The San Francisco call., 1904-11-01
STOESSEL
IS LOSING
0UTWORKS
Besiegers Take
Port Arthur
Positions.
Furious Assault
on the Inner
Fortress.

AlEI ~ OCl. ol--A steamship
which has just arrived here from
Newchwang reports having heard
heavy firing at Port Arthur last night
and to-day until she was out of ear
shot, indicating a continuance Of the
battle which began on October "a and
developed yesterday into the third at
tempt OF the japanese to secure a
commanding position.
On October "a. having made every
possible preparation, the japanese
opened fire with their artillery along
the whole line. incidentally continuing
their daily practice Of dropping shells
into the harbor. The Russians re-
piled, the sounds. as Of distant thun-
der. telling the inhabitants of Port
Dalny that the long-expected assault
on the fortress was imminent
The bombardment continued fu-
rioNsly until the afternoon of October
26, when the Russian guns on Etz
Mountain, ANTI Mountain and Rihlung
Mountain became briefly silent: At 4
O'Clock that afternoon a regiment of
japanese swept out from behind "a
recently captured hill adjacent to Rih-
lung Mountain and advanced on the
Russian trenches lying between Rih-
lung Mountain and the railroad. oc-
Gupying them after hours of fighting.
The Russians kept to their posts until
the japanese were within few yards.
beth sides hurting hand. -grenades at
one another The Japanese infantry is
now using mechanical devices, which
enable it TO throw grenaaes with
great accuracy and rapidity. 81.
In the meanwhile another body of
japanese assaulted the trenches on
the slope Of Rihlung Mountain. The
japanese trenches extended TO. GER
tain portions Of the slope and stopped
some distance above the extreme Jap
anese outpost, where the ascent of
Rihlung Mountain became almost
perpendicular The Russian trenches;
scanned the slope. To. advance
against them over an unbroken slope,
rhich was mined. even without Rus
sian resistance. would have been a
difficult task but the slope had been
torn up. great holes having been
blown in it at various places by the
bombardment, and the japanese
availed themselves of. those indenta-
tons which offered combined foothold
and protection against the bullets.
Meanwhile the fEe OF all the availa-.
bic artillery was directed against the
Russian trenches, the Russians event
uaily retiring, whereQpon the japanese
in thirty minutes constructed sufficient
trenches 10 shield themselves. The
Russians exploded mines. but, the lap
anese claim, without result.
one company Of japanese engaged in
this fight aroused general compliment
airy comment for its remarkable cool
ness, executing the various maneuVers
Cor the purpose Of securing shelter with
automatic exactness, as If on parade
Upon the retirement Of their troops
TIE Russians opened fire from Liaoti
Mountain, and that night they made a
sOrtie. But the japanese in the mean
while had brought up machine guns,
with which the sortie was repulsed
Except for the knowledge that the
bombardment was continued, all in
formation covering the period between
October p and October 29 is lacking,
but presumably IL was much OF the
same character as that just described,
the japanese operations gradually as
suming the proportions OF the general
attack Of yesterday. The fighting is
reported TO have been most severe from
Rihlung Mountain down along the
whole east side Of the town.
The stories Of Russian prisoners vary
concerning the garrison affairs, but
they agree, however, in saying that
they have heen often disappointed.
General StOessel has been endeavoring
TO cheer them by promising the early
advent Of the Russian second Pacific
squadron and relief from General Ku-
ropatkin. The constant failure Of these
hopes TO materialize depressed the SOL
diers. Stoessel is quoted as saying
that while a thousand men were left
ne would not surrender.
Owing TO the constant Smelling OF
Port Arthur. the Russian ships there
maintain low pressure steam, so as to
enable them frequently to change their
positions. Since October the Ret
xizan, the Poltava and the Peresviet
have often been hit. and one steamship
used in sweeping for mines was sunk
one gun OF the Electric Hill battery
and one on Marble Hill have been dis
mounted by japanese shells.