T HERE is practically no authentic news from the Far East.
The latest rumours are the same as last week,—that the attack on Port Arthur grows fiercer and fiercer, but is as yet unsuccessful; and that Marshal Oyama is still preparing an "enveloping movement" against Kuropatkin, who, on his side, is still strengthening Mukden and arranging for retreat to Tie-ling. Both armies have received considerable reinforce- ments, and both are patiently collecting fresh munitions. In St. Petersburg, however, there has been a change. The Czar in a letter to General Gripenberg, an old tactician of sixty- six who did good work in Turkestan and at Plevna, acknowledges frankly the great energy and high warlike qualities of the Japanese, and appoints his correspondent Commander-in-Chief of a second army. This, it is stated, will number two hundred and fifty thousand men, and will not be ready for the offensive till the spring. As General Gripen- berg is to draw away a section of General Kuropatkin's force, and as both Generals are to be under a Generalissimo, who will either be General Dragomiroff or the Grand Duke Nicholas—son of the Grand Duke who commanded at Plevna —the Continental experts consider the arrangement an indi- cation of imperfect confidence in Kuropatkin, and therefore unwise. We have elsewhere shown reason to believe that it may have another meaning, and need only remark here that as yet the Russian Court seems wholly disinclined for peace.
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