The Bourbon news., 1904-09-20
A GENERAL ASSAULT.
Heavy Bombardment Of Port Ar
thur by the Japs.
The Temper of BelIigerents Has
Reached an Absolutely Merciless
STAGE, the Flag of the Red Cross
Being Misused.


preparatory to an advance toward
Mukden While it is not in a posi-
ton to absolutely confirm or deny the
report, it would surprise the war of
fee should Field Marshal Oyama have
been able, in such short time, to or
ganize his forces for serious advance
northward.
Paris, Sept. .17.-Exact figures of tho
Russian losses in killed, wounded and
missing in the operations before Lao
Yang from August 13 to August &c,
have been received by the general
staff, according to the Journals st.
Petersburg correspondent. These
amount to two generals, 256 officers
and 21,800 soldiers. In addition 1873
guns were lost. The material losses
include Notifications costing $30,-000,-
000
London, Sept. 1.-THE Daily Tele-
graphs st. Petersburg correspondent
declares that a Russian statesman,
whose name, if revealed, would wing
over the globe, asserted Friday that it
was his impression that the war might
end sooner than people imagine, not
through mediation, but through mu-
tual recognition of the ruinous nature
of the conflict which would lead to ne
gotiations that would result in Rus
so-Japanese alliance.
Mukden,, Sept. 19.-The armies hav-
ing recovered from the effects of the
recent fighting before Lao Yang, an
early development of the situation
may be expected. A mysterious move
ment eastward is on foot on the part
of the bands Of Chinese suitable for
military service. All the leading young
Chinese who have aided the Russians
are leaving Mukden
Chez Foo, Sept 19.-Local students
OF the military situation at Port AT.
thur, basing their deductions upon re-
cent developments there, are of the
opinion that another grand assault is
either occurring at the present time,
or is imminent. This opinion is based
on the very heavy bombardment of
the Russian stronghold that occurred
on September 16, for such a lombard
ment forms the usual prelude to an as
sault; on the arrival here Of import
ant messengers from Port Arthur at
a time when the running Of the block.
ade is extremely perilous; on recent
authoritative statement that the Japan.
ese siege works are completed, and
on reports from Japanese sources that
at Port Dalny an assault was expect.
ed to take place in few days. These
reports were received last week.
In addition to the foregoing there is
the common knowledge that the Japa-
nese realize that their continued inac-
tivity increases the resisting power of
the Russian garrison.
According to Lieut.. Prince RadZi.
vii, of the Russian army, who reached
here Sunday from Port Arthur, bear
ing dispatches from Lieut.. Gen. Stoes-
sci, the commander-in-chief of the
forces of the Russian stronghold to
Gen. Kuropatkin, the temper of the
belligerents at Port Arthur has now
reached an absolutely merciless stage.
1t was sett forth in these dispatches
some weeks ago that serious suspic-
ions were entertained by both bellig-
erents that the other was misusing the
Red Cross flag. These suspicious have
been increased by the commission of
various acts by the soldiers of both
armies, until now even flags of truce
or surrender are not respected by
either side.
Prince Radzivil declares that the
men of both armies are absolutely ven.
omous in their antagonism. Lieut..
Gen. Stoessel has addressed his gar
rison saying that the present mood of
the Japanese indicates clearly the ne
cessity of resisting them to the last
drop Of Russian blood, because if the
Japanese soldiers entered the fortress
it undoubtedly would be impossible
for their officers to control them and
prevent massacre. For this reason
Lieut.. Gen. Stoessel is making no OBJ
lection to civilians leaving Port Ar
thur. When the 300 women who are
in Port Arthur engaged in hospital
work were advised to leave, they re-
piled that they would rather face the
possibility of a massacre than desert
their posts.
In consequence of the fact that flags
OF truce are ignored, numbers of Japa-
nese dead, who have been lying on the
slopes of the hills of the northeast de-
tense for weeks past, are still un-
buried, and the stencil in Port Arthur
from decomposing bodies, when the
wind is in the right direction, is al
most unendurable. The Russian SOL
diers, who are in some cases posted
only 80 PAGES from heaps of decaying
dead, have constantly to wear over
their noses handkerchiefs soaked in
camphor. as otherwise they would ba
unable to remain at their posts.
English Poacher Captured.