Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1904-12-08
RUSSIANS MAKE
BOLD CAPTURE
Cossacks anG Volunteers
Surprise the
Japanese.
CATCH THEIR FOE MAPPING
Japanese Rush From Tents to Meet
Mercilass Spears First Armistics
Between Combatants is Made for
Purpose of Burying the Dead.

Toxic, Dec. 4.-The first armistice
between the combatants at Port Ar
thur was declared on Decembr 2, for
the purpose Of burying the dead IL
lasted for a period of six hours.
Toxic, Dec. At is the genera
opinion here that the Port Arthur
fleet will attempt to mae a sortie
when the harbor becomes untenable
and when the Russian plans for es
cape occur. 1t is evident that most
OF the ships are badly damaged and
unfit for service, but some have fight
ing power. The Russians are engaged
in mine-clearing operations, mainly
for the purpose of preserving an ave
nue. of scape.
Mukden, Dec. 4.--All day Friday
Russian siege guns bombarded vii
lagos occupied by the Japanese to the
east of the railroad and early yester
day morning to the west of the rail.
road Don CoSSackS routed the Japan.
csc south of Lidiatoun and captured
eight guns. This brilliant action, de
scribed by a Chinese, who dressed
as Cossack, participated In the at.
tack. is as follows:
When volunte GERS were called 70.
from our infantry regiments every
man stepped forward and the Cos
sacks in chorus asked not TO be left
behind when the little party wac
formed. The order was given to de
part at 2 O'Clock in the morning ana
all the men advanced with extreme
caution and in dead silence, sons
times crawling and some times run
ming. The party divided and attacked
the Japanese position from two sides
The Japanese were sound asleep ana
did not even have time to raise a cry
before all was over.
I'VE again advanced and soon saw
before us the outlines of a battery
All the Japanese were asleep except
CAPTURE is NOT VITAL.
Russian Officer Says That Port Ar
thur is Far From Taken.
St Petersburg, Dec. "A high OF
fcer of the general staff who is in
timately familiar with the fortified.
tionc of Port Arthur, insists that the
importance of the capture of 203
Meter hill has been overestimated
He explains that this hill, which the
Russians call Visokai, is situated west
of the railroad and belongs to the.
lenses which are composed of perma-
uent forts on Canyea hill, or Sungshu
mountain; Hawl hill, or Antas hill,
and Woodcock hill. The Japanese
are now only able to attack the main
line just as happened in the case OF
Dragon hill, after the capture of Wolf
hills. The Japanese took Wolf hills
July so, but it was not until -four
IotA 10 l.oE
were able to reach the permanent
forts on the north and northeast or
Port Arthur
How long the permanent defenses
will hold out after the loss of the
others, / do not venture to predict"
continued the informant of the Asso-
ciated Press, but 1t is no more than
fair to compare the situation with
what occurred at Sebastopol. The
last outer defense at Sebastopol was
carried in June, but the CAPTURE OF
the Malakoff tower did not follow till
three months later. Sebastopol had
the advantage of never having been
invested and continued through The
siege to receive relief and supplies,
'On the other hand. the natural
strength of the position at Sebastopol
was inferior to those at Port Arthur.
203 Meter hill is twenty meters higher
than the. permanent forts on the
northern side, but it is 1000 meters
distant from them, whereas the dis
lance between the MalaKof and the
outer defenses of Sebastopol was only
500 meters. | believe the Japanese
will carry the main forts by assault
and failing in this, they win revert
IN op5 ,pipip0n