The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-06-05

necessary to gather fresh material from
the country near by? Was it possible to
not use the power of his artillery, and il
so could he cross his army in the night
and make the proper disposition OF his
whole strength to bear upon him? What
should, be the artillery position of the
Japanese near Wiiu in order to protect
the men while ford!ng or bridging?
Tn high steps on the right bank of the
Yalu to the north of Tiger Hill were very
important tactically to the japanese as
well as to the enemy. and 1t was of grave
moment whether the japanese or the Rus
slams held them. General kuroki did not
know whether they would impede the
cross them in the night: Both these things
il was necessary 10 find out. II was also
q great question whether the Al could be
forded. From different natives informa-
ton was obtained that there were foros.
but the General deemed it necessary 10
have these reports verified by his own
men before he would trust them.
1t was necessary, said the Major, that
| all these questions should be solved within
n week from April %. He was asked why
there was n limit on the time, but did not
, reply. The answer he gave was an unim-
portant non sequitur. In a law court 1t
would have been stricken out as nonre-
method of solution of some of them. which
was by the organization of scouting par
ties. principally composed of officers and
men of the infantry. o.
ALL "GlChED MEN
Care was taken to select men who could
swim well. for a good part of their work
involved swimming. In that manner they
crossed both the Yalu and the All in the
face of the enemy and often close to him:
Some of them were swept away and
drowned in the swift water and others
were killed by the Russians at their work.
but they succeeded in securing the neces-
sary information, and within the given
time, so that General Kuroki did know in
the seven days he had allotted to that
work the exact topography of the coun-
try and where the Al could be forded.
This part OF the Majors lecture was
especially interesting to one who was look
ing at a map of the character he was
using. when 1t was considered that the
map was printed in Japan long ago, and
that the Japanese must have made very
much the same sort Of Investigation con-
drove the Chinese away from 1t in 1894.
They are not the sort of people to for
get items of such military interest. which
they have learned by experience, and a
fair s%prinklinS of salt seems to be needed
in the dressing of the story of their per-
pleXity as to the kind and amount OF
work they would have. to do this time.
PREPARING BRIDGES.
The Major went on to say that on the
morning of April 26. the Japanese drove
the enemy's outposts away from Kurito
and Kinteito islands in order to prepare
LOT making the urSt DrlQSe. AS a matter
of fact, the first bridge had been begun
already. 1t was the one a little to the
south n west of VIII. and it was on
that morning when 1t was>fhirty yards or
Russians opened on 1t with their gun
from the conical rocks and chased the
workmen away from 1t. This bridge being
within the range of the Russians guns,
said the Major. the Japanese did not az
pect to make 1t practically useful. 1t was
commenced largely as a demonstration
southwest of Win at a place called Koho-
kodo. 1t was about three kilometers from
the town; 1t was screened by the willows
on kinteito. and the Russians either did
not see 1t or II they did were careless
about it. for 1t was not shelled.
Inc hrst bridge, on the contrary, was
shelied very often. although it was not
shells fell all around it. About three
miles to the east OF Win there is an
opening. in the hills. which overlooks the
called Genkado by the japanese. Here is
where General Kuroki established his
headq9arters on April sc, when he moved
before to undertake the risk of crossing
the river well above WIFI. and to bridge It
near Genkado.
In continuing his lecture the Major said
that four bridges were being built near
Tn location OF all these
bridges was within the range of the Rus
sian guns. and the engineers were sub
gN@hNu AtoS NoLActuIliy IL O. kllctc VI less
severe shell fire. In spite of the shrapnel
which was flying about they continued to
work day and night, and all the bridges
to men or structures.
CLEARING THE WAY.
These six bridges, said the Major, were
constructed entirely from material col
lected in the country near With. The
japanese had parties of men at work
wherever there was any timber. Telling
the trees and saving them up into bridge
stringers, pines and planks. The regular
needed In bridging the main stream of the
Yalu and the Al. When the time came to
cross all this regular material was COM
pleted in the pocket valley east of Gen.
kado, near where timber bridges were
ready for a swift forward movement.
The scouts reported that the hills east
could be crossed by the different armies.
but that there were no roads practicable
for field guns. and only mountain guns
ton OF the Japanese forces well, for the
twelfth Division, which has only noun
tain guns. was on the right. next to the
places selected for the crossing.
General kuroki chose a place about eight
kiiometers up the Yalu from Genkado,
called Seikichen, as the spot for the first
crossing: He determined to send tho
in the hills east of the Al. from which it
could advance directly upon the Russian
left. The landing place on the north bank
of the Yalu was within che distance COW
cred by the nemy' patrols. and it was
therefore necessary to send over a detach-
ment to drive them away. The distance be-
tween Seikichen and the Al River is 60
great that II would be necessary to cross
the twelfth division a full day ahead of
the Guards and second divisions In order to
give them time enough for the twelfth 10
ready for the final move forward of the
whole line.
AT moor of April % a small force was
started across from Teikichen to prepare
the way for the main body. They went
over in pontoon ferries and soon drove the
patrols of the enemy away with their
but probably the mountain guns of the d.
vision had been put in position back of
Seiklehen to protect the crossing in case
ne Russians developed any strength on
soon as the division was over.
1t developed that the Russians. had not
cavalry and infantry pickets. using only
Pontooning began at Seikichen at 2
o'clock that afternoon.
The Yalu has Gnly s.o one channel at this
there were not enough pontoons to COM
plet< the bridge. but sufficient material
had been collected from the vicinity to An
lsh the work.
READY FOR EMERC ENCY.
The stream is SO swift that the ordinary
anchors OF the pontoons would not hold
the boats. This emergency had been fore
seen and a lot of heavy Chinese hoes had
been collected, which were now used as
extra anchors.
This serves to Illustrate again the thor
oughness of the Japanese preparations.
They. had suspected that their anchors
were not heavy enough for the work they
would be called upon to do. and had pro-
vlded for the difficulty. in case ii should
arise, so that when they had to meet il
they were ready at once. and the in:-
portant work of bridging was not delayed
at all.