Show BUT TWO CONFLICTS HAVE YET OCCURRED reports of other engagements are but reflections from port arthur and new york feb 12 A careful study of uie reports bat have reached america and europe from the east including press dispatch egand eg and through official channels would indicate that but two actual conflicts of any moment have sp far occurred these are the japanese attack on port arthur on monday night and tuesday morning and the affair at on monday and tuesday in circles whose knowledge ot conditions in that part of the world allows them to speak with accuracy tho various reports of other engagements aro considered but echoes of these two fights news travels slowly in north china cable and telegraph facilities are limited and it is evident that as reports ot the port arthur and affairs reach various points they aro promptly cabled by resident correspondents resulting in a natural confusion or dates the circumstantial report ot another engagement sent by the renter company from tokio under date of feb 10 published in this country yesterday afternoon also undoubtedly referred to the original port arthur attack news of which had just reached tokio this belief is strengthened by the fact that no official confirmation has been received of subsequent engagements gage ments and it is pointed out that such official advises advices were received through the various embassies at washington promptly on the hecla ot the press reports ot tho events of monday and tuesday the flood ot conflicting dispatches from various north china points during the boxer revolution Is recalled for this reason tha report cabled by the tien tsan i or respondent of the london standard that a russian vessel has bombarded Hak Is entirely disregarded naval men in this city say that so tac as Is known the only russian vessels in position to make a move aro those at and that it cannot top a moment be thought they would be withdrawn from the defense atthe important depot even if they are free 0 the ice and not blocked by a japanese squadron as has been reported in view of the fact that there ts no cabla communication between japan and china except by way of shanghai it la to say the least improbable that such important news would be first heard in the inland town of tien tsan the official notice sent out last night from st petersburg that tho cable from to nagasaki the telegraph line from Seo pho and the telegraph line from seoul to won san are broken limits communication ni with japan to the cables that land at shanghai which are under japanese censorship this is addition al to discredit the rp parts of further engagements |