Daily Kennebec journal., 1904-07-20
MAKE TROUBLE.
CONTINUED from page ~


ages. In addition to the claims by the
ships stopped by the Smolensk and st.
Petersburg. it is improbable that claims
may also be presented by ships de-
tained at Port Arthur at the opening of
the war for those held in the Red sea
by Admiral Wirenius' squadron before
the latter returned to the Baltic.
The passage of the Dardanelles by the
Smolensk and the st. Petersburg and
their conversion into cruisers being an
accepted fact, Great Britain does not
expect to make a point of their cases
except to justify raising the question
of the status of the volunteer fleet YES
sells still in the Black sea. Moreover. it
is considered possible that Japan may
have already appealed to her ally as
one of the signers of the treaty Of
Paris on the ground that to allow more
Russian ships to go out of the Darna-
nelles for conversion into warships
without a protest would consist of
violation Of neutrality.
Germany has called attention to the
seizure of mails on board the PrinZ
Heinrich in the Red sea, on July Is,
by the Smolensk and has requested eX-
plantations. These have not yet been
given, the report of the commander Of
the Smolensk not having arrived. The
restoration of the mails, yesterday
was made without instructions from
st. Petersburg. Russia having declared
communications intended for the Jap
anese to be contra band of war. MAIN
tains the right to examine such mail
but does not contend for the right to
take general mail addressed to Japan
and unless peculiar circumstances
justified the seizure Of the mails on
board the Prince Heinrich the act will
be discovered.
The Russian authorities apparently
are tranquil on the subject of vessels
of the volunteer fleet passing through
the Dardanelles. They maintain that
they are perfectly within their right as
there is absolutely nothing in the
treaty of Paris to prevent their pas
sage. as merchantmen and their sub
seuuent conversion into cruisers. There
is no question of false declaration
having been made at Constantinople
1t was pointed out before the war that
vessels of the volunteer fleet carrying
arms, munitions and soldiers passed
ing raised.
London, July l9.-539 p. M.-The
foreign office this afternoon authorized
the statement that there is absolutely
no truth in the story circulated in the
United Safes by news agency that
Great Britain has Informed Germany
| of the dispatch of a British fleet to
l,;n ~, ;v,tn nf ~,
| ing Russian illegalities in the Red Sea.
The foreign office also says there is
no foundation for the belief expressed
| in the dispatch from Malta to the Daily
Express of London. this morning, that
| tine British Mediterranean squadrons
departure from Malta might be con-
nected with the presence of the Rus
sian volunteer fleet vessels in the Rel
Sea. 1t was added at the foreign office
that the movements of the British
| Mediterranean squadron are in no way
| Influenced by the recent incidents in
| the Red Sea.
| Toxic. July 19-In his report on the
| Mo Tien fight. Gen. KurOki says that
| the Russians numbered about two di-
| visions and We're formed of parts of
| third and sixth Siberian sharpshooters.
The ninth and another infantry divi-
| sion. The japanese lost four officers
| and thirty nine men killed and fifteen
officers and 241 men wounded. The casu-
| alties all occurred in the second divi-
sion. Gen. Kuroki mentions but he does
not enumerate the trophies captured.
He estimates the Russian losses as eX-
ceeding his own.
| Toxic. July 15-5 p M.-The Rus
sian attempt to retake Mo Tien pass,
July II, was not productive of a gem
| eral engagement, nor was it marked
with serious loss; there We're. however.
/ n series Of desperate small encounters.
The Japanese guarded their position
about the pass with a company or out
posts.
| The mon resisted stubbOrnly the
Russian advance and awaited the ar
rival of reinforcements; when these ar
rived they Joined in the general at
tack. The outpost detachment stationed
at Hsiamat3ng held this position all
day. 1t was largely outnumbered by
| the enemy and every commissioned and
non commissioned officer was wounded,
as was a majority of the men.
| The attack on the Tien pass began at
3 O'Clock in the morning. The Russians
engaged the outpOsts and the japanese
at once went into action. The japanese
artillery posted on the heights to the
northwest of Wufing Kaun opened on
the enemy and the Japanese outnosts
retired gradually. The Russian caval-
ry galloped forward and deployed along
the ridge to the west Of the pass. Two
hours later. at o'clock, the entire
Japanese line was engaged. The Rus
slams We're constantly receiving rein
forcements and finally they had four
regiments in action. They Outnum-
,bered the Japanese.
The Russians made vain endeavorS tC
envelop the Japanese left. At this point
the Japanese occupied the summit OF
Mo Tien mountain. and they resisted
desperately the efforts of the enemy to
dislodge them. When the Russians fl
nally retreated they were pursued by
the entire japanese line. Seven battal-
ions of the enemy made a halt on the
heights of Tawan and with four guns
Ichecked the Japanese pursuit.
One company Of japanese soldiers