The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-08-09
Position of the Japanese With
Regard to Port Arthur.
st. Petersburg Hears Directly
from Gen. StoeSsel.
ATTACK is RENEWED.
Islanders Are Hammering Away
at the Fortress.
A Russian Cruiser Encountered
in the Atlantic.

St. Petersburg, Aug. "a dispatch
received from Lieutenant General
Stoessel. commander of the Russian
military forces at Port Arthur, con-
firms previous reports that the Jap
anese before Port Arthur are in pos
session of Wolf Hills. The general
says that on July 80, the Russians
withdrew from their positions on. Wolf
Hills before the numerical superiority
of the Japanese. General Stoessel es-
Inmates the number of Japanese at
tacking Port Arthur at 10000. Gen
eral Stoessel locates Yupilaza mountain
as situated 10 miles northeast of Port
Arthur and says that the Japanese
attack on that position was only a
demonstration, the real assault of the
Japanese being made on the Russian
positions on Wolf Hills, which he
points out are only six miles north
ward and near the railway station.
The general staff explains that this
position consists of long crest of
hills. offering a great advantage ow-
ing to their proximity to the fort
ress. The staff is unable to account
for the presence of five divisions on
the Kwan Tung peninsula.
Attack Is Renewed.
Chefoo, Aug. 9.-S p. m.-From a
source nlIn6rIO TenaDie II SAID there
is good reason to believe that the Jap
anese are renewing their attack on
the remaining positions at Port Ar
thur.
The officers of the German cruiser
Furst Bismarck lying at the outer edge
of this harbor, express the opinion
that the firing heard last night, was an
encounter between detachments of the
belligerent warships. approximately 20
miles northwest of Chefoo. From the
cruisers advantageous position, the
flashes preceding the sdetonations could
be seen. However three steamers
which entered the harbor early this
morning claim that they did not hear
any firing. Two junks also reached
Chefoo today but they had no fnfor-
nation of any importance.
just as Russians Planned It.
st. Petersburg, Aug. 9-No fresh news
of hghting or army movements comes
from the front and opinion is still di-
Vfded as to the coming battle, news of
the beginning of which the public is ex-
pecting to hear hourly, viii be a gen
eral engagement or only another rear
guard action. ..--- ~---.=..
All the newspapers today express
great relief over the reports from Port
Arthur. The army organ says that al
though General StoesseRs report gives
no details it is evident that the Japa-
nese have suffered a very severe re-
verse. The paper also pays a tribute
to the navy'S share in the defense of
the besieged fortress. Reviewing Gen.
Kuropatkin's movement, it continues.
THE retreat is in accordance with a
plan laid down for the first period of
the campaign which is to weaken the
forces of the enemy by continuing
strongly to hold the defensive positions,
thus impeding Japanese progress and
compelling the enemy to waste large
numbers of men and much war mater
ial on the advance The result has been
that in three and one-half months the
japanese have only covered a few score
of versts.''
Russian Cruiser in Atlantic.
Plymouth, Eng, Aug. 9.-The Brit
ish steamer Manora from Calcutta,
June 20, for London, arrived here to-
day and reported that when 25 miles
south of Cape Finisterre, in the north
west coast of Spain. she met a large
cruiser flying the Russian naval nag.
There were guns mounted on the
cruiser, which evidently was one of
the former German liners recently
purch ased by Russia. The cruiser bore
down on the Manora and signalled the
latter to hoist her ensign. When this
was done the cruiser proceeded.
Russian Cavalry Raid.
st. Petersburg, Aug. 9.-Lieutenant
General Sakaharoff telegraphs that
there is no change in the situation
around Lao Yang.
A Russian cavalry detachment has
made a successful raid towords New
Chwang, burning a village and alarm
ing the Japanese outposts.