Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-28
ARMIES FACE TO FACE.
Main Jap Army Advance Along Feng-
Wong-Cheng.

A cablegram from ST. Petersburg last
night says: Lieut.. Gen. Sakharoffs dis
patch. received tonight. confirms the belief
that the great decisive battle of the cam
paign between Gen. Kuropatkins main
army and the armies Of Gems Kuroki and
Oku is imminent The three armies prob
ably aggregate 100000 men, and their out
posts are today in touch all along the line
The Japanese evidently tried draw Ku-
ropatkin as far south as possible, holding
out as an incentive C ok to the advance
of Oku's main army. Meantime Oku swung
sharply to the eastward to join kuroki
toward the Chapan pass, Kurokf at the
same time moving strong force by the
right flank toward Hai-cheng.
The main Japanese advance continues
along the main Fengwang Cheng-liao- yang
road. avoiding the Mao-tien pass by de-
tour to the northward The advance in all
points is being attended by constant Skin
mishing.
Nothing is known here of the exact point
at which kuropatkins main force is con-
centrated, though it is believed that a
large part of the Lao Yang force has been
moved to point between kin-chau and
Ta-tche-kiaO.
According to the Associated Press dis
patch from Ta-tche-kao today a large
force has pushed southwark from Ta-tche-
kiao against Oku. While Kuropatkin is
thus extending himself, the Japanese, with
great mobility, seem to be trying to con-
centrate for the purpose of striking tbs
Russians in flank and rear.
Meager News From Alexieff.
Emperor Nicholas has received the fol-
lowing telegram from Viceroy Alexiefr.
dated June "a
According to reports received from Rear
Admiral Without and Rear Admiral Grigor1-
witch. dated. respectively, on June 20 and
June D. the sortie of the Port Arthur
squadron was preceded by prolonged work
In destroying the enemy's mines by means
of nets carried on all the ships boats and
the harbor dredging hotilla.
'On the night OF June 22-23 a fight occur
red off Port Arthur between our torpedo
boats and the Japanese torpedo boats, in
which Captain Blissieff and Lieutenant
Smrneff were slightly wounded.
AT o'clock in the afternoon our squad
ron put to sea, when eleven Japanese ships
and twenty-five torpedo boats were visible
on the horizon.
Viceroy Alexieff's message tonight, with
the brief dispatch from Rear Admiral
Without (naval commander at Port Ar
thur. throws little additional light on the
fight off Port Arthur. The admiralty
and the emperor are awaiting further de-
tails with the same eagerneSs as the general
public. The latter today for the first time
received information through the medium
OF foreign kilograms that fight had occur
red.
Admit Loss of Ships Severe Blow.
The loss of three vessels of the Port Ar
thur feet Is admitted to be a severe blow,
especially II not purchased by greater loss
to the japanese than reported by Vice Ad-
miral Togo.
The meagerness of the reports is greatly
mystifying the authorities, who continue to
believe that there has been later fight
which has not yet been reported.
In the absence of further information,
the admiralty is not disposed to criticse.
although il is admitted to have been un-
fortunate for the squadron at such criti-
cal time that its commander should be an
officer like Without, who, though personally
brave soldier, never before flew his flag
over a squadron.
1t is pointed out that he could not have
been forced to get out of Port Arthur. os
the situation there Is not yet by any