The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-11-01

Che Foo Oct. 81, 2 p. m.-The gen.
eral assault upon Port Arthur, which
began in a preliminary way on Oct
a. developed into a fiercely raging
battle yesterday. when, according to
hitherto infallible authority, the jap
anese flung heavy forces against the
fortress in their third attempt to se-
cure a commanding position.
The result of yesterdays fighting Is
yet unknown. The japanese have
been preparing for this assault for a
month. 1t is believed that the Jap
anese did not attempt to capture the
town on this occasion, but to accom-
plish another important forward
step. This plan was adopted
following the first assault, when
thousands of lives were sacri-
feed in an attempt to swarm over the
Notifications by mere force of num-
bers, regardless of loss.
This assault, like the previous one,
was a climatic incident of weary
weeks of trench digging, gun mount
ing and small engagements.
Japanese All Prepared.
On Oct. "a, having made every pos
sible preparation, the Japanese opened
fire with their artillery along the
whole line, incidentally continuing
their daily practice Of dropping shells
into the harbor. The Russians replied,
the sounds as of distant thunder tell
ing the inha bitants of Port Dalny that
the long expected assault on the fort
ress was imminent.
The bombardment continued furious
ly until the afternoon of Oct. "a, when
the Russian guns on Else mountain,
Antse mountain and Rihlung mountain
became briefly silent.
At o'clock that afternoon a regi-
ment of Japanese swept out from be-
hind a recently captured hill adjacent
to Rihlung mountain, and advanced on
the Russian trenches lying between
Rihlung mountain and the railroad. oc-
cupying them after hours of fighting.
The Russians stuck to their posts till
the Japanese were within a few yards,
both sides hurting hand grenades at
each other. The Japanese infantry
are now using mechanical devices
which enable them to throw grenades
with great accuracy and rapidity
Japanese assaulted the trenches on the
slope OF Rihlung mountain. The Jap
anese trenches extended to certain por-
tions of the slope and stopped some
distance above the extreme Japanese
outpost. where the ascent Of Rihlung
mountain. became almost perpendicu-
lar. The Russian trenches scanned the
slope. To advance against them over
an unbroken slope. which was mined,
even without Russian resistance, would
have been a difficult task, but the
slope had been torn UP. great holes
having been blown in IL at various
places by the bombardment, and the
Jnpanese availed themselves Of these
indentations which offered combined
foothold and protection against bull
let's. In the meanwhile. the fire of all
their available artillery was directed
against the Russian trenches, the Rus
slams eventually retiring, whereupon
the Japanese i'm thirty minutes con-
structed trenches sufficient to shield
themselves. The Russians exploded
mines but, the japanese claim, without
result.
one company of Japanese engaged
I'm this fight aroused general compli-
mentary comment for it's remarkable
GOODNESS, executing the various man
euvers for the purpose OF securing shell
ter with automatic exactness, as II OIL
parade.
Upon the retirement Of their troops.
the Russians opened fire from Llati
mountain. and that night they made
a sortle. But the Japanese had In the
meanwhile brought up machine guns.
with which the sortie was repulsed
Except for the knowledge that the
bombardment was continued all nfor-
nation covering the period between
oct. n and Oct. 20 II lacking, but pre-
gumnbly IL IS much ~ the same charac-
Ter as that just described, the japanese
operations gradually assuming the pro-
portions ~ the general attack 0f yes
terlay,
The nghflng a. reported 70 have been
down along The whole east side of the