Show WAR preparations PUSHED WITH FEVERISH ACTIVITY japans attack creates intense excitement throughout europe two russian battleships and one cruiser are reported disabled france announces strict neutrality port arthur feb 9 japanese torpedo boats attacked the russian neet hero during the night and three 0 ilo russian ehlis were badly damaged the japanese who thus scored the llast success of the war escaped undamaged berlin feb 9 A special telegram from st petersburg says three russian ships at port arthur wee severely damaged last night by torpedoes discharged from japanese torpedo boats while the latter were passing the harbor subsequently a largo fleet ot japanese battleships and cruisers appeared before the port st petersburg feb 9 the imperial ball which was to have been held this been cancelled at 2 this afternoon the imperial court and all functionaries function aries will attend a solemn te deum to pray tor victory for the russian arms london feb 9 the japanese minister baron hayaski Hay asni said this afternoon russia is making desperate efforts through the various embassies to have the powers intervene russia Is now willing to concede everything but tao oner comes too late baron hayashi added 1 I learn on good authority that the reply russia intended to send merely reiterated all the cardinal points to which japan consistently objected baron hayashi informed the associated press today that he had received this morning a cablegram announcing the departure of the japanese fleet for the yellow sea while ho had no news of the engagement oft port arthur the minister was aware that the japanese intended throughout this war to employ torpedo boats to the fullest extent lie hadnot had not heard land ingot japanese korea SL feb 9 5 p m tho news had duplicated her tactics at the opening of the china japanese war by a torpedo attack on the russian ships oft port arthur created intense excitement details of the attack arc anxiously awaited ex tra editions of the morning papers printed early iu the forenoon after the appearance at the official messenger conveyed the intelligence to the population of the capital and dispelled every lingering hope that war would be averted tho czar and his ministers who had been immediately of the receipt of viceroy alex ieffa telegram accepted tho gage and prepared to face the reality of war the azars czars manifesto declaring a state of war to exist Is expected to be published tomorrow at the latest feverish activity reigned at all the and war preparations acro pushed in all directions the russian red cross society has sent 2000 beds to the far east and sisters of mercy ape leaving the temper of the people which was indicated in tho great personal demonstration accorded to their majesties at the imperial opera house yesterday evening the audience rising and singing god save the czar and give him victory was further manifested chis morning after the arrival of the nevii from port arthur in tho crowds of volunteers who besieged the general staff offices the naval reserve have been called out the action ot the japanese in at tacking the russian fleet without a declaration of war Is denounced aa an outrage by the russians generally aud the result instead of discouraging them seems to have been to furnish the spark to fire russian patriotism from the large centers throughout european russia comes information that the country is already aroused by the japanese action in breaking ok negotiations commenting the address of loyal ty from the provincial council of the government of Yaro stave the eremya says it indicates the sentiments of the whole russian people adding woe balde japan the effect on the bourse where it was rumored the full extent of thy fighting at port arthur had not been made public and that the engagement was still progressing was that a resumption of the panic seemed absolutely inevitable imperial as fell another point and loiter bonds were quoted at as coubles roubles and bank stock at 26 united states ambassador mccormick wag notified cho foo fob 9 tho japanese consul formerly at dalny aso has lust returned bete bays that he passed a japanese fleet today going inthe in the direction 0 port arthur london feb 9 the naval acu in london regarded the result of japans first attack with torpedo boats on the russian fleet off port arthur as being a staggering one they pointed out that viceroy Alex felts reference to mines obviously meant torpedoes and eald that it the russian essela had been struck by torpedoes they probably have sunk pr are mud in port arthur in any case hopelessly out of action tor a A dispatch to lloyds from new chwang after confirming the reports of the departure of the japanese ana announcing the preparations to close the yokohama specie bank adds owing to the enormous trade interests involved the powers suggest that russia surrender the port of new chwang and abreo to the neutralization thereof berlin feb 9 japans initial success in the first attack with torpedo boats on port arthur produced a deep impression both on the people and military and naval critics here groups gathered around the distributors ol 01 the extras in the streets and read tho news almost with exclamations of gladness the comment at the marine department part ment was that even the temporary disablement of three warships placed the russians at a great disadvantage in the future operations it was added that the torpedoing ot the vessels lying under powerful land batteries must have been carried out dai angly and skillfully As viceroy alex leff did not mention any japanese losses in his first dispatch the common talk of the naval officers was that the japanese have shown that they can handle their ships better than the russians paris feb 9 the news of the first japanese attack with torpedo boats created consternation here the officials of tho office were among the first so receive the information and abo were similar to those of the st petersburg official gazette showing that two russian battleships and one cruiser were damaged and also showing thaC four torpedo boats made the attack an official of the foreign office said it Is profoundly to be regretted that such a decisive step ahas been taken asil the powers might have made to avert actual warfare information has been received here showing that tho british government will issue a neutrality within a few days at a conference of ministers held at the elysee palace today under the presidency of M loubet l fc helgn minister Del casse communicated the news of the first japanese