Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-09-03
JAPS TRYING
TO FLANK
RUSSIAN REAR
Battle at Lao Yang Raging
With Unabated Fury.
EACH SIDE LOSES 10000 MEN

Force Is Now On the Firing Line,
But the Japs Are Turning Their
Left FIank-Forty of kuroki's Guns
Captured.
st. Petersburg, Sept with the
knowledge that the Russian and Japa-
nese armies about Lao Yang are lock-
ed In a death struggle. the tension in
St Petersburg is strained to the ut
most II Is believed here that the fight
cannot stop short of the crushing de-
feat of one side or the other.
All reports so far are favorable to
the Russians. though the suspension
OF all news for many hours has been
exceedingly trying and has given rise
TO several rumors. somewhat temper
ing the earlier enthusiasm.
II Is stated officially. however. that
the report that the railway and the
telegraph have been cut north of Lao
Yang Is untrue. A member of the gen.
eral staff said:
81 can assure you that up to this
has not been interrupted. General
Kuropatkin has taken particular pre-
cautions against any attempt to cut
the railway While II Is always posi-
BILE that a small raiding party might
slip through the Russian patrols or
that hired Chinese bandits might cut
the telegraph. it Is a fair supposition.
in view of all the facts. that this has
not been DONE"
The highest military authorities
here consider that the most critical
stage of the battle has not yet been
reached. and they believe that the
fight may continue for some time be-
fore either side acknowledges defeat
This is an important consideration by
the light of which to interpret any i'm
mediate news.
II is thought here that, in view of
the numbers engaged. the desperate
ness of the assaults and the length of
In the two days of fighting cannot fall
short of 10000 men on each side. Both
sides are straining every nerve. real
izing that the fortunes of war for a
whole year are in the scale. and neither
side is in the mood or the position to
spare men in the effort to achieve a
final victory.
The battle of Lao Yang will prob
ably rank as one of the great san
culinary battles OF history. II is esti-
mated by the general staff that the
Japanese armies engaged number IL
divisions of $4,000 men each. or. allow
ing for inefficients. about 100000 men.
Each division has SO guns. and there
are two independent artillery brigades
of 100 guns each, making a total of
about 800 guns. The estimates of Rus.
sian correspondents range at from 600
to 1000 guns per side.
In the preliminary fighting of Mon
day the Russians captured 200 pris-
oners. who have already arrived at
Hardin. and report persists that they
captured over 40 Japanese guns yes
terday.
General Kuropatkin's effective forces
are variously estimated at from 10000
to 200. 900 men.
The Japanese on Wednesday morn
ing attacked three sides of the Russian
position. One of the Associated Press
correspondents also mentions a Jap
anese movement to the northeast OF
Lao Yang, showing that the Japanese
were undoubtedly trying to work
around Kuropatkin's rar.
The Japanese are using balloons to
locate the Russian guns and trenches.
One of the Russian correspondents Of
the Associated Press points out that
the Japanese sent up balloon shortly
after daylight to the southeast of Lao
Yang.
The Japanese are reported to be using
mortars to drop shells in the Russian
positions. These are probably the high
angle fire howitzers which were re-
ported in action earlier in the week
1t is plain. however. that the Japan
csc are no longer enjoying the supe-
riority in artillery which stood them in
such good stead in the earlier months
of the war. II was then hill fighting.
and the Japanese mountain batteries.
in which arms the Russians were de-
ficient, told with deadly effect Now
the contest is in a comparatively open
country. where both the Russian field
guns and the Russian cavalry can come
into more effective use.
Further dispatches from Lao Yang
confirm the report of the capture Of
46 japanese guns. which were brought
up to the railroad station. where Cen
eral Kuropatkin's train was sta .iding.
EVERY MAN ON THE FIRING LINE
Russians Make Repeated 6ayonet
Charges South Of Lao Yang.
Lao Yang. Sept. 1.-The battle is
still In progress. but the strength OF
the cannonade does not equal that OF
Tuesday