The Indianapolis journal., 1904-06-08
FIGHTING IS REPORTED
AGAIN,BOIH ON LANDAU
WATER, At PORT ARTHUR
Japanese Army and Navy Is Said
to Have Engaged the Enemy
in Front and Rear.
RUMORS FROM CHE-FOO
Seem to Confirm Reports Previ-
ously Received OF Heavy Firing
Across the Straits.
MANY MINES EXPLODED
Admiral Togo Has Cleared Ia
lien-Wan Channel of Danger
ous Distractions.
RUMORS FROM CHE-FOO
MANY MINES EXPLODED

LONDON, June g. a. m.-Advices from
Che-Foo and elsewhere indicate the Jap
anese have begun active operations against
Port Arthur by land and sea. Several dis
patches speak of heavy firing having been
heard. It is not believed, however, that
the japanese are yet ready TO risk deci-
sive battle on land. Admiral Togo has sue
ceeded I'm clearing the channel leading into
Talien-Wan, so that troops may be disem-
barked there. He began locating mines on
June 3, and since then he has found and
exploded forty-one. Yesterday a small
steamer was able to safely enter the har-
Dor. The work of locating other mines Is
now continuing. and 1t is expected that the
vicinity will be speedily cleared of all such
dangerous cbstructions to navigation. Ad-
miral Togo reports that southerly gale
and high sea prevailed during his opera
tons, but the men steadfastly continued
their work
The correspondent CT the Daily Telegraph
In Toxic cables: 1.-The commander of the
fourth japanese fotflIa, who has returned
TO the rendezvous of the fleet from recon-
noissance in the vicinity of Port Arthur
mentions the loss of the Russian gunboat
Giliak and the blowing up of another Rus
man escaped from Port Arthur says that
the rations of the soldiers is two pounds of
bread daily, but as the officers have an
abundance of food the men are discon-
tented"
CHE-FOO, June 7.-Preceding a sea at
tack Port Arthur last night, the Jap
anese apparently made determined effort
to advance on that stronghold by land. A
Chinese junk which left point three miles
south of Port Dalny early Monday morning
has arrived here. She reports having heard
firing north OF Port Arthur from clock
Monday morning until o'clock that after
noon by which time she passed out of
hearing distance. 1t would appear that the
Japanese planned land and sea attack on
Port Arthur yesterday. The Russians, on
seeing this. sent their fleet out to give bat
tie The result Is not known.
Reports also come from Ten-Chow of
heavy firing being heard there from IL
o'clock last night until oclock this MORN
ing. Vessels from the Miao-Tao islands
confirm this report. and so do the residents
of hills In the vicinity of this city, who
heard the firing and saw flashes out at sea
during the night. The fact that the Rus
slams were endeavoring, on June 4, to clear
the roadsteads off Port Arthur of mines
indicates an intention upon their part to
;. give battle outside the harbor upon the
first favorable opportunity.
The foregoing would seem to confirm a
dispatch previously received at Che-Foo
at Ten-Chow, Shan-Tung peninsula. The
correspondent said there was firing at Port
Arthur last night, beginning at 11:30 o'clock
and continuing for several hours.
A Japanese correspondent returning from
Talien-Wan says there is a persistent ru-
NOR there that the Japanese battleship va
shima struck mine off that port recently
and was sunk Chinese arrivals from Ia
Hen-Wan are unable to confirm the story.
ST. PETERSBURG. June s. L a. m.-The
government, IL is authoritatively said to-
night, has no more information than the
public of happenings in the neighborhood
of Port arthur. The lack of officials news
from southern Liao-Tung responsible
for the unusual number of rumors yester-
day among the reports from Che-Foo and
elsewhere that the Russian squadron had
made sOrtie from Port Arthur and that
the Japanese had fesun land attack upon
the fortress. The general staff could neither
confirm nor deny these stories any more
than similar ones during the past forty
eight hours. However, IL was pointed out
that, while preliminary shelling of the
land defenses of Port Arthur not i'm
probable. Il Is too early TO expect news OF a
serious assault, which could not be pressed
with any prospect of success until siege
guns have been landed at Dalny. brought
overland twenty miles, emplaced and all
the arduous preliminary work of a sys-
tematic advance against the outer works OF
Port Arthur completed.