The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-09-24
Final Assault on Port Arthur
Again in Progress.
FOUR ARMIES MOVING.
From as Many Different Direc-
tiOns Toward Mukden.
Doubt That KurOpatkin Will
Fight Is Expressed.

Is evident from the tone of tOday's ad-
vices that the two armies are not yet
In close touch. a dispatch from Muk-
den says that the japanese are moving
Forward with extreme slowness. Che
foo reports that two hours of heavy
firing was heard by vessels passing off
Port Arthur but there is no confirma-
rion of the dispatch from st. Petersburg
published in the Paris Matin saying
that the emperor had received private
dispatches to the effect that general
assault on the position was in progress.
Like the majority of reports originating
In the European papers it is obviously
an invention 1t has been months since
Port Arthur was in communication
with any outside points and the only
news from the beleaguered fortress has
come out by way of Chefoo and Toxic.
On its face the Matin dispatch is in
credible.
St. Petersburg, Sept. 24-5:45 D. M
The Associated Press learns on un-
Questionable authority that Major Gen
eFal Orion whose precipitancy in Ieav-
ing Yentai TO join in the attack on the
heights of Sykwantun exposed General
kuropa tlSin's left flank and necessitat-
ed the abandonment of Lao Yang, will
be detached from the Manchurian army
and given another command in Euro
pean Russia, or perhaps he may be re-
tired The detachment of General OrIoff
was ordered by General Kuropatkin,
Fomin of General OrIoffs division. was
resorting TO a court martial. The Off
cial report tnat Brigadier General
Fonin of Geenral Orloff's division, was
dead and the subsequent development
that he was only severely wounded.
reveals extent of confusion into
which Orloffs division was thrown.
General Fcmin is in the hospital at
Harbin.
Chefoo. Sept 24.-6:SO p. m.-The
steamer Victoria, which arrived here
this evening from New Chwang, heard
two hours heavy firing at Port Arthur
this morning. the firing being on the
east side of the city. The steamer was
twice stopped by japanese warships but
was only briefly detained.
Finishing Port Arthur.
Paris. Sept. 24-The Mathis St Pc
tersburg correspondent telegraphs as
follows;
kilograms of which the general staff
have yet no knowledge reached the
car at 4 o'clock this morning. 1 can
affirm that they concern Port Arthur,
regarding which the greatest anxiety
prevails at court. The Japanese are
now engaged in a general assault which
is more furious than its predecessors.
attacking the town on three sides sim
ultaneously and employing their whole
forces. being determined to finish the
Russian mines blew up whole bat
talions.
General Fock especially distin-
guished himself directing the fire from
the Walf which the Japanese reached
after indescribable massacre.
The whole of Admiral Togo's and
Vice Admiral Kamimuras squadrons
are aiding the struggle, which it is
feared VIII be final The besieged
forces are fighting in furnace. A |
perfect storm of shell is falling on the
town, fort and fortress from the whole |
hill and all roads. General Stoessel is /
going from fort to fort encouraging the /
defenders in their desperate efforts.
In St. Petersburg the facts concern |
ing the tra gic event which perhaps Will |
terminate by a glorious fall of Port |
Arthur are wholly unknown At court
hope has not yet been entirely aban-
doned.
$4,000 Sick and Wounded.
Tsingtau. Sept. 24-Advices received |
here say that there are fifteen thous-
and sick and wounded at Port Arthur
May Not Defend Mukden.
St. Petersburg. Sept. "a, 2:45 a. m.
Absence of detailed reports from the
seat of war. despite the important
character of events that are believed
TO be developing around Mukden,
leads to the supposition that Gen.
Kuropatkin may after all not seriously
contest the Japanese advance and that
the long expected battle at Mukden
guard action on a large scale.
Cen Sakharoff reports that the
Japanese army is moving from Bentsi-
anfrtze toward Flu pass. village six
miles northeast of Mukden and near
the right bank of the Hun river. The
river at this point is shallow. and
proba bly for this reason the locality
has been selected by the Japanese for
crossing. If the Japanese gain a foot
hold at Flu pass. Gen. kuropatkin' S
position at Mukden will be insecure.
as the Japanese will thence be able
TO threaten the Russian line of COM
Tnt1uicatfon Flu pass is only twenty
miles north of Bentsia putze. but at the
preseut rate of progress the japanese
will probably occupy four or five days
in traversing these twenty miles
The Russian force south of Mukden
Is believed to consist of only one army
and is not intended to effect serious
resistance to the Japanese
Japanese Moving Secretly.
Mukden. Sept. 24.-Russians are
using war balloons southeast of Muk-
den to observe the movements of the
JaDanese The line of outposts estab-
lished by the japanese is SO enectlve
that even the Chinese have been un-
able TO penetrate it. 1t is Impossible
therefore to say definitely how Mar
o1Ifs Ovama has disposed his forces
II is believed Gen Kurokfs army
stretches from Bensihu to Bentsia-
p,1tze and the armies of Gen Oku and
NodzlI from Yentai along the hlgn
road and railway to Shapu. sixteen
miles south of Mukden, while a fourth
army is moving from Dsziantchan
across the Da mountains All these l.