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Ou the eve of the disaster to the battleship PetropavloVsk it is stated that. the Gear received a telâ€" egram from Admiral Makarofl'. stat- ing that, he wus about to fight. a, decisive engagement with the enemy. A stay is current among the sz“s entourage, that when his Majesty heard of the disaster he wept. Afterwards, speaking of Ad- The Newâ€"Chwang correspondent of the London Daily Mail tolegraphs that he interviewad an officer who Was on a. train that passed through Taihichiau, carrying men wounded on the Potropavlovsk to Harbin. He said that, during the running action the, battleship Pobieda was badly damaged by a. torpedo. There was a. large hde made in her bows at the waterline. and three of her compart- ments filled. The officer claimed that one Japanese torpedoboat destroyer was sunk Before the Pctropavlovsk went down there Wcl'e two distinct ex- plosions, the first. one being a, mine and the second the battleship’s maga- lines. It is officially announced at St. Petersburg that 40 oflicers and 750 men perished in the sinking of the Pctropavlovsk. It is stated that an American enâ€" gineer arrived on Saturday and start,â€" od for Port Arthur to direct the op- erations a! three submarines which were farwarded in March on orders from Admiral Makarofi. , , __‘_.._. WWW w Sill-ch and Kaiping, destroying the railway and preventing troops Sta.â€" tloned in Southern Liao-Tung effect- ing a. juncture with the main Russian forces concentrated at Liaoâ€"Yang and Mu-kden. The execution of this oner- atlon only failed owing to the fact that all places on the peninsula suitâ€" able for the landing of troops are protected by mines, are well fortified and strongly guarded. It is said that the Japanese torpedo flotilla attack on Port Arthur April 13 was intended to cover a. landing from nine transports at Shomang-tai- tso, twenty miles south-West of Taku- shah, with a view of cutting off the retreat of the Port Arthur troops to cu“ \r â€" -â€" » There is nothing confirmatory of the oft-repeated statement of the landing of Japanese troops in the vicinity of Port Arthur, although the general opinion in military circles there is that the latest bombardment was intmded as a mask to cover the landing of a. Japanese force. Rumors were in circulation at St. Petersburg of a. fresh engagement on the Yalu River, which has resulted favorably to the Russians, but a des- patch received by the general staff toâ€"night says that the situation is unchanged, and that all is quiet on the Yalu. The London Times prints a des- patch from its correspondent on board its despatch boat Haimun, sent from off the coast of Corea by means of wireiess telegraphy to Wei-Haiâ€"Wei quoting the Japanese official report that the Petropavlovsk was destroyed by a. torpedo, and adding that it is believed that the entrance to Port Arthur is now scaled. A torpedo boat flotilla, supported by five Japauwe warships, engaged the Russian cruiser Dayan, making for I’m-t Arthur from the direction of the Yulu. The Russian cruiser As- kold and the Petropavlovsk issued from Port Arthur to assist the Bay- an. At 6.45 o'clock the Russians made for the shelter of the forts, and the'eccident 0Ccurred. Whether or not a naval battle occurred is not officially stated. Subsequently the Japanese were reinforced by their full fleet, and Port. Arthur was bombarded for two hours, but no damage was occasioned. According to the official advices, the disasta' was due to the warship ac- cidentale striking a mine. Makarol‘f had gone out with the vessel to the x'cscun of a. cruiser which had been cut off by the Japanese fleet, but, finding himself outnumbered, returned to the roadstead, in entering which he struck the mine. The most. serious disaster to Rusâ€" sian. arms since war was declared oc- «turret! on Wednesday morning at, Port. Arthur, when the first-class battleship K’etropavlovsk was lost. Viceâ€"Admin- al Mo.ka:off, commander of the naval forces in the Far East, and practicalâ€" ly the entire crew going down with the vessel, says a St. Petersburg desâ€" patch'. 0! 650 officers and men on board, but 38 were rescued, all of them more or less severely Wounded. Incluled in the latter is Grand Duke Cyril and the commander of the War- ship. POBIEDA Battleship and Destroyer Sunk With Great Loss of Life. "PHAT HAN ALEXIEFF." 