Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-08-20
It's Desperate Character Causes
Great Anxiety In st.
Petersburg.
PLACE IS WELL PROVlSIONED.
Supply Of Ammunition Is Also Ample
But Japanese Are as Seven
To One,

ST. Petersburg, Aug, 20, 2;io a, M
Acute anxiety prevails regarding the
situation at Port Arthur on account Of
the desperate character of the fighting
reported as taking place though the
war office does not seem TO believe that
danger of the fall Of the fortress is 80
imminent as Is generally asserted. Ac-
cordlng to sdyices received by the war
Office there is still an ample supply Of
ammunition and provisions there.
While It is realized that the Japanese
probably out-number the defenders six
or seven fold, the great strength Of the
fortihcatlOns, II is believed, viii do
much to make up for the disparity In
numbers.
Upon one point there Is absolute
unanimIty here. namely, that II the
fortress falls the feet win not fall into
the hands OF the japanese. on this
point the admiralty's instructions are
of the most imperative character.
Vice Admiral Prince Outkomsy has
been ordered, should the worst come.
10 sally forth for n death struggle ami
there is no question here that these
instructions viii be carried out, both
In letter ana In spirit but n for any
reason final sortie proves 10 he i'm
possible the admiral Is 10 destroy his
shipa and 20 make certain that their
Wreckage shall be absolutely irrepar-
able.
In the meantime Vice Admiral Ro-
jestvensky's Baltic squadron, includ-
itat lrg la ..Tf
Cronstadt with steam up. Il IL
popularity expected that the squadron
viii sail az any hour, and II Ia quite
true that II Is ready for almost I'M
mediate departure, but regarding the
question Of sailing there Ia differ
ence OF opinion among the naval au-
thorities. IT Is held on the one hand
that the immediate sailing Of the
squadron would be the best policy ON
the theory that should II arrive within
two months II would ind Vice Admiral
Togo's feet in an infinitely worse con-
dltion than IL the japanese were al
lowed the whole winter 10 repair and
rett the ships.
The advocates Of an immediate sail
ing hold that the port of Vladivostok
is capable of receiving the squadron,
even should entrance into Port Arthur
prove 10 be impractlcable and they
wish 70 treat the Port Arthur squadron
for the present as a negative quantity.
letting the Baltic sea vessels meet the
Japanese IN the present weakened con-
dition without relying for any certain
assistance either on Vice Admiral
ouktonsy or Vice Admiral skrydloff
Other officials hold that Il would he
unwlse 20 risk sending the Baltic
squadron 10 the far east until the
situation at Port Arthur has been
cleared and until It IL known what
conditions the squadron would be
likely to md on Its arrival,
ATTACK UPON PORT ARTHUR.
Chefoo. Aug 10 % p. m).--Flring at
Port Arthur by big guns was distinctly
heard here tonight.
Late advices from Port Arthur say
that Palungchang, although retalen By
the Russians has not been occupied on
either side, The Russian batteries have
contented themselves with preventing
the Japs nese from reocoupying this po-
sition and planting guns which would
command the Russian warships In the
harbor.
Russian naval officers believe that the
Japanese battleship Mikssa was sunk
In the engagement OF Aug. 10. They de-
clare that while the Japanese eoncen-
trated their fire oil the Czarevitch, the
Russians centered theirs on the Mikasa,
Admiral Togo's flagship. II was the
Mikasa which the Retvizan attempted
to ram during the fight, The Retvizan
had been receiving a gruelling and her
captain suddenly gave an order 10 steer
into the midst Of the japanese vessels
and head for the Mikasa. SO fully sur.
rounded was the Retvlzan that at one
time she was using every one OF her
guns. one japanese shot rendered her
turret unavoidable, but repairs were
made In 10 minutes.
The Russian warshlps which returned
to Port Arthur declare that Admiral
Withoft's last order was TO return 10
Port Arthur. This dlsagrees with
previous statement from Using Tau,
alleging that the admirals last order
was not 20 return.
Commercial business at Port Arthur
Is said 70 be at a complete standstill,