Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1904-08-24
PORT ARTHUR HARD
PRESSED BY THE JAPS
Fall of the Fortress Now Seems
Imminent.
"cHAIN FORT" is CAPTURED
Army of the Mikado May Soon Have
Possession of the Russian Gibraltar,
Japs Preparing to Celebrate Fall of
Fortress.

Japs Preparing to Celebrate Fall of
Fortress.
London, August 23.-3:25 p. NJ
The Evening News this afternoon pub.
lished dispatch from Che Foo under
today's date announcing that the Jap
anese captured "Chain Fort of the
Port Arthur defenses yesterday, af'
ter tremendous attack.
Che Foo, August 23.-Noon.-Ac-
cording to advices brought here from
Port Arthur by junk the Japanese
were hotly pressing the Russian cen.
ter along the railroad and the Rus
sian right in the vicinity of Golden
Hill. These advices are brought by
Chinese who departed from Tai Ping
Tse, which Is a mile from the city
near Golden Hill, between the city
and the forts of the Russians right
wing. The Chinese declare that the
Japanese occupied Tai Ping Use and
penetrated along the railroad to Gen
eral Stoessels' residence on Aug. 81.
As this report export would indi.
cate that Port Arthur had all but fall
en-, the Japanese expert attached to
the local consulate received the infOr
nation with great reserve. The in,
formation is accepted however, as
a confirmation of the previous reports
that the Russians have been driven
from Itzshan and that the Japanese
are very close to the southern forts
and the defenses.
The local Japanese under the lead.
ership of the consul are subscribing
money and preparing to celebrate the
expected fall of the fortress.
The Chinese who arrived today fur.
ther reported that a Russian warship
was hit by shell recently and sunk
in the harbor. A report was cabIed
several days ago that the gunboat of
the Otvajani had been sunk. This
is probably the vessel referred to.
War Office Encouraged.
ST. Petersburg, August 23.-12: 35
p. m.-Despite the popular feeling that
Port Arthur is doomed, the success
with which Lieutenant General Sto.
essel has been beating off the Jap.
anese assaults and the heavy losses
suffered by the besiegers offer consid.
cradle encouragement to the war of.
fee.
There is a limit beyond which
troops cannot go, no matter how gal.
lant," said an officer of the general
staff this morning. "a fifth of the
army before Port Arthur is a small es.
innate of the enemy's loss up to date,
"If the storming operation, which is
understood is now progressing, fails to
give them a foothOld in the ring Of in.
ner defenses, the Japanese will be
compelled by sheer exhaustion to stop
and recuperate, while awaiting addi
tiOnal reinfOrcements, and |, person.
ally, together with. some of my col
general assault and settle down to
regular siege operations. Starving
out the garrison is less brilliant, but
it is quite as effective away of reduc.
ing fortress. The Japanese purpose
in rushing matters has doubtless been
to release a section of the southern
army and enable it to cooperate with
the armies in Machuria."
The naval critic of the Viedomosti
boldly expresses the opinion that the
Port Arthur squadron would commit
an act of folly if it went out now.
He adds: Although a portion OF
Admiral Ouktomsky's ships are in
fighting trim, including at least the
Peresviet, Poltava, SevastopoI and Pal
lada, it would be futile to attempt to
| break through Admiral Togo's strong
lines. The squadron would be lost
without profit to Port Arthur. Ouk
| tomsky would do better to dismantle
| his guns and send his men ashore
| This would reinforce General Stoes
sci to the extent of near heavy and
400 light guns, and 5000 men. Then
if the worst comes, the ships could bt
| sunk"
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