The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-07-14
OMEN. OF PORT ARTHUR's DOOM
Story OF Jap Loss of $4,000 Viewed
as Russian FaIsehood.

st. Petersburg, July 14.-The ru-
Enor OF Japanese disaster at Port
Arthur brought a large number of
inquiries to the offices Of the general
staff The attitude of the officials
there does not tend to encourage be-
nef IN the report. The rumor has
Impressed many persons with the fear
that the fall of Port Arthur is i'm
minent and that the story Of the dis
aster has been launched to mitigate
the effect of the anticipated loss Of
the fortress. g.. r..
It is reported that. the general staff
bas received a dispatch from General
Rtoessel, commanding the Port Ar
thur garrison, stating definitely that
the prospect Of the place holding out
has been materially lessened since the
Japanese mounted heavy guns on
Taku mountain, which reduces the
sheltered area Of the harbor by nine
tenths. The tenure Of important sur
rounding forts also is rendered i'm
possible. General Stoessel dwells
particularly upon his unrealized ex-
pectations4 Of relief from General Ku-
ropatkin.
Rumor Of Fortress Fall.
The rumor is current that Port Ar
thur has fallen, but this is not con-
drmed. There is no reason to believe
that the fortress has been captured,
but public opinion regarding its i'm
pregnability is changing perceptibly.
Military officials, on the other hand,
ridlcule the report. They continue to
believe that General Kuropatkin's re-
treat from Kai-chou Is the result of
profound strategy, which will be tri-
umphant shortly. They declare the
rains have caused havoc to General
Modulus army, which is short of feed
and forage, and which has been deci-
Under yesterdays date, the corre-
spondent of the Associated Press with
the Russian headquarters at Liao-
yang, whose kilograms heretofore have
been conservative and reliable, an
nounces the reception there Of the
Joyful news Of the brilliant repulse
Of the Japanese assault on Port Ar
thur with loss Of 10000 men.
The correspondent says whole
masses of the enemy were blown up
with mines, and adds that the Russian
losses were 1900 and that Major Gem
eral Fock pursued the Japanese to the
Manga pass.
Oku Expected to Retreat.
The correspondent says the reports
are causing general rejoicing, and con-
cludes.
"It is believed that General oku
will now retreat to the SOUTH"
1t Is possible that the correspondent
Is confusing Major General Fock's
pursuit with the attack made by him
July 5 on the Japanese right flank,
when he was also reported to have
driven the enemy back to Manga pass.
The popular jubilation in st. Peters,
burg over the reported great defeat
OF the Japanese before Port Arthur
is being chilled by the failure to clear
up the source of the reports. While
eagerly expressing hope for direct off,
cial confirmation of the news. the
papers counsel it's acceptance with re-
serve.
General STAFF Believes Report,
The general staff, altho it has no
further news up to the present hour
of the reported Japanese disaster at
Port Arthur, maintains that there is
no reason to doubt the fact that the
Japanese have suffered q substantial
repulse, pointing out that 1t Is sig
niflcant that no denial has been issued
from Toxic, which did not hesitate to
deny the Russian reports Of the loss
of the battleship Shikish1ma and the
atrocity stories.
Experts who have carefully studied
the Japanese methods are not sur
prised that they should attempt to
storm without a preliminary lombard
ment, such as lasted for three DAYS
prior to the Russian assault on Plevna
at the time Of the Russo-Turkish war,
and the still longer bombardment Of
Sebastopol, the chief drawback Of a
bonn bardment being that 1t warns the
garrison Of what Is coming. The ex-
perts say the Japanese may have
hoped to take the fortress by surprise.
Rear Admiral Withoft's squadron