The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-08-09
Many Refugees Arrive.

| Che Foo, August 8.--(6 D. m)-During fhe last A hours POO Chinese and 50 Rus Sion refugees have arrived here from Port Arthur. Almost all of them left there on August 3. It has been impossible to obtain confirmation of the report of the sinking off Port Arthur of a Japanese cruiser but that this occurred, is not de- ned as the vessel is said to have sunk in place where mines have recently been laid
 Two French newspaper correspondents who made an attempt to reach Port Ar thur by junk, saw the Japanese fleet on August 6. They were twice arrested and turned back They counted twenty-four vessels of the Japanese fleet, ranged in double, semi-circe in front of the har- bor. The refugees report that the Rus sian cruiser Bayan was struck by a trag- ment from one of the mines which the Japanese constantly send in toward the harbor entrance The explosion occurred at the spot just previously vacated by the Russian gunboat Ciliak, which had been in that position for months acting as guardship. The Bayan bears marks showing that she has been hit two hum dred and eighteen times since the begin ming of the war.
 This last batch of refugees, several of whom witnessed part of the three-days fighting of week before last, say the Japanese troops are still from ten to fif- teen versts from the inner forts.
 Japs Are Working Hard.
 The Japanese are busy endeavoring to work their trenches nearer the fortress. The Russian resistance to these of forts, is confined to the use of artillery, which ceaselessly harass the diggers. The Jap anese are said to have sixty guns in posi- tion on Wolfs Hill and vicinity and it is evidently their intention to slowly and surely tighten their moose around Port Arthur.
 refugee who witnessed the fighting at Wolf's Hill on July 26 and 27 declares that four thousand Russian troops de- tended that position, all the approaches to which had been protected with ter races. In many instances the Russian soldiers dropped their rifles and rolled rocks down on the enemy with effect more fatal than their bullets The Russian mines were cleverly concealed in an open field. Their composition was at the bot tom layer of high explosive, next a lay CT of rock and the whole covered with sod. The explosion of these mines threw the rocks for a distance of one or two versts. It is alleged that with the ex- ception of four men who were captured. two squadrons of Japanese cavalry were wiped out by the explosion of such mines.
 0TOuHd OlTcWn WlLn bead.
 The witnesses confirm previous state ments that the Japanese losses in this fighting were severe. The Japanese sol- diers advanced to Walfs Hill over ground thickly strewn with their dead. They oc- cupied the hill. By the third day the stench from the decomposing bodies, which were not inferred for lack of lime, became intense.
 On July 27 two detachments of marines and sailors number 2G0 men lost every commissioned officer as a result of the first volley fired by the Japanese. The men of this detachment thereupon sent A delegation to Maj. Gen. Kondratenko and requested that he send to them the officers under whom they had previously performed exceptionally brilliant ser vices, and for which General Stoessel had sent them sepcial thanks.
 Fight for 4s Hours.
 By the night of July 9 the Russian soldiers had been fighting forty-eight hours with a minimum of rest. food and water They were then relieved by re- eerves who arrived at the lines lead by hauds playing the national anthem At