790 RUSSIANS PERISHE RUSSIA N BATTLESHIP SUNK. ENTRANCE SEALED? TRYING TO LAND BADLY DAMAGED In another despatcfi the correspond- ent saysâ€"“At 4.30 this morning, in the dim light and mid rain squalls, I Saw a squadron of warships in line ahead steering a. course similar to our own. As the light increased it, proved to be a. Japanese squadron of six battleshigs followed by a first‘ clas cruiser squadron. Six ships were in the line ahead, the third and fourth vessels being the Knsuga and Nisshin, which were making their first The London Times prints 3, despatch dated "OI? Port. Arthur," and sent by wireless telegraph to Weiâ€"Haiâ€"Wei, which says that Japanese torpedo boats attacked Port Arthur early Wednesday morning. The bombard- ment began at 9.45 o'clock in the morning. A despatch to the London Stanâ€" dard from St. Pctel‘sburg says it is rumored that Admiral 'l‘ogo's fleet escorted a great number of trans- ports to a point. west of the Yalu River. The troops begun to disem- bark without detecting a force of Russian troops, who were concealed on shore. When 12,000 had disem- barked the Russians attacked them, and drove them buck to their ships. inflicting heavy losses in men and guns. Other reports confirm the impresâ€" sion that Admiral Togo has gone to his base to refit, as some of the vessels must have suffered damage. The Chefoo correspondent of the Express says that a Chinese vessel which has just, arrived there reports that there is now no trace of the Japanese outside of Port Arthur. A dcspatch to the London Express from New-Chwang says that the naval disaster on Wednesday has completely demoralized the defenders of Port Arthur. The confidence in- spired by Admiral Makal‘ol’f has on- tirely evaporated. The gloomiest forebodiugs are expressed regarding the fate of the stronghold in view of the possibility of Admiraf Togo following up his advantage with anâ€" other attack. v In regard to the condition of the Czar, Mr. Norman, who had a. long personal interViwv with him on Thursday, strongly contradicts the reports of his physical and mental breakdown. He Says that he heard from the Czar’s lips the clearest and most concise statement of the situa- tion. His Majesty spoke wlth perâ€" fect frankness, asking very direct questions and requesting equally frank replies. Henry Norman, M.P., who has consistently held a brief for Russia, writes from St. I’etersburg to Lon» don of the calm confidence of the heads of Russian official life in re- gard to the final issues of the war. While they recognize the courage and resources of the Japanese, and tlm fact that the war was begun a year before their own preparations were complete, they believe that allâ€"round power will insure victory. In regard to money, they point out that the War chest contains 1,600,â€" 000,000 roubles, which is twice the gold reserve of the. Bank of England. Mr. Norman himself saw ingots of gold. ILLNESS AMONG TROOPS. According to the reports of spies, the Japanese troops in Corca have been ravaged by various diseases. One of these diseases, called "imâ€" blon," is a kind of intermittent typhus. Another called “souda,” which has not yet been studied by European doctors, promotes premaâ€" ture . senility. The patients lose their teeth, become extremely Weak, and the nails are twisted back on the fingers. Dysentcry is Very pre- valent among the Russians at, Har- bin. 'A despatch to the London Express from Tokio, says that the effective- ness of the Japanese mines was due to the explosive invented by Prof. Shimose, a Japanese. He claims that, it is far more powerful than lyddite, melinite, or any other high explosive. Two Japanese oflicors, attired as Tibetan lemmas, have been arrested for trying to blow up a. railway bridge on the River Uonni, in Manâ€" churia. The scene of their attempt- ed explbit, was Foulial‘di, north of Harbin. PORT ARTHUR DEMORALIZED miral Alexiefi, he exclaimed: "That man brings us nothing but ill-luck." At the same time he declared his in- tention to recall Admiral Alexicfi, but was dissuaded. his councilors urging the bad impression such a step would make in the present cir- cumstanccs. THE JAPANESE EXPLOSIVE FAIL TO BLOW L’P BRIDGE FIGURES 0N LONG WAR ATTACK 0N FORT LAND BATTLE Practically the last hope of suc- cesses at sea died with Admiral Maâ€" karofi, and