Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1904-06-03
RUSSIANS DRIVEN
FROM HEIGHTS.
Japanese Defeat the Enemy
on His Chosen
Ground.
STORM FORTIFIED POSITION
Sustain Loss Of $4,000 Men in Des.
perate Assault ,panese Now Re-
ported to Be Within Twelve Miles,
of Port Arthur.

| a # F.. (. .
London, May 28--A dispatch to the
| Central News from Hardin says the
| Japanese losses during the fighting al
| Kin Chou are said to be twelve thous-
and men killed. It is said that these
figures have been confirmed by an
official dispatch. Fighting, it is added,
| is still going on in the vicinity Of Kin
| Chou.
London, May 2S.-The Toxic CORE
spondent of the Daily Telegraph says
he learns that the Japanese troops are
now within twelve miles OF Fort AT.
thur and that the Russians suffered
| heavier casualties than the Japanese,
| who have taken guns and other mate
rial and few prisoners. He predicts
further surprise, as Japan is now In
creasing her efforts in all directions.
The Toxic correspondent OF the
Daily Chronicle says that the japanese
captured many guns at Kin Chou.
Berlin, May 28.-The Toxic CORE
spondent of the Tageblatt sends the
following under date of May II:
1T is generally believed here that
General Rogi (Oku) succeeded on May
| 26 in cutting of portion OF the fourth
Russian sharpshooters division under
Major General Fock, having taken the
heights between Port Arthur and Kin
Chou on May "a and rs and that the
capitulation of this body is expected.
The fight was most bitter and stab
born on both sides, and the losses
were severe"
The Tageblatt's military critic sug-
gests that Lieutenant General Stoes-
sci succeeded by rapid march IN
freeing General Fock's troops from
the trap.
Chicago, May ga special to the
Daily News from Che Foo says:
Japan announces that the entire
coast of the Lao Tung peninsula ly-
ing south OF line between Pltsewo
on the east and Pulantien on the west
is In a state Of effective blockade by
the japanese navy The declaration
states that the blockade will be main
tanned.
The Japanese government has evil
IDENTIFY refrained from declaring the
peninsula in a state Of blockade until
now because it is held in international
law that a blockade to be effective
must be maintained by land as well
as by sea. The United States has al
ways maintained that a proclamation
or ideal blockade Of an extensive coast
not supported by thg1 al presence
of naval power competentto enforce
it's simultaneous, instant and effective
pntnf nf SnNh coast
is illegal throughout it's whole extent,
even for ports which may be In actual
blockade. The governmental block
ade proclamation by Japan, throws
the burden of proof on vessels at
tempting to run the blockade.
Toxic, May 2S.-The Japanese
army swept the Russians from Kim
Chou Thursday evening and in des-
perate night attack stormed the al
most impregnable position of the Rus
SLAMS on Nan-Shan hill west of Talien
Wan. The battle ragged in the hills
and all through the night and frag-
mentary kilograms from the Japanese
headquarters report that the engage
ment is still in progress and that tho
Japanese are still pursuing the Rus
SLAMS south from Nan-Shan and the
head of Talien Wan bay
The Russians had made elaborate
preparations to check the Japanese
movement south on the Liao-Tun5
peninsula toward Port Arthur. They
had fortified the heights on the south
shore of Talien-Wan bay, their works
extending to the east and the west.
The extreme Russian right was at
Hushangto and the extreme left at
Nan-Shan hill. The hill was the
strongest part of the line. A series
of batteries, strongly emplaced,
crowned it's crest, while rifle pits ex-
tended around its sides.
Mines had been placed lower down
on this hill and around the base on
the northern and eastern sides were
stretched well-made entanglements.
Another line of defenses, also pro-
tected with wire entanglements, ex-
tended from .Chia-Tung, near the
head of Talien bay, due north of Lien
Chia-Ten, which lies south of Kin
Chou. 10
A strong Russian force was posted
at Kin-Chou. 1t consisted of infan-
try and artillery.
The Japanese first occupied the line
of hills to the east of Kin-Chou. Their
position formed an almost perfect
right angle, showing it's southern
front to Talien-Wan and it's front to
Kin-Chou. Chou-Li-Chan village was
the apex of this angle: the extreme
sides of the Japanese rested at Chen
She-Ten, which is almost due north
of Chiu-Li-Chan, while the extreme
right was at Chaitzuno, village due
east of Chiu-Li-Chan. Back of this
angle the attacking force assembled
in complete security. &
The Russians apparently attempted
to draw the japanese attack last Sat
urday for their batteries opened fire
slowly on the enemy on tnst day. The
Japanese, however, refused to be
drawn until the position of the Rus.
slams, their guns and strength had
been fully developed. To this end
the Japanese began series of care
/ full "Reminiscences, their officers work
ing their way close enough to the
Russian POSITION to draw the enemy's
fire. They thus secured fragments of
shells for the purpose of securing the
caliber OF the Russian guns.
They discovered that the batteries
| on Nan-Shan nil included four How
| itzers Of about fifteen centimeters cal
| iber; ten old-style cannon Of between
nine and fifteen centimeters caliber
/ and two quick firing guns of twelve
centimeters The Japanese discover
| ed also a number of large emplace-
ments, but they did not learn the
number of guns contained therein.
| The emplacements faced to the north
| and to the east.
| The guns fired by the Russians de-
| yeloped range of $500 meters. Eight
heavy guns posted on the Russian
| right in the vicinity of Hushangtao
also were discovered and another