Show FIGHTING i HAS BEGUN A BATTLE S ON AT PORT ARTHUR IT IS REPORTED THAT RUSSIAN VESSELS HAVE BEEN TAKEN TROOPS ARE LANDED AT VARIOUS POINTS IN KOREA port arthur feb 9 japanese torpedo boata attacked the russian hero during the night and three 0 the russian ships were badly damaged the japanese who thus scored the ant success of the war escaped undamaged paris feb 8 the papers here publish on high authority tha report first circulated in berlin that japanese warships havo captured some russian merchant ships in chinese waters the report lacks confirmation in official circles here as well as in ber alln london feb S japans pat lenco became exhausted and today she moved her ships and took honses slon of certain merchant vessels including the and manchuria a correspondent bays two other russian vessels were seized and escorted to aasebo japan the dally telegraph says it supposes the foregoing seizures occurred at but that the censor suppressed the location london feb 9 in a dispatch from nagasaki a correspondent of the daily telegraph say 3 it Is assured that the russian fleet will fight the russians long ago decided upon war and their delay was due to lack of preparation and uncertainty whether european powers would intervene che Foo Feb 9 the japanese residents are leaving port arthur on monday a steamer took and proceeded to dany thence to japan others are going to china admiral alex leff tried to reassure them and promised protection to their families russian officers and foreign ministers aro leaving here in tear that the chinese will rise war correspondents will use dispatch boats foreign officers who have been refused permission to accompany the fleet will probably accompany tho army berlin feb aa dispatch received here from port arthur says news has been received there that japanese troops have been landed at basam pho the dispatch says further that tho russian warships at port arthur frequently put to sea and that the inhabitants of seoul are uneasily expecting the arrival of the japanese troops london feb athe che foo correspondent spon dent of the dally mall cables that six japanese transports are landies troops at various ports in korea from and fusan on tho south to koinzan Kiin zan and on the west seoul is to be occupied and the landing Is being covered by torpedo division the main body of the japanese fleet athe correspondent concludes will sail in the direction 0 port arthur paris feb 9 all the newspapers athla morning without distinction of party are trying to reassure the public on the possibility of france being drawn into the conflict according to the matin M del casses reply to a deputy when assoil whether the russian alliance would not oblige france to in caso great britain or somo other power aided japan was that in that caroi there might be a moral engagement but there was certainly no written en gag ament to compel france intervention london feb athe st james gazette asserts on diplomatic authority that assuming russia defeats japan she will be confronted with a d mand tor the acknowledgment of chinese sovereignty in manchuria from great britain and tho united states and that she rouff cither grant it or fight both countries an understanding the paper adds has been reached in this caad between the united states and areat britain roma feb emmanuel hart a long interview with premier and marino minister today as a result of the severance of diplomatic plo matic relations between russia and japan and ended with expressing the hope that war still might bo averted the alne asked the premier to keep foreign minister who Is now in naples informed on all that transpired in the far east minister alra belll has cabled instructions to the commander of in the far east to send the italian thard elaas I 1 cruiser clemente Pl emente from shanghai to japan to keep the third class cruiser elba jn korean waters to protect italian interests and to jiahe the cruiser pisana communicate between them vienna feb sabe austrian peace society has sent a cablegram to president roosevelt requesting him to intervene in tho russo japan conflict under the provisions of the international arbitration tribunal at tho hague rome feb ain an interview eignor said the conflict it limited to the far east would bd of secondary importance in the matter of the consequence in europe and said italy being interested in the maintenance of peace made with franca an effort in that direction ids she cannot repeat however inasmuch as russia and japan have clearly intimated their wishes to settle the affair among themselves PREPARING FOR FLIGHT chinese court fears russia will descend on peking london feb 9 in a dispatch from tien tsan a correspondent there of the standard says a russian force Is reported at kalynn province miles northwest of puking and I 1 near the great wall and that preparations are making for the of the chinese court and tho removal of the imperial treasure it la feared that russia will descend upon peking ASIATIC FLEET TO BE AT HAND american cruiser Squad ordered to vicinity or port arthur washington feb 8 tentative orders have been prepared sending the cruiser squadron of the asiatic fleet northward from suba bay in the vicinity of port arthur to observe the japanese and russian naval operations and they are to be at hand to protect american interests wherever they may be menaced in the war stricken district the orders were 10 the president tor final revision but will not be sent unless they are agre able to russia and japan which will be sounded in advance on this side when the ordera were prepared today it was expected they would bo sent forthwith in view of the restraining instructions they contained for rear admiral evans commanding the asiatic fleet to observe strict neutrality in all his movements secretary moody however Is hot willing that this country shall gle ground even for suspicion cl russia or japan and it has therefore decided these governments ern ments it the dispatch of squadron to northern waters will embarrass either country the cruiser of the albany flagship orleans ka leagh and cincinnati in case tho squadron goes northward it is fully expected here that rear admoral evans will transfer his nag to the albany and assume command of the squadron remaining in the far cast after his rk ular tour of duty has expired to observe the war orders were issued today for lieutenant N A mccauley now on the dolphin to com mander who has been detached from the kentucky and Is now on nis way to tokio and under orders to follow oie japanese naval operations as best they can it la not expected that they will be taken aboard the japanese ships permanently that japan has biilly determined on war Is evident from a cablegram received at the navy department today from lieutenant marsh saying a japanese naval division had left for the port of the ital the seizure of seoul the general naval board believes will be japans first act of war count the russian dor called by appointment on secretary hay at 3 and the two were n conference tor nearly an hour tho ambassador was again assured that athla government could be depended on to maintain the and most completo neutrality in ha coming war count gave mr hay a brief bummara of the negotiations ho informed the secretary that russia was convinced that japan bad all along been in favor of war and that her breaking off of diplomatic relations at the moment when russia was forth her utmost effort to make concessions ces that would preserve peace was an evidence of bad faith in russian circles it Is not expected that japan will formally declare war but that she will attempt to ratan russia unawares it Is declared ahat hr russian array and fleet will be found ready and waiting that russia will not assume the offensive until she jeaa been attacked but after that there will be no delay at tho japanese legation it was said tonight that there waa no further news on the situation to be given out at the russian embassy no cables came from any source washington feb 8 secretary moody received a rable croci lieutenant marsh naval artacho at boklo announcing noun cing tho departure of a naval division from japanese waters for cho culpo INCREASED GUARD AT PEKIN M detachment of russian troop arrive at chinese capital peking feb S A detachment of russian troops arrived here yesterday afternoon bringing the legation guard of russia up to its full in response to a memorial from yuan shul kat commander in chief of the army and daiy informing the government that war between and japan had virtually begun renewed orders were sent to the provincial officials enjoining them to exercise the most strict measures to prevent lawlessness preparations fo tho dispatch of troops to guard ho frontier of chill chi ll province continue A russian firm at new chwang has completed the purchase ot the available stock of coal amounting to tons germany has copeney cop ened the question of the payment of ahe boxer indemnity in gold the chinese foreign office Is its reply london feb 9 in a dispatch dated nagasaki saturday february 6 which was delayed by tho censor a correspondent spon dent of the dally telegraph asserts that russia deliberately precipitated the crisis by secretly dispatching a few days ago from forth arthur transports loaded with a full division of troops and escorted by a fleet and landing ahm near the balu yalu river thus occupying northern korea RUSSIA WANTS MONEY london feb 0 russia Is negotiating with a syndicate of french bel glan and dutch bankers cables the brussels correspondent of the stand ard for a loan of |