The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-08-23

There is a limit by which the troops
cannot go no matter how gallant" said
an officer Of the general stan this morn
ing. "A fifth OF the army before Port Ar
thur is small estimate OF the enemy's loss
10 date. II storming operation. which
we understand is now progressing, fails
to give them a foothold In the range of
inner defences, the japanese will be COM
PEELED by sheer exhaustion to stay and
recuperate, while awaiting additional rela-
forcements. and personally, together
with some OF my colleagues. believe they
will abandon the idea OF a general as
sault and settle down to regular siege
opera tions. Starving out the garrison In
less brilliant. but 1t is quite as effective
a way OF reducing a fortress.
THE japanese purpose in rushing mat
ters has doubtlessly been TO release the
southern army and enable II to cooperate
with the armies in Manchuria."
AN ACT OF FOLLY.
The naval critic OF Viedomosti boldly
expresses the opinion that the Port Ar
thur squadron would commit an act OF
folly II IL went out now.
He adds: Although portion OF Ad-
miral Ouktomsky's ships are In hghting
trim, including at least the Peresviet Pol
tava- Sebastopol and Pallada, IL would be
folly for them 10 break through Admiral
Togo's strong lines. The squadron would
be lost without profit to Port Arthur
"Ouktomsky would do better TO dis
mantle his guns and send them ashore
This would re-enforce Gen. Stoessel to the
extent OF 81 heavy and 400 light guns and
60oo men. Then IL the worst comes, the
ships could be sunk"
JAPANESE vALOR.
semi-official Journal. while paying a
tribute to tho heroic defenders OF Port
Arthur. does hot withhold praise for the
extraordinary valor OF the japanese be-
seigers. 1t says:
"Neither a rain OF cannon shots, walls
OF bayonets. nor earth strewn with putri-
fying corpses can arrest their stubborn
assaults"
There are a number OF veiled communi-
cations In both the newspaper dispatch
from Lao Yang and at headquarters here
that Gen. Kuropetkin is preparing di-
version against Gen. Kuroki TO prevent
the dispatch OF reinforcements to aid the
attackers OF Port Arthur.
A SERIOUS QUESTION.
The Novoe vreyma considers that the
question OF China's attitude is very
serious and contends that the Chinese are
quite incapable Of preserving neutrality,
adding:
How otherwise could japanese war
ships enter Chinese ports at will7 The
idea that the United States IL going TO
preserve the neutrality OF China Is an
illusion. The American torpedo boat de-
stroyer Chauucey's pursuit OF the ia
panese torpedo boat turns out 70 have
been n mere coincidence"
REFUSES TO SEND wARsHIPs.
Shanghai. Aug. S-The viceroy OF
Mlnkin has refused the request Of Taotai
Yum that n Chinese feet be dispatched 10
Shanghai.
American Consul General Goodnow de-
clares that he has no intention OF inter
fering beyond protecting American prop
erty
Another meeting Of the consular body
has been called for o'clock this after
noon further 20 consider the Askold and
Grozovoi case.
FINDING IN THE HrPsANG CASE.
The nndIng Of the naval court or In
quiry In the case OF the British steamer
Hipsang was delivered this morning.
The Hipsang was torpedoed and sunk
July ls while passing Pigeon Bay. The
findings OF the court are a. follows:
A Russian torpedo boat destroyer now
Identified as the Ratstoropuy. came up
az daylight with the Hipsang. whose
lights were burning brightly and who had
the British has hying. The destroyer fired
shells. killing and manning passengers.
The Hipsang stopped directly. but the
Russian vessel fred a torpedo sinking her
There was no contraband aboard her nor
any Japanese. Her captain was expert
enced and he acted perfectly correct
The consul desires to call attention 20
the Board OF Trade and the foreign
powers 20 the fact that the steamer while
proceeding with due caution and on her
correct course was torpedoed and sunk
without any just cause or reason. The loss
OF life was due 10 the shell fire. previous