The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1904-06-17
JAPANESE COMMAND
ROAD TO MUKDEN
LATEST TOWN TAKEN By MI
KADo's TROOPS OF GREAT
IMPORTANCE.
BESlEGERS AT PORT
ARTHUR REINFORCED
Assault on Town Awaitedb by russians
Troops at Vafandien Ready to
Retreat IF Necessary-Kuropatkin
Trying to Flank Kuroki.

Toxic, June 13.-The town of Stu
yen. now occupied by the japanese
army, is CT great strategical Importance,
being situated about 40 miles east by
south Of Kaipling and 5 miles southeast
of Haicheng. 1t commands perfectly
the roads to both places. Siamatsza is
also an important point, as 1t controls
the roads to Liaoyang and Mukden. BY
following this route the M%aotienling
pass, a strongly fortified and almostim-
pregnable Russian stronghold, will be
avoided on the advance OF the Japanese
army northward.
Assault to Begin Soon.
Liaoyang, June 13.-Reports from
Chinese sources are to the effect that
the japanese forces near Port Arthur
have been heavily reinforced. 1t is be-
dieved that an attempt to take the
fortress by assault will be made as
soon as the Japanese are strong enough
to invest it on the land side and at the
same time protect themselves from pos
sible attack in the rear in case the
Russians sent a force from the north.
There are persistent rumors again
that the Port Arthur squadron has sue
ceeded in making a sortie, but no Of
fetal confirmation of the report is OBJ
tainable.
The Russian requirements on their
way here will soon materially change
the situation and enable Gen. Kuropal-
kin to move freely.
Gen. Kuroki's main army Is still at
Fengwangcheng. Russian outposts.
cover his right flank above *Saimatsza
and extending eastward. They are in
constant touch with the enemy and there
are almost daily skirmishes of more or
less Importance. Developments are an
%ticipated in this direction.
Russian View of Situation.
st. Petersburg, June 13.-The view Of
the general staff is that as the japanese
column which reached Siuyen was not
followed by either of the main armies
in southern Manchuria the Japanese
have no present intention of adyane-
ing on Hafcheng, but have sent for
ward a force as a feint, to menace and
discourage as much as possible the dis
patch Of a heavy Russian force down the
Liaotung peninsula. Neither does the
general staff believe that the enemy's
column at Saimatsza, even should it
go SO far north rs Djiandjian, is of a
serious character, the opinion being
that Gen. Kuroki continues to dangle
before Gen. Kuropatkin's ayes a dou-
BILE objective. but that he is not yet
strong enough to risk a real advance.
This belief is based on calculations that
the enemy has not more than 10000
men all told in southern Manchuria, and
that only in the event of the Japanese
attaining strength greatly In excess OF
these figures will they be capable Of a
genuine forward movement.
No fresh news has been received In
regard to the situation around Port
Arthur. Private adyices from Lao
yang indicate that the Russian force
at Vafandian is prepared to retire
northward if seriously threatened.
The correspondent OF the press hears
that Gen. Kuropatkin is reversing Gen.
Kuroki's f1anhing movement north OF
saimatsza by. sending troops from Muk-
den to turn Kuroki's right wing.
A rumor is current at the admiralty
that the Japanese battleship .Yashima is
OF the rocks near Port Arthur. The
source of the report is not exactly trace
able.