The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1904-04-22
JAPS AND RUSSIANS
ARE face TO face
LATTER OCCUPY STRONG POSI-
TON TEN MILES NORTH
OF ANTUNG.
JAPANESES FORCES BE-
HIND HILL NEAR WIJU
Probable Scene of First Battle Be
tween Two Armies-Twelve Thou-
sand Japs Said to Have Been Driv-
en- Back with Heavy Loss.

en- Back with Heavy Loss.
Seoul, April 18.-No battle has been
fought at Wiju. The Russians occupy
strongly-fortitied positions at Chiu-
tiencheng ION the Manchurian side of the
river and about ten miles north of An
tung), and on TigerHill, a rocky promon-
tory jutting out into the Yalu river. The
japanese forces and batteries are
screened behind the hill between the
river and Wiju.
A recent dispatch from Lao Yang
said the Russian i~ntrenchments on the
Yalu had been completed. The center
OF the line of fortified positions is at An
tung. The right flank rests at Tatung-
kao, about Is miles Southwest of An
tung, and the left at Chiutiencheng. It
has been reported that there are about
-2O,OO0 Russians, composed of infantry,
cavalry and artillery, at Antung ready to
oppose the Japanese if they attempt to
cross the river, and a recent dispatch
from Toxic says it was known there
that the Russians were in force on the
Manchurian side Of the Yalu.
The major force of the first japanese
army to land in Korea is near VIII, ac-
'cording to a dispatch from Korea, and
the Japanese are said to be landing at
Chulsan, near the mouth of the Yalu.
There have been frequent skirmishes
between Russian and japanese troops in
the vicinity of Wiju during the last
week.
Togo Claims Credit for Japs.
Toxic, April 1S.-Admiral Togo re-
ports that in the attack on Port Arthur
Q m Tuesday night the Japanese sunk
mines at midnight and at eight in the
morning drew the Russian ships out Is
miles from the port. The Pe%tropavlovsk
struck a japanese mine and was sunk.
Alexief Takes Command.
st. Petersburg, April 1S.-Viceroy
Alexieff took over the command of the
Russian fleet at Port Arthur Saturday
afternoon and raised his flag on board
the battleship Sevastopol.
Rumor Of Another Naval Disaster.
st. Petersburg, April 18.-Areport has
gained wide currency here that the bat
tleship ~Sevastopol at Port Arthur has
been lost, but at this hour the press is
:authoritatively informed the govern
ment has received no advices intimating
that such a disaster has occurred. On
the contrary, the latest account received
here was to the effect that the Sevasto-
pol was unframed.
Jap Force Meets Surprise.
London, April 1S.-The st. Peters,
burg correspondent of the Standard
n a rumor to the effect that Vice
Admiral Togo's fleet escorted a Jap
anese landing of troops to the west
ward of the Yalu river. When $4,000
men had been landed the Russian
troops, which were lying concealed.
suddenly attacked them, driving them
back to the ships with heavy losses in
men and guns.
Port Arthur Under Fire.
st. Petersburg, April 1S.-A telegram
from Admiral AleXieff from Port Arthur
to the Emperor says that from 9:15
O'Clock Friday morning to midday the
Japanese fleet in two divisions bonn
barded the fortress and the town alter
nately from the Lao Tishan promon-
tory, firing 1S5 projectiIes. The Rus
sian squadron, including the battleship
Pobieda, replied from the anchorage by
a plunging fire. The batteries also par
ticipated. The losses on land were
seven Chinese killed and five soldiers
and three Chinese wounded. The Rus
sian warships sustained no damage and
there vas no loss of life on them.
Fail to Blow Up Bridge.
Hardin, Manchuria, April 18.-Two
Japanese officers of the general staff
have arrived here under strict escort,
having been arrested by the railroad
guard, 1S miles from this place. They
were dressed as Thibetan Lamas. In
attempting to escape they forsook their
tents, in which were found 60 pounds of
high explosives, a fuse, a string of keys
to unscrew railroad nuts, etc. They ev-
Identity intended to blow up the bridge
over the Nonni river, near Fullardi. The
prisoners displayed great GOODNESS, con-
Tossing that it was their intention to de-
stroy the railroad.
President Loubet Receives Seth Low.
Paris, April l8.-President Loubet
Saturday received ex-Mayor Seth Low,
of New York, who wa presented by Am
bassador Porter. There was an agree
able exchange Of amenities and an in
formal talk on American AFFAIR.". The
president expressed his regret at the ac-
cident on board the United States battle
ship Missouri.
Church Dynamited.
Evansville, Ind, ApriEs8.-The Even
Ing Lights church at Blackburn, Pike
county, was dynamited Friday night
while filed with people. A dynamite
stick in an iron tube placed under the
front end Of the building exploded, tear
Ing out one end of the church. No one