The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1904-11-11
CONFLICT IN FAR EAST

east side of the town at their mercy.
The last assault has gained for them
positions which insure their ability to
enter the main east forts whenever
they are ready.
Expect Port Arthur to Fall.
ST. Petersburg, Nov. 4. - There is
considerable unaasiness owe the mill
tary situation. Nothing has been
heard from Mukden. Gen. Sakahar-
offs telegram of Oct. 80 stated that
e~ver~thing was quiet on the Shakhe.
The Japanese had made some tenta-
tive moves on both tanks which were
checked, but there vas no signs yet of
a general advance by their army.
Fears for Port Arthur.
e The official reports from Toxic de-
scribing the desperate assaults on
Port Arthur beginning Oct. 26, have
created visible depression at the war
office. The sustained character of the
bombardment with siege guns and the
preaching of the walls by underground
mines, but above all the fact that the
Japanese government, after weeks of
silence regarding the operations of the
besiegers, has given out these reports
before actual success has crowned
their efforts, convinces the military
authorities that after long prepare
tons Gen. Nogi is not only making
A Supreme Effort
to carry the fortress, but feels SO con-
fident Of success that the result of the
preliminary operations have been
made public. They believe the assault
was timed for the announcement Of
the fall of the fortress to be made
upon the birthday of the mikado, to-
day, which, by a strange coincidence,
is the tenth anniversary of the acces
sion Of Emperor Nicholas and a great
Russian holiday. To-day, therefore, is
expected to be marked by fate for a
day Of immense rejoicing either for
Japan OF Russia, according as the
present assault succeeds or fails. =
Jap Fire Is More Effective.
Japanese official reports regarding
the siege of Port Arthur indicate that
the attack begun on Oct. "a was still
in progress or Oct. 80, the statement
DSihS iddC tIoL Vic IlS VI JuC DSSfCS-
ers was increasing in effectiveness.
not occur this year though the Jap
aneSe nay make a desperate effort to
flank Kuropatkin and compel him to
surrender Mukden. If Gen. Kuropat-
kin is convinced that the Japanese
are now numerically superior, he
May Decide to Draw Of,
&c - uyo,1I ~hyio,1yy 10 "~-,NGtaL1
to risk a general engagement until
the vast armies to be placed under
Nothing of Importance has developed
on the Shakhe river, where both sides
seem to hesitate to assume the Of
fensive, although the Japanese are the
more active in the matter of attacks
upon Russian positions.
Big Battle May BE Deferred.
st. Petersburg, Nov. 3.-The expec-
tation Of serious developments at the
theater of war has again failed Of
realization. To-day's official dispatches
record nothing more serious than the
usual skirmishes. The strategists at
the war Office are generally inclined
to believe that the expected great bat
Llc Inlay US uelCilSu anu pOSSlUly Uldy
his command can reach Manchuria.
Whatever happens, however, it is not
likely that the Japanese can take Ku-
ropatkin unawares. Repeated recon
naissances beyond the Japanese lines
betray the strength and purposes Of
Field Marshal Oyama's movements.
If the Japanese really intend to ad-
it is likely they will do SO i'm
mediately and not await the arrival Of
the eight Russion corps, the first Sec
ton of which is already at Mukden.
Armies Clash on the Shakhe.
st. Petersburg, Nov. 2.-Everything
indicates that both the Japanese and
the Russian armies south OF Mukden
are ready for a resumption Of hostili-
ties, if, indeed, fighting has not al
ready begun. Gen. Kuropatkin re-
ports hat the Japanese have received
Feng Wang Cheng. Their concentra-
ton seems to have been accomplished
and they are ready to resume the Of
fensive both east and west of the
railroad. There is no official estimate
of the strength of the Japanese rein
~forcements, but correspondents place
it at from 10000 to 10000. 1t is be-
lieved that the Japanese force has
been very largely augmented both
from Port Arthur, where an engineer
ing siege has been begun, and Japan,
from whence it is understood
Every Available Mar
is being drafted. 1t seems to be as
sured that the Japanese will be able
to meet Gen. Kuropatkin on almost, il
not quite, an equal numerical footing.
The mere fact that they are again
threatening a double flanking o
ment indicates Field Marshal Oyama's
in the suflciency of the
force at his disposal.
1t is believed here that the second
battle on the Shakhe river will prove
to be as much bigger and more seri-
Gus than the first as the first was
more serious than the battle Of Lao
yang. Gen. Kuropatkin is confronted
by an exceedingly difficult problem.