The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1904-06-02
NEWS OF THE WEEK
Resume Of the Really vital N ews By tho Editor

Japan has surprised the whole world
again. The magnificent fight and
great victory over the Russian forces
is not the greatest surprise. Having
captured the most formidable outpost
of Port Arthur and driven the Rus
slams back into the fortified position
around the harbor, Japan notifies the
Chinese government that it must inn
mediately take charge and govern the
territory from which the Russians
have been driven. That silences the
charge that Japan, if successful, In
tended to annex Manchuria. The gov
ernments of the world don't know
what to think of such nation.
The bravery of the Japanese troops
in attacking fortified positions is an
other surprise. This feat Of arms has
never been surpassed in either an
cient or modern warfare. 1t has been
held that the invention of the long
range repeating rifles made direct
frontal attacks on Notifications inn
possible-that advancing infantry col
umns would be annihilated before
they could reach the enemy. The ia
panese have proven the falsity OF that
assertion when advancing against as
brave troops as have ever fought.
On the narrow neck of land on the
peninsula about fifty miles north OF
Port Arthur, where it is only about
two miles from sea to sea, modern en-
gineerS had constructed Notifications
of the most approved type. Mines
were laid all over the ground, barbed
wire entanglements covered the space,
heavy and rapid fire guns filled the
scientifically constructed emplace-
ments on the hilltops and along the
sides and behind these guns were the
brave, well trained European soldiers,
well Offered and commanded. There
was no chance for flank movements
for the Russian Notifications extend
ed from sea to sea. The Japanese
navy could render but little assist
ance on account of shallow water
running far out to sea and only a few
small gun boats were used at high
tide which had to retreat when the
tide went down. 1t was a straight
frontal attack on modern fOrtifica-
lions, against soldiers armed with
long range repeating rifles backed by
modern field and long range artillery.
In the first two charges that the
Japanese made, every man was killed
before they could reach the second
line of wire entang1ements and their
mutilated bodies covered the field. Ev-
cry officer and man found bloody
grave, but when the order for the fnal
charge was made, not man Wavered
and the long lines moved forward
over the wire entanglements up the
sides of the hill and drove the Rus
SLAMS from the guns at the point of the
bayonet. One thing that went fan to
make the final charge successful was
the daring bravery OF an officer and
twenty men who crawled through the
wires, over the mines and cut the con-
nection between them and the cleo
tricians in the works so that the mines
could not be exploded.
One act of private did. much to-
wards attaining the final victory. He
had been shot down with the rest of
his companions in the second charge.
After a little while, when conscious
ness returned, he arose. Those be-
hind could see him wipe the blood !
from his streaming face with his
arm, but he reached down, took up his |
gun and started on up the hill. A
volley tore him to shreds and 1t was |
with much difficulty that the Japanese
officers could restrain their men, well |
drilled as they were, from dashing for
ward with out orders. The incident |
supplied an irresistible enthusiasm for |
the hnal charge.
The Japanese authorities report that |
they lost $500 men killed and wound
ed and found 400 dead Russians In the
works. Sixty-eight cannon were cap
tured besides large amounts of am
munition and other stores. The ia |
panese pressed onward and the Rus |
slams abandoned their second line of |
defense without making any resist
ancc. From the land side, Port Ar |
thur III closely invested.
In the war so far. the Japanese have
driven the Russians back from the