The San Francisco call., 1904-12-20
Crushing Blow to
Port Arthur'S
Defenders.
Japanese Blow Up North
KeekWan Works With
Immense Mine.
Infantry Then Charges and Surprised
Garrison Falls Back After
Gallant Resistance.

1OhlOy Dec. lS.-1ne japanese nred
an immense mine under portions of the
north fort of East Keekwan Mountain
at o'clock Sunday afternoon. The in
fantry Immediately afterward charged
and occupied the fort with a heavy
force. The following report of the cap
ture was telegraphed from General
Nogi's headquarters to-day:
AT 2:15 o'clock on the afternoon of
December 1S part of our army blew up
the parapets of the north fort of East
Keekwan Mountain and then charged.
A, fierce battle with hand grenades en-
sued. Owing to the stubborn resistance
of the enemy with his machine guns
our operations were temporarily sus-
pended.
subsequently, at o'clock in the
evening, General Semeamima, COM
manding the supports, advanced into
the classmates and, encouraging the
men, threw his supports into the fight
ing line in last brave charge.
FORT is CAPTURED.
"At 11:5O o'clock at night we COM
pletely occupied the fort and imme-
diately engaged in the construction Of
defensive works. Our occupation be-
came firmly assured to-day.
Before retiring the enemy exploded
four mines in the neighborhood of the
neck of the fort
I'VE captured five nine-centimeter
field and two machine guns, as well as
plenty Of ammunition.
THE enemy left forty or fifty dead.
Our casualties have not been investi-
gated, but they are not heavy"
1t is reported that the japanese have
seized a strong position about 1000
yards southeast of 203- Meter Hill pre-
paratory to assaulting the new town
and pushing between Liaoti Mountain
and the Russian headquarters at Port
Arthur. The fighting against Sungshu
Mountain continues.
SLAVS CAUGHT MAPPING.
| LONDON, Dec. 20.-According to spe-
cial correspondents with the Japanese
army the capture of the Keekwan fort
was a complete surprise to the Russian
garrison there having been no prepara-
| tory bombardment. japanese sappers
/ drove shafts forty feet under the par
! apet of the fort, from the escarpment
! and moat. In these two tons of dyna-
mite were exploded simultaneously,
! completely wrecking the interior of the
fort while siege and shrapnel guns
shelled Russian troops in the vicinity.
This occurred at o'clock in the
afternoon. A detachment of Japanese
| infantry made a headlong but pre-
/ civ Of
buried under a mass of debris, greatly
delaying the attack. Despite this mis-
chance another volunteer force dashed
forward and captured the parapet.
In the meantime the Russians had
been strongly reinforced and a fierce
hand to-hand struggle with bayonets
and grenades was continued until near
midnight, when the few Russian sur
vivors retreated to the city and the
fort was captured. It's. construction
displays the utmost scientific. knowl-
edge.
FIRST CHARGE DISASTROUS.
HEADQUARTERS OF THE THIRD
JAPANESE ARMY, Dec. 19.-The
capture of the North Keekwan Noun
tain fort was a brilliant spectacle. For
/
ing two shafts forty feet in length.
with four branches. They laid seven
mines, which were exploded on the
18th.
The two attacking parties were
composed of volunteers, and those
participating in the first attempt vowed
to capture the fort or die. The SOL
diers of the first force were distin-
guished by a red badge. They re-
mained in the moat during the explo-
sion of the mines, having charged pre-
maturely, and many were killed by
the debris.
The second body of assaulters, dis
tinguished by white badges, was in
the saps during the explosion and
/ was prevented charging Immediately
the mouths of the saps having been
filled with debris.
The explosion made two huge rents
on the north walls, through which the
assaulters charged the enemy, winning
killing the remainder of the garrison
in the rear of the fort.
Anti-War Demonstrations.
MOSCOW, Dec. 1e.-In the course
of anti-war demonstrations here to-
day, several persons were slightly in
jured.
War News Continued on Page 2.