Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1904-10-21
SEPARATED BY
A DENSE FOG
a., 49,,
All is Quiet On the Battle
Ground Before
Mukden.
OPERATIONS ARE IMPOSSIBLE
Neither Cannon Nor Musketry Fir.
ing is Audible - Organ Of German
Foreign Office Says That Mediation
Would Not Be Received.

Mukden, Oct. 21.-The hostile arm.
es were yesterday concealed from
he view of each other by a dense fog
which it was impossible to make
nut objects at distance of 100 paces
Under such conditions only unimport.
INT operations were possible, such as
! urprises and ambushcs. Possibly had
he roads been in better condition the
'og might have favored movements of
:roops and concentrations at unex-
>ected points, bat without question
'per2 tons on a large scale would
gave been too dangerous. and so
everything was quiet on the front.
Neither cannonading nor musketry
| firing was audible.
| Cologne, Oct 21.-In the course of
long article discussing the subject
If mediation between Russia and Jap.
| an, the Cologne Gazette (Which is re-
/ sarded as the organ OF the German
foreign otfice) saws that even in it's
most modified form proposal in the
| direction indicated would be regarded
.. as an unfriendly act, and that the
state undertaking it would incur grave
, Ill will thereby. The statement that
Germany is systematically inclined
! toward peace congress and would
take step in that direction. in con-
! junction with America" the Gazette
ADDS. ''i:5 absolutely false and it is
| equally false TO say that Germany has
| concluded or is considering an agree
, ment with Russia incompatible with
! Gcrmany's neutrality
With the Russian Position at the
| of Mukden. via Mukden. Oct. 21.-All
| of Muden. via Mukden. Oct. 21.-A!l
was quiet yesterday On the western
J front. There we're isolsted dis
charges of artillery in the early hours
of the day, but later complete silence
prevailed.
There was sudden attack by the
japanese at 3:25 o'clock Wednesday
afternoon uron the Russian advanced
position southwest Of Mukden, held
by the Thirty-fifth rifles, belonging to
General KonJratovitch's division. Col
onel Musnitsky promptly sent out
three companies to make counter at.
tack. and the Jaranese quickly fell
back, having sustained severe losses.
The Russian casualties We're three
killed and eleven wounded The Jap
anese were pressed so hard that they
were obliged to sban'on q gun bear
ing the number S03 but before aban-
dcning the g''n the breech block was
removed. The timber contained forty
eight rounds Of ammunition. Thanks
to the dense fog prevailing at the
time, the Russians were able to re-
move the gun without the loss Of
sin~lo man. A few scouts belonging
to tie some regiment that night raid
I'd the japanese trenches and brought
away number of entrenching tools.
UNDERSTANDING WITH GERMANY
Germany May Protect Russia's Wes-
tern Frontier.
St. Petersburg, Oct. 20.-The move
:nent of troops on the Russian western
front and the preparations to further
:educe garrisons in this region. revive
talk of complete understanding with
Germany, under which the frontier
will be protected so as to permit the
dispatch to Manchuria Of troops sta
toned in Poland. There are about
100000 soldiers in Poland. comprising
some Of the best troops in the empire.
It is already known that practically
all of three ccrrs in the wilma govern
ment will be included in what is
known as Russ'a's third line of de-
Tense. The fact has not attracted
80 {l,,f
the rifle brigade at Plotsk. in the
government of Tscbenstoehovs. direct
ly on the frontier is mobiiZing. In
the best informed diplomatic circles
| it is believed that nothing in the shape
Of treaty between Russia and Ger
| many has been committed to writing,
but that there is SIMPLY a mutual per
sonal understanding between the two
sovereigrs covering this point. and
some believe, going much farther So
| far as the present war is concerned
there is no evidence that the supposed
agreement covers active aid, as such
au agreement would render operative
| the Anglo-Japanesc alliance. 1t is
| tho,ght, however, in diplomatic quar-
| ters, that there is something in the
| nature of y,eAgc on the pert OF the
erreror Of Germany to protect Rus
. sia's western frontier 1t is now re-
c251o>9 as significant of the !eeD per.
sonal fri ,n0shiD CT the tTo emperors
| that when Emperor william was about
| to undergo an operation last year he
| commended his eldest son to the
hands of Emperor Nicholas. This
! fsct wes mentioned at the time in the
Official Messenger. but did not attract
| As much attention as it is now re-
,eivirg.