the Russian people now look to the army, in which they have implicit confidence, to retrieve on land the reverses and distress suflored on the water. The disaster of Wednesday ends the hope that the ill-fated Port: Arthur squadron would be able to become an aggressive factor in the operations before it is reinforced by the arrival of the Baltic fleet. Until then the aim of the Russians will be to hold Port Arthur and conserve the remaining ships within the pro- tection of its guns. There are now only_ two undamâ€" aged Russian battleships, the Percâ€" sviet and the Sevastopol, in the harbor at Port Arthur, but some of the damaged vessels have been reâ€" paired. although their exact number and condition are not known. The other effectives are the armored cruiser Dayan, tho firstâ€"class cruisers Askold and Diana, the second-class cruiser Novik, the torpedo gunboats Vsadnik and Gaytlamuk, the. gun- boats Gremiashchi, Olvansi, (liliakis and Bohr, the cruisers Djidjid, Raz- bo'vnik and Zabiabak, and the tor- pedo-boat destroyers, whose exact number is not known. Altogether ten Russian vessels have been damaged or lost since the outbreak of the war. Twenty-eight Russian officers were lost on board of the Petropavlovsk, including Capt.V asilief, belonging to the ship; Admiral Makarotl', fourteen members of his staff, including Rearâ€" Admiral Molas, the chief of staff, and Lieut. von. Kobe, the aideâ€"deâ€"camp of Grand Duke Cyril. That Vex‘cstchagin (the celebrated painter of battle scenes) was among those lost is now officially known. "At daylight the Japanese torpedo boats made a. demonstration before the port, and at the same time laid mines across the outer entrance to the harbor. They then retired and joined the main squadron. The Squadron then advanced and as it. drew near the Russian ships were seen coming- out. The battleship Petropavlovsk struck one of the mines laid by a Japanese torpedo boat and was destroyed.” It has been learned from Japanese sources at Chefoo that the attack on the Russian Port Arthur fleet Was planned and put into effect in the following manner. “In accordance with my instrucâ€" tions, the captain of the cruiser Kas- age. directed Lieut. Yamaguchi, with five men, to scout in the mouth of the Yalu. They accomplished their work and safely returned to the Kasaga on Monday. They entered the river in a Corean junk. and at 2 o'clock Sun- day discovered a party of Russians leaving the right ban‘t of the river near Toag Tox'yuho in a junk. Lieut. Yamag‘uchi attacked them, a patrol of mounted Japanese troops on the ‘left bank of the river joining in the ‘attack. In tbx meantime another large Russian jun; joined the first one and opened fire on the Japanese. The Russians retired and reached the bank. They then fled inland. The exchange of fire lasted one hour and twenty minutes. The enemy had nine killed and two injured, We had no casualties. ” Details of the first skirmish on the Yalu River. which occurred last Sunâ€" day, arrived at, Tokio on Wednesday in the official report of Admiral Hosb oga. The text of the report. follows: "At 10.20 the shore batteries open- ed. but their fire was only desulotory, and it seemed as though Admiral To- go was making a. demonstration ra- ther than n. bombardment. Three times his fighting Squadron circled around in front of the enemy's posiâ€" tion, drawing a desulotory fire, and at noon Admiral ’J‘ogo withdrer his battleships to the south. It was in- spiring to see how the powerful squadron of fighting machines mano- euvrud. The battleships went boldly in, While the less protected vessels ‘manoeuvred with them, conforming Ito their evolutions at a safer distance. Later, although I went closer to Port Arthur than I had ever been before, I saw no sign of any Russian shipping. The shells Which fell nearest to us exploded on impact with the water. The Japanese manoeuvring was at eighteen knots an hour. So far as I could see, they sufl'ered no damage. The expenditure of ammunition was small. It was a. magnificent force. the most powerful individual fleet, indeed, which ever sailed the Eastern seas. Including the torpedo craft, there were forty Japanese vessels." "The battleships now hoisted their fighting flags and steamed in forum/- tion, the Miknsa. leading and the new ships bringing up the rear to within six miles of Port. Arthur's