Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-04
RUSSIAN NEWS CENSORSHIP.
Information About Movements in East
Closely Scrutinized.

ST. PETERSBURG, May 4, 217 pm
Since the emperors removal to Tsarskoye-
Selo new system has been introduced or
communicating official messages intended
for publication to a special commission OF
military and naval censors- Formerly all
kilograms addressed to the emperor and re
ceived direct at the winter palace were sent
to Admiral Abaza, who deciphered them
and forwarded them to commission sit
ting in the telegraph office.
The censors read the messages carefully
omitting a word or passage likely to prove
useful to the enemy, and then a duplicate
was given out to the correspondents quar-
tered in an adjoining room.
The only delay arose from the censors
adjourning from pm. to p IN. The pres
ent arrangement involves further delay
Messages have to come back from Tsar-
skoye- Selo after being deciphered.
Land and Sea News Edited.
Those relating to the land operations go
to the war ministry and those referring to
the sea movements are taken to the marine
ministry, which are, respectively, intrusted
to give them out. Yesterday General kuro-
patkin's first telegram reached the war
ministry at noon, but the official in charge
had taken train to Tsarskoye-Selo to re-
port to the emperor and consequently the
dispatch did not reach the public till night
The emperor has received additional de-
tails of Sundays fight on the Yalu river
from Gen. kurOpatkin. but probably they
will not be given out till tonight
General Staff Explains.
The general staff explains that the Rus
sian batteries at Kiu-Lien-Cheng and Po-
tietnsky succeeded in Withdrawing to a
second position, whence they poured a muir
derous fire on the japanese, who were oc-
cupyng the heights the Russians left The
Japanese attacked at three points-front2l
a Kiu-Lien-C -Cheng. on the flank at Chin
Cow and on the other flank at Liatan-Gow,
or Liatun-Gow. northeast and southeast.
respectively. of kiu-Lien-C Cheng The losses
were very severe on the tanks which pro-
tected the retreat Of the main body from
Kiu- Lien Cheng.
The 11th Regiment made a heroic stand
at Lianfan-Gow, the Russian second posi-
ton along the heights, whence 1t was i'm
possible to remove the guns on account of
the nature of the ground and the heavy
mud.
Both Sides Resting.
Gen. Zassalitch's force is resting at
Feng- -Wang-Cheng. No renewal of the at
tack has been made. 1t is believed that
Gen. kuroki is also resting on the river.
There is a. strong Russian position back
of WangCheng, on a line parallel
with Mukden and Lao-Yang, where troops
are concentrating, and 1t is considered
likely that really decisive engagement
may be fought there. To force the pass
beyond Feng- Wang-Cheng directly is con-
sidered practically impossible
Gen Zassalitch had only forty guns alto
gether, and sixteen Of these left Antung
early Sunday morning, and reached Feng-
Wang-Cheng safely. The I'd and I'd bat
teries of the 9th Brigade lost all but two
guns, namely, twenty-five. Eight machine
guns which were used to cover the retreat
were also lost.
Most of the Men Killed.
The crews of the Japanese fire ships
which were sunk in Port Arthur harbor
while attempting to block the channel
tried to save themselves by boats in which
they put out to A majority of them
were killed by the Russian machine guns
and rifles. Some of the survivors were
picked up.
At daybreak number of japanese were
seen clinging to the masts and tunnels of
the sunken vessels, and these were res
cued by the Russians Thirteen of the
wounded Japanese have since died. The
Russians supplied the survivors with food
and clothing and the wounded were taken
to the hospital ship Mongolia.