Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-10-01
lieved General Kuropatkin will give
final battle.

ludi UdlIl6.
Japanese Move Swiftly.
The movements of the Japanese ar
my are increasing in swiftness. .Oyama
is rapidly establishing military cohe-
sion between the armies of Kuroki,
Oku and Nodku.
An enormous force of Japanese is
concentrated about fifteen miles south
east of Mukden. Oyama has establish
ed his headquarters near this point. 1t
is believed that the Japanese are now
In readiness to launch their main at
tack and that it will be launched at
the Russian positions Immediately in
front of Mukden.
Left Flank Is Threatened.
This is the situation as far as 1t can
be learned from press and official dis
patches which have reached StPeters-
burg in the last twenty-four hours.
Members of the general staff admit
the evacuation of Da Pass and the
probability of serious attack on
Kuropatkin's left flank. Exact news
of the development of the Japanese
movement is not obtainable as all Of
ficial dispatches are following the en-
peror and will not be received here
until after he has seen them.
In the best informed circles it is ad-
mitted that the Japanese have now
taken the offensive in earnest, after
several weeks of maneuvering for po-
sition. 1t is believed here, however,
that the unaccountable delay permit
ted by Oyama in inaugurating the at
tack has been of inestimable advan-
tage to Kuropatl1in. Re-enforcements,
according to dispatches from Mukden,
have been pouring into that city every
day in the past two weeks.
Kuropatkin's army is now infinitely
stronger. both in men and in expert
ence than it was at Liao Yang.
Battle North OF City.
q 1t is the opinion of. some members
Of the general staff that General Kur-
opatkin has already selected a posi-
tion we'll to the northward of Mukden
where he will await the attack Of the
Japanese army in force
Dispatches from Mukden say that
the Japanese troops are suffering Sc
verely from disease and that the COM
missariat department has found 1t i'm
poooAblS w hOOP pdCSa Will Gllt
changes made by Oyama in the dispo-
s:tion of his army. 1t is believed that
the Japanese commander in chief is
eager to defer an engagement on a
large scale until he is convinced that
he will be able to envelop the Russian
army and so avoid the terrible cost in
human lives of direct frontal at
tack.
Port Arthur Isolated.
Port Arthur is more isolated than
ever, and the only news from that
place comes by way of Vladivostok 1t
contains, however, the hopeful intima-
ton that the garrison is confident of
being able to hold out until the first
of the year.
1t was reported last night that
Grand Duke Nicholas Nicholaievitchs
commission as commander of the
Manchurian armies had been made
out. but the statement cannot be con-
f1rmed. The report was coupled with
the revival of the story that Viceroy
Alexieff will return to st. Petersburg
and become chancellor of the empire
Report From oyama's Camp.
Field headquarters, Japanese Army,
Sept. 26.-(DelayeO- The changing
of the guage of the railway has been
completed within ten miles of Lao
Yang and. it is expected that within
three or four days the first train will
be run over the new tracks.
Daily Fights.
There is no change in the situation
here. The Japanese outposts are now
fifteen miles to the north There are
daily clashes between the Japanese
outposts and Russian patrols, usually
resulting in only small casualties.