The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-01
yALU FIGHTING
 |SUNIMPORTANT Russians VIII Not Resist tht
 Japanese Advance JAPS ARE CROSSING RAPIDLY Reports of Heavy Fighting Are Ds. credited Because Neither Power
 Has Many Troops In
 That Vicinity.
JAPS ARE CROSSING RAPIDLY

St. Petersburg, April SO.-An official dls- patch has been received concerning af- fairs on the Yalu river up to April 2s. It follows:
 "The official reports received during the last few days say that on April a movement was seen among the Jap- anese troops on the alu, small detach- ments moving on the left bank. On April 23 larger bodies concentrated opposite Wiju and the Japanese proceeded to cross by small attachments. About two conn panies, with small body of cavalry. crossed at SiaupoussilShe. From the evening of April 24 onward, reports began to come In to the effect that the enemy was preparing to cross at Wilu. Turen cheng and Tehao Chen Ling.
 "On the following day the Japanese endeavored to throw bridges across the eastern arm of the Yalu opposite Laren Cheng and Saoupoussikhe. Towards 3 o'clock in the afternoon they occupied the island of Samalindo, and spent the night of April 26 on the island north of Sandakou.
 "The Japanese, who numbered i50o,
 
 cavalry, who being numerically inferior, took boats and crossed to the right bank, whence they kept up lively fire occupy ing narrow path along the bank Our light cavalry lost the chief of the de- tachment, Lieutenant Somenoff and eigh- teen men wounded but their severe fire at short range against the Japanese, in close formation must have inflicted con- siderable losses.
 Japanese Bridge Destroyed.
 At S30 oh April 2e by their firing on the isiand opposite Turen Cheng, our guns destroyed the bridge across the cas- tern branch of the Yaln towards tho island of Samallndo. forcing the Japa- nese to continue their passage of tho river by pontoons south of Wiiu Toward midday a detachment of Japanese with a battery of artillery began the march upon Turen Cheng, but meeting with the fire of oui ny they retired in disorder and conidsion towards the place of their passage. The Japanese battery did not have time even to come into action.
 At o'clock in the evening of April 27 some three battallons of Japanese crossed the Yalu at the village of Matout- sec, over the eastern branch of the river. The night of April 272S passed quietly
 "On the morning of April 2S our scouts reported that the Japanese had occupied an island opposite the village of Sanda- kou, having screened advance posts on the left bank of the river
 Our troops continue to occupy their position on the right bank of the river"
 Do Not Credit Heavy Fighting.
 St. Petersburg April 3O 11:09 D. m.-The reported big Japanese victory on the Yalu Is pronounced here to be impossible unless the Japanese choose to interpret their unimpeded passage of the river is great victory. AS the Russians have little more than observation outposts with a few guns to harass the crossing of the Japanese, anything beyond skirmishine Is declared by a member of the general staff to be out of the question.
 Liao Yang Is connected by wire with the headquarters of the general com manding the outposts, and il is presumed that the commander would report im- mediately any incident of importance, but the latest news of sldrmlshing Is covered in statement issued by the general staff tonight.