The Oskaloosa herald., 1904-09-29
JAPS ADVANCING
IN STRONG FORCE
FATE OF THE CITY OF MUKDEN
CANNOT LONG BE DELAYED.
THREE POINTS OF ATTACK
Continued Absence of News from Port
Arthur Indicates That the
Blockade Is Being Made
.-s'--~-r--- Closer.

london, Sept. 2S.-Yndieations point
to the imminence of forward move
ment of the Japanese armies against the
Russians at Tie pass, Sinmintin, and
Mukden. Gen. Kuropatkin is fortifying
Fakoman, northeast of Mukden, in or
der that he may be prepared for the con-
tingency of the evacuation Of Sinmintin.
News Is Meager.
St Petersburg, Sept. 2S.-The war
commission adjourned early Tuesday
evening without issuing further news
from the front The Mukden telegram
to the Berlin Lokal Anzeiger, reporting
that the Japanese had crossed the Hun
river so miles above the city is believed
to refer to scouting parties Of Japanese
whose presence there was recorded in
the dispatches of September 26. The
movement OF Japanese forces on the
Lao river, which was reported in dis
patch from Gen. Sakharoff to the general
staff on September &c, is all the more
significant since Sianchan is the start
ing point of roads leading to Tie pass,
Mukden and Sinmintin. The announce
ment$ that the Russians are fortifying
Fakoman, 25 miles northeast of Mukden,
shows that Gen. Kuropatkin is preparing
) to check the fianking movement on Tie
pass from the west in case Sinniintin
should have to be evacuated.
Indicates Closer Blockade.
The entire absence of news from Port
Arthur, it is feared, indicates a closer
blockade there. Hitherto dispatches
from Gen. Stoessel have been coming
through semiweekly.
The admiralty has not received any
details of the reported sea fight off Aniva,
at the southeastern extremity of SAX
halin. The Vladivostok squadron, 1t is
understood, is still in the harbor. The
cannonadins at Aniva was probably a
Japanese attack on blockade runners.
Attack Threatened.
Mukden, Monday, Sept 26, by way of
Peking, Sept. 28.-The Russian cavalry
west of the railroad report an important
Japanese movement and threatened at
tack. No change eastward is reported.
Four divisions of Japanese remain at
Bentsiapudze, three divisions are sup
posed to be near the Yentai mines and
two others west of them. Gen. Mistch-
enko reports that he penetrated to the
Yentai mines and found only small de-
tachments of Japanese there.
oyama Resumes Operations.
st. Petersburg, Sept. 2S.-The latest
development in the situation at the
front is the definite establishment of
the fact that Field Marshal Oyama
has now begun to move up his left.
Gen. Kuropatkin's report Tuesday
shows that the Japanese have reached
Davan, on the west bank of the Lao
river. A considerable concentration
of Japanese is observed at Sianchan,
ON the Hun river, 35 miles southwest
of Mukden, and Japanese cavalry iS
massing in the valley of the Pu river.
The latter is tributary of the Hun
river, which crosses the line of rail-
way midway between Tie pass and
Mukden, and may furnish a natural
line of advance from the west. Oya-
mas armies now apparently cover a
front of 60 miles for enveloping move
ments. His wings are extended to the
north, east and west of Mukden.
Thus far the Russians have found lit
tie strength or pressure from the Jap
anese center. Oyama seems to be
moving with great deliberation, prob
ably gathering strength for a rapid
advance Of both wings when an at
tempt is made to close the net. AL
though the imaginary line connecting
the extreme Japanese advance east
and west of Mukden still passes ten
miles below that city, it is evident
that the fate of Mukden cannot long
be delayed If Gen. Kuropatkin in
tends to try to- hold the city fighting
on his fianks will begin almost i'm
mediately.
Japanese Advance Stopped.
The general staff has received the
following dispatch from Gen. Sakhar-
off, dated Monday:
''The enemy's vanguard, consisting
of one battalion and two squadrons of
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