1904 BATTLE OF THE DOGGER BANKS force of Russia in the Pacific was virtually annihilated. The Baltic fleet, which in October had started to the rescue of Russian naval prestige, was in the Indian Ocean, steaming to Madagascar to coal, refit, and practise gunnery. Of the last there was great need. On the night of October 21, as it passed through the North Sea, its commander, Admiral Rojestvensky, mistook an innocent British fishing fleet on the Dogger Banks for a Japanese torpedo-boat flotilla, and fired upon it, sinking a steam trawler and injuring several other boats, and killing two fishermen and seriously wounding a number of others. As was to be expected of Russian gunners in a funk, they also hit one of their own fleet by wild firing. The Czar proposed that the affair be submitted to an international commission for settlement, and the British Government accepted its proposal. Already Russia had been forced to back down from high-handed actions on the seas. She had taken or sunk many neutral vessels for trading in contraband goods, when their cargoes did not clearly come under the prohibited class, being composed of coal, cotton, and machinery, which are not necessarily munitions of war. Upon the protests of Great Britain and America against the seizures, Russia had issued new orders to her navy which accorded with the British and American construction of what is contraband of war. During December, General Nogi mined and carried by assault fort after fort until the whole east ridge and a great part of the west were in his possession. His command of the remaining forts and of the town was assured. Accordingly, on the last day of the year, General Stössel wrote his opponent that he was ready to surrender. In view of the appalling sacrifice of human life in the East, the unusual number of distinguished people throughout the world who died during the year was not made the subject of special remark. Confederate Generals James DEATHS OF THE YEAR 1904 Longstreet and John B. Gordon died within a week of each other in January (the 2d and 9th, respectively). Jean Léon Gérôme, the great French painter and sculptor, died on Januuary 10; and Professor Herman E. von Holst, the authority on American constitutional history, on January 20. William C. Whitney, who as Secretary of the Navy under President Cleveland inaugurated our progressive naval policy, died on February 2; and Senator Marcus A. Hanna on Feburary 15. On March 5 died Field-Marshal Count von Waldersee, who commanded the allied forces in China in 1900; and on the 24th Edwin Arnold, the English poet and Oriental scholar, whose "Light of Asia" did more than all other books combined to awaken an interest among English and American readers in Hindu literature and philosophy. On May 1 there passed away Antonin Dvorák, who, though a pure Czech from Bohemia, was the composer of musical works more generally known as American than any by native Americans. On May 5 Maurus Jókai, the Hungarian novelist, died full of years and honors. On the same day there passed away Franz von Lenbach, the foremost German painter of the day. On May 9 Henry M. Stanley, the African explorer, passed into the country "from whose bourn no traveler returns." On the 1st of July George Frederick Watts, the great English allegorical painter and sculptor, died at an advanced age. Paul Kruger died in exile on July 14. Lafcadio Hearn, the greatest prose stylist among American authors, died on September 26 in Japan. The American anti-imperialists lost their most eloquent advocate in the death, on September 30, of George Frisbie Hoar, Senator from Massachusetts. And all Americans, however they might differ as to the proper methods for Liberty to take in "enlightening the world," mourned the death on October 4 of Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, designer of the colossal statue in New York Harbor. EVENTS OF 1905 Capitulation of Port Arthur-Russians at Mukden Take the OffensiveGripenberg Attacks Oku at Hun River-He Takes Hei-koa-taiHe is Held at Sandepu-Oku Drives Him Over Hun RiverGripenberg Resigns His Command-Nogi's Army Arrives at Front -General Strike in St. Petersburg-Petitioners of the Czar are Massacred by Troops-Riots Extend_Throughout Russia-Grand Duke Sergius is Assassinated-Great Battle of Mukden-Russians are Defeated-They Retreat to Tie Pass-Linevitch and Kuropatkin Exchange Places-Rouvier Succeeds Combes as French Premier -The Concordat is Abolished-Great Britain and Spain Consent to French Control of Weak Moroccan Government-Germany Objects to it and Forces Resignation of Delcassé, French Foreign Minister-France and Germany Call an International Conference to Determine Foreign Interests in Morocco-United States Takes Charge of Santo Domingo's Finances-Supreme Court Declares Beef Trust Illegal-Prominent Officials are Convicted of Postal Frauds-Contest Between Officers of Equitable Life Assurance Society Discloses Frauds against Policy-holders-Society is Reorgan ized-New York Legislature Investigates all the Life Insurance Companies, and Finds Great Abuses-Officers Make RestitutionInternational Commission of Inquiry into North Sea Incident Whitewashes Rojestvensky-Russia Pays for Damage-Rojestvensky is Reenforced by Nebogatoff's Fleet-He Takes Course Through Sea of Japan for Vladivostok-Togo Intercepts Him in Tsushima Straits and Smashes His Fleet-President Roosevelt Urges Russia and Japan to Open_Peace Negotiations-They Comply-Peace Conference Meets at Portsmouth, N. H.-Envoys Quickly Agree on Japanese Control of Korea, Russian Evacuation of Manchuria, and Subordinate Terms-Deadlock on Russian Cession to Japan of Sakhalin, Payment of Indemnity, and Subordinate Terms-President Roosevelt Appeals to Czar, who Concedes Cession of Southern Half of Sakhalin-New Anglo-Japanese Treaty Secures Japan against Future Russian Aggression-Mikado, on Advice of "Elder Statesmen" Foregoes Indemnity-Peace is Concluded-Riots in Tokio over Treaty-Admiral Togo's Flagship is Sunk with its Crew by Accidental Explosion-King Oscar Vetoes Bill for Separate Nor wegian Consulates-Norway Declares its Independence-It_Elects Prince Charles of Denmark as King-He Assumes Name of Haakon VII-Russian Sailors on "Kniaz Potemkin" Mutiny and Murder Officers-They aid Strikers in Odessa-Defeated by Government Troops, they Surrender Ship to Roumania-Death of Secretary Hay Elihu Root Succeeds Him - Ambassador Porter Finds Body of John Paul Jones in Paris-It is Brought to America-Tour of Secretary Taft, Congressmen, and Others to Philippines Promotes the President's Anti-Race-Suicide Idea More than His Philippine Policy Czar Tries to Satisfy Cry of Russian People for Free Government With Grant of an Advisory Parliament-He is Answered by Increased Disorders-Then He Grants Legislative Assembly and Civil Rights-This is Cautiously Accepted by Zemstvo Congress -Anti-Semitic Riots in Odessa-Mutiny of Squadron in Black Sea -Mutineers Join Strikers in Sebastopol-They are Subdued by Government Forces-Government Suppressed Mutinies at Cronstadt and Vladivostok-Strike of Russian Postal and Telegraph |