Panic at Vladivostock.

Manawatu Herald, 24 March 1904, Page 3

Panic at Vladivostock.

The London “Daily Express” prints a despatch from its Shanghai correspondent on March 2nd, in which he says ho has just arrived there from Kobe, where it is impossible to break through the most rigid censorship he ever Experienced. The correspondent adds that he had an interview at Kobe with Mr W, J. Lippe, an American furrier, who was forced to quit Vladivostok on February 19th. Lippe described the city as then being in a complete panic. No news bad btep received since the war began. The telegraph line Was wholly devoted to the transmission of official messages to and from St. Petersburg. Private messages were refused. The people were terror stricken, and all thoughts were bent on escaping. There were pitiable scenes at the railway station when the authorities would only allow 110 persons to leave daily by, empty troop trains going west. The people fought and scrambled to reach the ticket office. Many who were unsuccessful knelt and prayed aloud, beating their breasts and offering any sum for a ticket. After the third day the traffic was stopped and many started to walk inland. The Government offices, banks, and hospital have been removed to Nikolsk. All shops were closed ; prices have risen enormously. The garrison, numbering 7200 troops, is victualled for four months.

The cruiser squadron left on February 9th to attempt to dash round Northern Japan, and join the port Arthur fleet, but the Japanese were patrolling the seas between Saghalien andTsugaru, and cruisers were forced to return. They are now practically bottled up. When Mr Lippe left there was still the wildest disorder. Constant false alarms of bombardment added to the terror of the people. Thirty-two searchlights were nightly flashed seaward, and the military was constantly on the alert. The artillerymen in the forts slept alongside the guns. One hundred and seventy Japanese, disguised as coolies, were caught on February 16th while attempting to blow up a bridge and railway.