frowning promontory. appoaranco in the fleet. Th'c Mitska. was leading. They were shaping their course for Port Arthur. Forty miles distant from the port the battleships drew out at full speed, and the Kasuâ€" gn and Nisshin left the cruisers and joined the battleships, the other cruiâ€" sers remaining behind. The interval between them was maintained by the destroyer division and a. dcspatch boat. As we neared Port Arthur we found two first-class and four second- class cruisers already there. This Squadron had covered the torpedo boat attack, which was made in the small hours of the morning. JAPS SENT IN MINE JAPS WIN SKI RMISHES 28 OFFICERS LOST. BADLY CR1 [’PLED Dressed hogs are unchanged, with offerings fair. Car lots quoted at $6 delivered hero. Cured meats are in good demand at unchanged prices. We quotaâ€"Bacon, long clear. 8 to Bic per ID., in case lots. Mew pork, $16.50 to $17; do short cut, $18.50. Smoked meatsâ€"Hams, light to medium, 12%: do, heavy, 12c; rolls, 10c; shoulders, 9;}c; backs, 13% to 14c; breakfast bacon, 13 to 134%. Eggsâ€"Case lots quoted at. 14c dozen. Cheeseâ€"Finest September's 102 to 11c; late Fall and seconds, 9.3 to 1010. Butter-Finest lâ€"tb. rolls, 167} to 17c; choice, largo rolls and selected dairy tubs, 15 to 16c; medium and low grades, 12 to 14c; creamery prints, 20} to 22c; solids, 19 to 20¢. Poultryâ€"The market is steady, with limited ofierings. Chickens. 12 to 13c rim- Ib.; turkeys are quoted at 15 to 16c. per II). for fresh liilled. Potatoesâ€"Choice Ears are quoted at 85 to 90c per bag on track here, and inferior quglity at 75c per bag. Maple syrupâ€"’ic market is quiet at $1 per Imperial gallon. Honeyâ€"The 111ar1§ét is duiet it 6 to 70 per Tb. Combs quoted at $1.50 to $1.75. Hayâ€"No. 1 timothy guotod at $9.â€" 50 a. ton here. Strawâ€"Prices unchanged at $5.50 on track hereA Dried applesâ€"Prices are steady at 3 to 3gc per It). Evap‘orated apples, 6 to 6%c per 1b. Beansâ€"Prime beans are quoted at $1.50 to $1.60, and handâ€"picked at $1.65 to $1.70. Hopsâ€"The market is unchanged qt 26 to 32c, according to quality. Applesâ€"Prices steady at $2 to $2.- 50 per DD). for the best stock. Millfecdâ€"Bran is steady at $17 to $17.50, and shorts at. $18.50 here. At outside points bran is quoted at $16.50, and shorts at $17.50. Mani- toba bran. in sacks, $20, and shorts at $21 here. E’rices of Cattle, Grain, Cheese, and Other Dairy Produce at Home and Abroad. Toronto, April 19.â€"that-â€"No. 3 white and red Winter quoted at, 92 to 93c low freights. Spring wheat is nominal at 87c east, and goose at 81 to 82c east. Manitoba. wheat steady. with No. 1 Northern selling at 99c to $1 at Georgian Bay ports; No. 2 Northern at 96. and No. 3 Northern at 92c. No. 1 hard is nominal at $1.01. Grinding in transit prices are Go above those quoted. Oatsâ€"No. 2 white quoted at 31c north and west, and 31§c low froights. No. 1 whito quoth at 32c cast. and N0. 2 at 31h: cast. No. 2 offered at 33kc on track, Toronto. Flourâ€"Ninety per cent. patents are unchanged; buyers at $3.55 middle freights in buyors' sacks for export. Straight rollr‘rs of special brands for domestic trade quoted at $4.30 to $4.50 in bbls. Manitoba flour un« changed. No. 1 p'atents, $5.30, No. 2 patents, $5, and strong bakers', $4.90 on track, Toronto. Ryeâ€"No. 2 quoted at 59 to 60¢ cast. and west. Buckwheatâ€"No. 2 quoted at 50 to 510 middle freights. Cornâ€"No. 3 American yellow quotâ€" ed at 54c on track Toronto; No. 3 mixed at 53c. Canadian corn is nom- inal at 3813c west for yellow, and 38c for mixed. Barleyâ€"No. 2 offered at_44c middle Heights; N04 3 extra. at 43c, and No. 3 at 410 middle iroights. Peasâ€"Th0 market is unchanged, With No. 2 quoted at 65 to 66c outâ€" side. and choice milling lots at 68 to 70c. REPORTS .FROM Tm LEADING- TRADE CENTRES. THE WORLD’S MARKETS THE DAIRY MA RKETS COUN [‘RY PRODUCE HOG PRODU UTS per tack any person \VthOll and, once developed- phy pOWerless to cope with standingly. cause of thc 923‘). $5.15 05; H 32.45 fin on 'n A New York despatch says zâ€"Lead- ing surgeons and physicians of New York on Tuesday confirmed the statement made by Dr. Roswell Park of Buffalo, in Berlin on Monday night, that. cancer is the most pre- \‘ttlent disease in the United States, and that the State of New York is well within the “cancer belt." They declared that the dreadful