The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-11-24


the japanese captured Port Arthur on
wednesday after IS hours' fighting.
Port Arthur, the native name OF
which is Lushun Kou, is the chief ma.
val station of China. Eleyen or twelve
years ago it was q villaget consisting of
about 90 to so mud houses, with few
shops and three or four inns, which
afforded accommodation to travellers to
and from the north. The town at the
present time has increased to nearly
1000 houses and shops, and exclusive
Of garrisons, the population is estimat-
ed at over 5000. There are two princi-
pal and smaller native banks, two
large temples and two largo theatres OF
recent construction.
There is also small dock sniLable for
torpedo boats. The foundries and
workshops contain the most modern
machines, engines, etc.
The dcfences OF the port consisted OF
we'll constructed forts, armed with mod
crn guns Of heavy callbre. The coast
delences are spread over more than
four miles OF aeaboard and consist of
about twelve batteries equally distribu-
ted on either side of the entrance OF tho
port. The armament consists OF more
than forty Krupp guns, varying from
six inChca to 9.06 inches, including
some ri1ed mortars. In addition there
is a torpedo boat station and an elabo-
rated systom OF submarine mines. The
western side of the port is protected by
the shoaing Of the harbor. The garri-
son was said TO consist of about 1000
men. j
The second Chinese-Japanese army,
under tho command oil Field Marshal
Count 0yama, minister OF war, consist
ed Of about $4,000 men, and when this
force arrived of the promontory IL was
divided into two detachments, one OF
which. aided by part Of the Japanese
feet, operated against Talienwan, while
the other directed its movements
against Kin Chow, on the western side
OF the promontory, some miles north of
Port Arthur. falienwan and Kin
Chow we're both captured, after which
the army again combined and the
march on Port Arthur was commenced.
Several engagements OF minor i'm
pOrlance took place along the route,
but, according to the reports, the
Japanese were invariably successful.
The roads leading northward from Port
Arthur were supposed to have been
mined by the Chinese. and the Japan
ESQ commander therefore declined to
take the risk OF marching his troops
along them. Consequently they were
compelled to cut roads through the for
ests 10 allow the passage OF theit artil-
lery, ammunition trains, etc. The
march was thus necessarily slow.
Dispatches received few days ago
stated that the japanese were close to
the city and had attacked the Chinese
oasposts, driving them back TO their
entertainments. It was also said that
the Japanese attacked the entrench-
ments three times, but were repulsed
each time. 1t is eviden. that later at
tacks must have been made and that
the outpoSts were compelled to fall
back upon Port Arthur.
Several times the town is reported to
have been captured, but later dis
patches have shown that these reports
were einaccurat0-and that the Japanese
were conducting their operations
against the place with great careial-
ness and that they intended when the
real attack was made that it should be
successful.
Che Foo from which place the dis
patch announcing the fall OF Port Ar
thur is sent, is Chinese city on the
north cous. OF the Shan Tung nromon-
tory, some ninety miles south OF Port
Arthur, from which it is separated by
the gulf Of Pc Chi Ii.
a dispatch to the London Times from
ohe Foo says that Port Arthur was
!aken Wednesday evening. The fight
ing was continuous from noon OF the
20th, Tho Japanese feet did not take
pHrtin the engagement, though the tor
Eedo boats attached to the fleet did.
Ihe dispatch adds that the Japanese
are now leaving Port Arthur.
a Shanghai despatch to the Times con-
Hfms the report of the capture OF Port
Arthur. 1t says that the Japanese tor
pedo boats distracted the forts, while
the troops entered tho town.