The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-07-22
RUSSIANS LOSE
DESPERATE FIGHT
Two Divisions Assaulted Mo.
ten Pass Sunday and
Were RepuIsed.
I'M ON NEWCHWANG
Japanese Are Pressing on the City, ano
Russian Naval Officers Are Ready
to Escape by the Horse
back Route.


this morning prints the following dis
patch. dated, July IS. from its CORE
spondent at Malta:
The British Mediterranean fleet left
mere today for Alexandria. 1t is be-
lieved that the destination of the fleet
may be connected with the presence of
the Russian volunteer fleet steamers
In he Red sea. The British steamer
Terrible is said to have sailed from
Suez today for the purpose of looking
after the interests of British merchant
men"
London. July 2O.-The Morning
Posts correspondent at General ku-
tx headquarters. t~elegraphing under
date of July IS. says:
"A Russian force, apparently about
20,u0O strong, attacked the front, left
and right of the Japanese position on
the western slope of Molten pass at g
a. m. today under cover of a dense fog,
The sudden onslaught drove in the
Japanese outposts. but as soon as re-
Inducements arrived The Japanese gall
lantly advanced to the attack and aft
ter severe fighting drove off the Rus
slams and reoccupied the position. The
Russians retired, their retreat being
Well covered. The fighting lasted until
3 o'clock in the afternoon and when /
49, NAN Va ~ N"S vi
proceeding.'
Russian Casualties 1000.
ST. Petersburg, July 20.-The Russian
japanese forces which are lined
expecting a clash. grappled in Il serious
fight Sunday morning, according to a
message from General Kuropatkin re-
ceived here late last night. The report
indicated that the Japanese misinter-
preted the movement and that instead
of III hainCv am .1ttarnTt 10 tnlya NINti,,,
pass it was II reconnaissance on q
larger scale.
General Coun kellar's account of the
fighting does not especially state the
number of men engaged, though it
shows that the Russian main advance
consisted of eighteen baltalions with
considerable reserves.
An important fact developed by the
reconnaissance was the exact location
OF a powerful Japanese force secreted
In the region between Fen Shut and
Molten passes. Its strength is indi-
Gated by the fact that twenty-one bat
talions We're Insufficient to permanent
~ force the Japanese positions, though
some of them We're occupied %telnporar-
lily. On the other hand it would appear
from the report that the Japanese were
either dlSinClined or unable to follow
Lieutenant General Kellar when he
retired to his former position at lkha-
YUAN.
The seriousness of the days fighting
is shown in General Kellar's estimation
that the Russian casualties We're over
! ,000.
The battle leaves the general situa-
ton unchanged, but shows that a pow
ertul Japanese army is massed and is
constantly threatening Lao Yang, APP
parently only waiting General Kuroki's
signal TO advance.
Toxic, July 2o.-General Kuroki re,
ports that two divisions of the Russian
made a desperate assault on
Molten pass at dawn of July II, but
We're repulsed. The casualties are not
The Japanese torpedo boat destroyer
Hayatori has captured a junk convey
mali from Port Arthur to Chefoo.
Letters dealing with military and naval
at Port Arthur have beer
seized
At 3 O'Clock this morning. a heavy
log yelling their movements, w di-
visions of Russians, commanded by
Lieutenant General Count Keller. made |
assault on the Japanese positions
Molten pass. General Kuroki adds
The Russians assailed all the Japanese
positions at Molten pass and vicinity
desperately. The japanese resisted
s~tubbornly and repulsed the Russians
and pursued them Il considerable dis
Westward