary | have been made known to his Maj Hay has addressed to all the powers|In ‘hdf' first ‘huptvr'.l‘h};u\::ver.] i A & ;| tained a_picture which it was to v Sts ast a second 3 T ETINS "_1 EREFar 1 trality of expected, the Americans were quick to note dealing with -the neutrality appreciate and applaud. 1 refer to the China and the desire to limit the area| n;hie conduct of the captain of th of Russo-Japanese hostilities. | Variag, who, after refusing to sur- This note merely states what had |render his ship, came out of the harbor been accomplished by his previous com- | t_" Chél‘:’l'llpn to mc? gn overw hcyln:lmz. munications initiating the internalivunial | ;‘;l:?;‘nh ;;:3.;:;s:fl:':;x::xl:s‘.mn; E .:'O‘u.;.‘ effort for the preservation of China's) . ", "\ o up his own ship, that neutrality. It sets forth the extent t0|<he might not’ fall into the hands of which Russia and Japan have agreed | the ememy. The contribution of such to limit the field of war. This, as pre- |a page to Russian history more than viously stated, makes the battleground , compensates for any losses qu-tamo(rl Manchurta, Korea and the Russian and | ¥ SR My ;r‘f‘:llp(_‘;:afl:!r"“;‘" 5 TN Sppt: while her envoy in St.. Petersharg was Hay does not suggest any Secondary siiil enjoying the courtésy and pro- step. He is content with the adlterence tection of the Russian Government. of the powers to the principle of Chi- he sociated Press dispatches nese neutrality. There will be issued from St. Petersburz have correctly re- at the State Department, probably to- morrow, the memorandum setting forth ported the tidal wave of national feel- ing and enthusiasm which has swept the Russian and Japanes answers to Hay’s first note. over my country. No longer is the struggle in the Far East a political one, interesting for the most part diplomats STATEMENT BY CASSINL and statesmen, It has flared up into a national war. My august master has “Russia gladly and willingly favored | o, \n extraordinary patience in en- the suggestion of Secretary Hay that, | eavoring to arrive at a setflement as far as possible, the belligerents in | without war. But, now that Japan has the Far East war localize hostilities made war, the determination of tHe and respect the neutrality of China in | Russian Emperor and hle people !l';lt e iutirest of & continuance of geace- |90 Shall Be sathufied with: thatfor ful intercourse with the rest of the world. My Government expressed the | conviction that Mr. Hay's suggestion was prompted by motives of the high- | which she has seemed so anxlous, is made all the stronger by the patience est humanity and was mutually advan- | ‘ tageous to the belligerents.” and forbearance which have hitherto characterized our dealings with the Japanese. 5 “In the interest of the world’s hu- manity I am confident all nations will This statement was mad2 by Count Cassini, the Russian Embassador, in the course of a conversation at the em- bassy to-night. The Embassador spoke in general on the Far Eastern situa- | hope for the success of Secretary Hay’s effort to limit the deplorable war to the tion. Aithough the negotiations on the } | belligerents now engaged.”™ neutrality proposition have been car- | ried on almost entirely between the several foreign Governments addressed | ‘ Phdadclphu Shoe Co. 10 THIRD STREET, SAN FRANCISCO and the American envoys accredited Adjoining Call Building. to them, the weight of the work of the ke 395 LDVEBTISEHENTS. Russian Embassador in Washington in | the councils of the Czar was strongly influential in the shaping of Russia’s | reply. As soon as the note was addressed to the Russian Government Count Cas- sini was advised of the fact by Secre- tary Hay, and a long and earnest con- | versation followed on the motives of | the Washington Government in initiat- ing this move. unique in diplomacy. To the frankness of this conversation—a | frankness made possible by the cordial | and intimate relations which Mr. Hay and Count Cassini have enjoyed in | Washington—is largely due, it is said, | to the prompt response of the Russian Government, which is materially con- cerned with many matters of the grav- 1 est importance, and some demanding | the most speedy attention, such as war i measures. NATIONS STILL FRIENDLY. “It is fortunate,” continued the Em- | bassador, “that, whatever may be the | feeling here and there in the United | States of sympathy for Japan, the tra- | ditional—and, so far as Russia is con- cerned, the highly prized—friendly re- lations between the Washington and St. Petersburg Governments in no way have been interfered with. Every mail | brings to the embassy some fifty to 100 | ~contradictions, in the form of offers of assistance, medical and military, of the statement that Russi is without friends in this country. “It is so in this country as in every other, that the smaller nation in the struggle can count on a certain amount of sympathy, arising solely from the fact of its minority; but it is a tribute to the fairness of your Government that the official conduct of your Gov- ernment certainly has been all that either belligerent could expéct in the preservation of the strict neutrality which the President directed shall be observed by his people. “So numerous have these offers of medical and other aid‘ become that 1| have felt it my duty to bring them to the attention of my Government. It is possible that, in recognition of the kindly spirit of humanity and friend- liness which is evidenced by the Amer- ican physicians who have offered their assistance, my Government may find a way to accep§y some of them, and that American ysicians and nurses may aid us in caring for the wounded in the Far Eastern war. I am daily expecting an answer from St. Peters- burg on this point.” TIMES ARE QUIET WEMUST REDUCE STOCK MONEY TALKS WITH US «No use talking, dull. If any store does business we do, but just the same, times are dull and the Shoe business is pretty quiet. Now we are over- stocked and must reduce, and to do so will offer exceptionally big bargains and low prics Special for this week: Ladies’ Patent Leather Oxfords, Bronze Kid Ox- fords and Vici Kid Oxfords, coin toes and tips, hand-turned soles and French heels. REDUCED TO 81.554a ru-. Sizes 215 to T%; widths AA to E. but times are PATENT LEATHER LACE Bargains like this are not of- fered every day, so take advan- tage and get fitted. Ladies’ Pat- ent Leather Kid Lace Shoes. with dull kid tops, coin toes and tips, hand-welted soles and Cuban heels. TO A PAIR. Sizes 25 to 3; £1.85 WILL NOT SUPPRESS NEWS. “What will be the effect of the re- moval of the censorshin on all news from St. Petersburg to the outside world?” the Embassador was asked. “It is believed that this will effect- ually diminish the number of canards which have been secretly sent from Russia, especially to England and the United States, about my country. Cen- sored dispatches were wrongly consid- ered abroad as having the approval of the Government. Nothing could have been further from the truth, unless it was the additional false impression that uncensored dlspatches represented the facts as they were. With the cen- sorship removed it is hoped that the outside world will have a better idea of my Government and my people. It was gratifying to hear from a repre- gentative American venl days ago of the approval in thls country of the policy which had been strictly adhered to, of making public the news from the widths A to E. GHILD'S FULL DRESS SHOES Far East, whether good or bad. earnest hope that peace might be preserved with Japan, my government was giving more attention tb the methods by which a diplomatic settlement might be than to preparations for the recourse.to arms Wwhich we are now convinced Japan had determined upon at the outset of the negotiations. For this reason the first chapter in the Far Eastern war has not been characterized by Russian vic- tories. HERO OF THE VARIAG. “The truth has been made public as anm-m !hoel like these cannot be ex- celly We are selling them at kll than the original cost. Child's Pltent Leather ce Shoes, with t kid tops, turned soles and OUR FOR -m. heels. PRICE THIS WEEK ONLY SO¢. Size I’Aml:wm.A;n " B. KATSCHINSKI Philadelphia Shoe Co. 10 THIRD ST. ' San Franciseo.