malady is rapidly increasing allover the civilized world and that they are still utterly in the dark as to its cause or its cure. In the last 24 years, as shown by statistics, it has doubled in prevalency in the United States and is to-day claiming more victims than consumption. The surâ€" geon's knife is the only remedy acâ€" cepted by the most skillful members of the profession, and that treatâ€" ment must be applied very early to insure against return of the disease in a more serious form. Several prominent surgeons said that the disease was a. much more serious question than the average person realized. and made doubly an In? Other reports say tYmt 3.11 the chives. treasures and jewels were stroyed. Most Prevalent Malady in the United States. The Japanese soldiers took a most prominent part in guarding the per- son of the Emperor, as well as in ex- tinguishing the fire, and this produc- ed an excellent feeling among the court circles. Our troop‘s also did their best to guard the foreign legu- tions, and the foreign representatives afterwards expressed to us their sin- cere thanks." THE SCOURGE OF CANCER. “The fire broke out at 10 o'clock on the evening of April 14. With the exception of the Kiuseikcn Building, which is in the European style, all the other palace buildings were con- sumed. The Emperor took refuge in the library of the Kiuesekcn Building. It is believed that the tire originated in the heating apparatus of the Kauvoi Palace, which was undergoing repair. Corean Emperor and Suite Made Their Escape. ‘ A London dospatch says: A cable ‘reccived here says that the Imperial Palace at Seoul, Corea, was com- pletely destroyed by fire on Thursday night. Only the rulns of the palace remain. The Emperor and his suito succeeded in escaping to a beat-by rc- fuge. The Japaneso Logation has received the following account of the tire:â€" Hogsâ€"The market is still steady at former quotations. Selects at $4.75 and heavy at $4.50. Sheep and Lambsâ€"There was a. light run and everything sold quick. Prospects are steady for grain-fed yearling lambs, spring lambs, and good veal calves. Bob calves are not wanted and are unvsaleable. Heavy ewes are quoted at $4 to $4.25, steady; light, ewes. $4.25 to $4.60; bucks, $3.25 to $3.75; grain- fed lambs, $5.50 to $6.124}; spring lambs, $2.50 to $5.50 each; calves, $2 to $10 each and $3.50 to $5.50 per cwt. time. Choice handy weight butchâ€" ers are worth from $4.25 to $4.50 in the market. to-duy. Medium and ordinary butchers' are quotod at from $3.75 to 34. Good butchers' cows, at $3.50. Stockors and Feedersâ€"There is a. good market for all kinds of stock- crs and feeders. Prices have a. range from $3 to $4.40. LIVE S’l‘OC K MA ltKli'l‘S. Toronto, April ISLâ€"Deliveries of stock at the city cattle market are fairly heavy. Business on the whole is good, though trading was a little slow, especially in the export trade. The general quality of the winter fed cattle is very good, and the market on the whole is steady to firm for the best butchers cattle. Export~The export trade is still slow, with prices only steady around $4.75 to $4.80. Though cables are a. little firmer, the condi- tions are not considered quite good enough to Warrant any higher prices in the local market, in view of the present state of the Chicago market. Several of the local firms in fact are still buying largely from Chicago. Butchersâ€"There are some Very (me lots of winter fed cattle coming in for the local butcher trade, and these cattle are fetching fair prices, though the local retail trade is said to bé unusually dull at thcr pi‘eseng Buflalo, April 19.â€"Flourâ€"â€"Stcady. Whentâ€"Sp‘ring steady; No. 1 North- cru, $1.10; Winter, No. 2 red, New York State, $1.06 asked. Cornâ€"â€" Strong; No. 2 yellow, 570; No. 2 com, 53gc. ()ntwtx~ong01‘; No. 2 white, 454w; No. 2 mixed, 4113c. Bax- loyâ€"Western, 51 to 62¢. Ryeâ€"No. 1, on track, offered at 81c. Minneapolis, April 19.â€"Whoatâ€"May 931:2. July 93} to 94c, September (Mic; on track. No. 1 hard, 96“; No. 1 Northern, 95%; No. 2 Northern, 923c. Flourâ€"First patents $5.05 to $5.15; second patents, $4.95 to $5.- 05; first clears, $3.60; second clears. $2.45 to $2.55. Branâ€"In bulk, $14.: 50 to $14.75. SEOUL PALACE BURNED. UNITED STATES MARKETS let that on with ubly HO be- it may at- out wuriimg, hysicians are it under- Elf-