The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1904-07-13
? ? ttIM0RS OF BIG Bat
Tie REACH LONDON
THE FIRST REPORT. REACHED ST.
PETERSBURG YESTERDAY.
b JAPANESE ARE AGGRES-
T SORS.
The RUSSIANS ARE THOUGHT
TO BE INTO "A
TRAP WHICH WAS SET
FOR THEM.

official is at hand to confirm the re-
port, is generally believed this
morning that a fierce fight has oc-
CURED at Port Arthur on the land
81 side, and. possibly also attack by the
japanese by sea. The first report in
8Stimating such a thing came late yes
terday, and reached ST. Petersburg
via Che-Foo.
This report mad it that the Japan
eses had made determined assault
on the Port Arthur works and had
been defeated, losing in the neighbor-
81 hood Of thirty thousand killed and
wounded. This report is again pub
s&Iished this morning in several London
and continental papers, among them
\ the Evening Star, which has heard the
2rumor5 from Tien-Tsin.
The report of the fight, if it be true,
is that the Japanese are known to
have immense forces concentrated
mot many miles from the town of Port
Arthur itself. AS early as last week,
the japanese are known to have taken
several OF the outer forts on the Port
and sufficient time has elapsed to per-
s nit of the bringing up of reinforce
ments, the arranging of the assaulting
forces in battle array, and the placing
5Sof# artillery for the battle. That the
3 battle, if one has been fought, was a
terrific one, was attested to by the
enormous losses rumored. The Rus
slams are said to have employed the
same tactics used in the fight on the
heights to the north of the town over
a fortnight ago, when the ground over
which the assaulting Japanese must
march was mined and set off when
large company of the N1ikado fighters
were over&the mines. A confirmation
$orS denial of the report is eagerly
awaited. Rumors are also thick of
sea fl gnt. Junks which yesterday
reached Chez Foo say the opposing
sea forces were arrayed against each
other on Monday, and one refugee to
Chez Foo reports hearing two terrific
explosions in the direction of the port,
Indicating that disaster has overtallen
one or more of the vessels engaged.
Admiral Togo reports torpedo at
tack on the harbor, but gives no de-
tails other than to say the Japanese
vessels were not damaged. This may
have been the battle referred to by the
sSllSSSNf1OaElS S1lECSo, VI olI lie otllSi
hand, may have been but feint on
the part of the willy japanese admiral
to draw the Russians out to battle.
The land forces to the north of the
port are daily in touch with each
9th er, though no battle has been re-
ported since the Japanese took kai-
Chow several days ago. The Rus
slams are said to be Slowly but sure
1ys retreating, while Oku and his Jap
sanese followers are advancing and |
forcing the Russians back.
1T is believed in some quarters that
.Ine Russians are retreating into trap
and that a most decisive battle must
occur III very few days. The Jap
anese patrols are reported to be but a
few miles from Lao Yang, and the
main force under General Kurol1i is
not far behind. From this it would
appear that the Japanese under Kuro-
Xxi will be able to cut Off the retreat
Of the forces OF General sKuropatldn
and General Stakelberg, and catch
the Cars forces in trap, with Cen
eral@ O1u on the south and General
Kurold on the north.
ss#s TOO Good to Keep.
VA quiet wedding viii take place this
evening when one of our popular
young ladies viii become the bride of
II = Gun e engineer. The i,