The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1904-10-13
The japanese Line at Bentsiuptze
Has Been Broken by Gen.
Kuropatkin.
OCCUPIED A FRONT OF 81 MILES.
The Russians Captured an Important
Hill and Flanked the Japs
Out of the Town.
The Two Armies Are In the Anon,aI.
GUS Position Of Threatening Each
others Lines Of Communica.
tion--At Port Arthur.

St. Petersburg, Oct. S.-The first
troops of the Imperial Guard left St.
Petersburg Friday night for the front
They consisted of the Second division
of the Finland Guards, of which the
infant czarovitch is the honorary colo
mel
special dispatch from Mukden,
dated October Z, says there has been
no change of importance in the gen.
eral situation there.
The blockade of Port Arthur ap-
pears not to have been so effective re-
Gently, as a number of messengers
have slipped through. Latest advices
stated that the fortress has sufficient
ammunition and provisions to enable
the garrison to hold out nine months.
st. Petersburg, Oct. 10.-Gen. Kuro-
patkin's order of the day announcing
his determination to take the oifen-
sive was supplemented Sunday night
by the news that an offensive move
ment has already been begun and that
the Japanese line has been broken at
Rertsiuputze on the east through YEN
tai and across the railway to the banks
Russian force has been moving south
in close touch with the Japanese ad'
vance since October A. The Japanese
outposts we're driven back in a series
of sliirmishes, and on October the
Russians re.occupied the station of
Shakhe. Is miles south of Mukden,
the railway battalion restoring the
bridge across the Shakhe river the
next day in order to facilitate the ad-
vance. Meanwhile Gen. Mistchenko's
Cossacks pushed southwestward as
far as the Yentai mines, defeating the
Japanese in a series of skirmishes.
The most important action, how
ever occurred on the Japanese right
Al Bentsiaputze. Here the Japanese
held a strong and important position,
but it seems they made the inexplica-
BILE omission to fortify a commanding
hill which was the key to the whole
situation. A portion of Gen. Kuropat-
kn's force made a strong attack on
Bentsiaputze and, taking leaf out
o. the Japanese book, occupied the
hill from the east and Hanked the Jap
anese out of the town, causing a seri-
Gus loss in rear guard fight. The
Russian casualties are reported to
have been inconsiderable.
While these operations are progress
sing south of Mukden, it is reported
that two Japanese divisions under
Gen. Fugi are marching west up the
Lao river and are now % miles south
of Simintin. Gen. Kuroki is expected
70 make similar move eastward.
This statement If accurate leaves two
armies in the anomalous position Of
threating each others lines of commu.
nication, the Japanese by a wide turn
ing movement, while the Russians,
pushing south, have already inflicted
a blow on the Japanese right and are
crowding back their center along the
railway.
While it is understood that Mukden
Is not heavily fortified. Gen. Kuropat'
kin has a powerful force behind him,
strongly posted at Tie Pass; and II,
as he asserts, the Russians are now
powerful enough to assume the often
sve, it is possible his advance move
ment will force the Japanese fanking
column to withdraw in order to pro-
tect their own base. On the other
hand, there seems to be a possibility
of one or both the Japanese columns
threatening the railway behind the
Russians and forcing a suspension Of
their aggressive movement.
Che Foo, Oct 10.-The increased &C.
tivity of the Japanese feet, blockad.
ing Port Arthur in the stopping OF
merchantmen, is due to lookout
which is being kept for three British
ships. which, II is suspected, intend
to attempt to enter Port Arthur with
timed meats and vegetables The
British steamer Victoria was stopped
near Wei Hal Wei Sunday evening
and the above explanation was made
TO her by the japanese boarding Of
fcer.