Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1904-09-02
MIKADO'S BIRTHDAY
A DAY OF Battle
JAP SOLDIERS CELEBRATE IN
HONOR OF THEIR RULER BY
GIVING RUSSIANS BATTLE.
ATTEMPT TO CUT OFF
THE RUSSIAN RETREAT
Day Is Begun by Terrific Artillery
Fire Which Sweeps the Whole
Front of the Russian Army-Rus-
sian Boats at Shanghai Disarmed.

Liaoyang, Aug. 31-Tuesday was the
anniversary of the birth of the Japanese
emperor, and the Russian army antici-
pated general advance upon its po-
sitions around Liaoyang. Everybody
was keyed up for the long-awaited mo-
ment, and the soldiers faced the prob
able events with confidence. The jap
anese selected the mikado's birthday
for the decisive battle, and grand as
sault upon Port Arthur was also ex-
pected.
Trying to Get in Kuropatkin's Rear.
st. Petersburg, Aug. 31.-Gen. SAX
haroff reports that large Japanese
force is advancing northward along the
Taitsu river valley, west of the rail-
road.
Tremendous Artillery Fire.
st. Petersburg, Aug. 31.-A dispatch
from Gen. sakharoff, dated from Lao
yang at ten a. m. Tuesday, says:
THE main Japanese attack is being
directed against the Russian center and
right, where the Russian losses have
been the heaviest.
The Japanese posted numerous ar
tillery within range of all the Russian
positions during the night. A hot fire
was opened at five a. M, and by nine
O'Clock the Japanese were close to the
Russian positions"
The Deciding Battle Begun.
st. Petersburg, Aug. 31-The latest
reports received by the war office in
dictate that the battle at Liaoyang will
probably extend for several days, and
be the deciding battle as far as Kuro-
patkin's forces are concerned. The
Japanese are directing their energies
to bombarding segments of the circle
of defensive positions occupied by the
Russians. The latter already have
suffered heavily from the hail of
shells.
The Russian cavalry won a notable
success west of Liaoyang, repulsing
the Japanese advance from that d.
Tection. This was the first time the
Russian cavalry had an opportunity to
since the war began.
Japanese Losses.
Toxic, Aug. 31.-The Japanese lost
1000 men killed or wounded at the bat
tile of Anping The Russian losses have
not yet been estimated, but are said to
have been heavy.
The Japanese captured eight guns at
Anping, and eight at Anshanshan.
Stoessel Reports Japs Repulsed.
st. Petersburg, Aug. 31.--Gen. Stoes-
sells report says that the japanese at
tacks were repulsed till August rs,
with heavy loss to the attackers. He
gives no details of the positions held
or of the Russian losses in men, but
says the officers suffered severely, es-
pecially the younger ones. Some of
the larger Russian guns were placed
out of action by the Japaneses batter
les and were replaced by field pieces.
The general describes the stencil
from the decaying bodies between the
lines as being horrible. He reports
that the morale of the garrison is ex-
cellent
Finally, the general recommends
Gems. Fock, Kondratenko, Smirnoff
and others for bravery and devotion.
The navy as we'll as the army Will
share in the benefits of the imperial
decree, published Tuesday, by which
the term of military service for SOL
diers Of the Port Arthur garrison is
reduced SO that every month served
from May last until the end of the
year shall count for one year of the
full term of service. This is a repeti-
tion of what was done at the time of
the siege of Sebastopol
Russian Boats Disarmed.
Shanghai, Aug. 31.-The Russian
cruiser Askold, and torpedo boat de-
stroyer Grozovoi finished disarming
Tuesday.
Britain to Back the Appeal.
st. Petersburg, Aug. Cit is under
stood that Great Britain will become
party to the appeal in the case of the
British steamer knight Commander,
sunk by the Vladivostok squadron off
LEU. The case of the German steamer
Thea chartered by an English firm,
sunk off the Japanese coast by the vladi-
Wostok squadron, has also been ap-
/ pealed.
COMPLETION is DELAYED.
Polk County Courthouse Will Be
Ready in About Year
Firos% IN S%o4a