attack and announced that the french minister at boklo had been instructed to assure the protection of subjects and their interests in japan the attitude 0 the french government in view of the war Is now ly determined upon france will maintain neutrality under any and all circumstances cum stances the aranco alliance being construed as not requiring france to intervenor Int erveno in behalf ot russia even should great britain or any third power intervene in behalf of japan the naval engagement oft port arthur Is understood to have mainly occupied the attention of the council of ministers tho impression prevailed that the three russian ships torpedoed are BO disabled as to ba unserviceable for war thus placing the heet in a stata of manifest inferiority it Is said that members of the council of ministers expressed astonishment at the alleged negligence of the commanders of tho russian in permitting the japanese to surprise them the japanese legation announced that japan had requested china to declare coal contraband of war the effect of this would be to cut off the main coal supply of the russian fleet at port arthur t the legation officials add that cainas chinas continuance of supplying the russians with coal would be a breach of neutrality sac petersburg feb 9 A lengthy official communication issued today gives the russian account of the negotiations tiati ons which led to the rupture last year says athla foreign office note the boklo cabinet under the pretext of establishing the balance of power and a more order of things on the shores of tho pacific submitted to the imperial government a proposal for a revision of tie existing treaties with korea russia consented and viceroy was charged to draw up a project for a new understanding with japan in operation cooperation co with the russian minister at who was entrusted with the negolia tlona with the japanese government although the exchange of views was of a friendly character japanese citizen and the local and foreign press at tempted in every way to produce a warlike ferment among the japanese and to drevo the government into an armed conflict with russia under the influence thereof the tollio cabinet began to formulate greater and greater demands in tho negotiations at he earne time taking most extensive ceaf ures to make themselves secure all these circumstances of course disturbed dussias Rus sias equanimity but they induced her to also take military and naval measures at the samo time while rigorously observing the fundamental principle of her policy regarding korea whose independence and integrity were guaranteed by previous understandings with japan and by treaties with other powers russia insisted on three points ast 1st on a mutual ad conditional guw ant eo of this principle and 2nd on an un to use no part of as the alon 0 such action on the part of any foreign power was directly opposed to the principle ot the independence ot korea ard 3rd on preservation of the full freedom of navigation ot the of korea the project elaborated in this sense did not satisfy the japanese government which in its last proposals not only declined to accept the conditions which appeared as tho guarantee of the independence of korea but began at the same time to insist on provisions to be incorporated in a project regarding the question of manchuria such demands on the part of japan naturally were inadmissible the question of dussias Rus sias position la manchuria concerning in the first place china but also all the powers having commercial intel casts in china the imperial government therefore saw absolutely no reason to include in a special treaty with japan regarding korean affairs any provision concerning territory occupied by russian troops the imperial government however hb wever did not refuse to long as tho occupation of manchuria lasts to recognize both the sovereignty of the emperor of china in manchuria and also the rights acquired by other powers through treaties with china the japanese government not even awaiting a reply decided to break off negotiations tiati ons and to suspend diplomatic relations the imperial government while laying on japan the full responsibility lity for any consequences of such a course of action will await the development of events and the moment it becomes necessary will take the most decisive measures tor the pro lection of its rights and in the far east port arthur feb 9 in consequence ot the attack by the japanese bdate martial law has been proclaimed here st petersburg feb 3 admiral Alexi effs official report of ura attack by the japanese is as follows 1 I most respectfully inform your majesty that at or about midnight of february S 9 japanese torpedo boats made a sudden attack by means ot mines upon the russian squadron in tha outer roads of the fortress of pon arthur in which the battleships ret alvan and and the cruiser were damaged an inspection is being made to ascertain the character of tha damage details are follow ing for your majesty the russian battleship was built by the cramps at philadelphia she is of tons displacement has indicated horsepower and had a speed of 18 knots per hour her armor is of krupp steel from 1 to 0 inches in thickness and her armament consists of four twelve inch guns 13 six inch guns twenty three inch guns and 26 smaller raold alre guns the was built in france and equals the van in armament the Is a cruiser of tons she was built in germany and completed in 1902 her armament consists of six 6 inch guns twenty S inch guns and eight 14 inch guns her speed 13 estimated at 20 knots st petersburg feb 9 tho announcement no of abo sinking of eleven japanese ships and that port arthur waa in flames was given out in st petersburg at this afternoon as official but investigation showed the report to bo untrue the only confirmed communication Is that from ad maral issued early announcing that japanese torpedo boats had made a sudden attack on the russian squadron jn to outer roads in which the battleships and and the cruiser had been damaged paris feb 9 it was announced at alio french foreign this afternoon that tho russian cruiser was sunk in tho torpedo attack on the fleet off port arthur tho injuries sustained by the and aro bot known it was reported on the saino authority that the cable from had been cut che too feb 9 the japanese deet attacked port arthur at midnight on monday two russian battleships and cne cruiser disabled by torpedoes the battle Is being continued this morning at a range of three miles but there has been no further damage |