The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1904-11-05
.f0RESEE doom
OF port ARTHUR
BELIEF AT ST. PETERSBURG
THAT ITS FATE Is ABOUT
TO BE DECIDED.
JAPANESE EVIDENTLY
CONFIDENT OF SUCCESS
Fall Timed for Anniversary Of Mi
kado's Birth and Cars Accession
to the Throne-Little Change in
Positions Of Armies.


St. Petersburg, Nov 3.-The official
reports from Toxic describing the des-
perate assaults ON Port Arthur be-
ginning October 26 have created Wis
ible depression at the war Office. The
sustained character of the lombard
rAent with siege guns, and the breach
ing of the walls by underground mines.
but above all the fact that the Japan
csc government, after weeks of silence
regarding the operations of the besieg-
ers, has given out these reports before
actual success has crowned their eff
forts, convinces the military author
tiles that after long preparations Gen.
Nogi is not only making supreme eff
fcrt to carry the fortress. but feels SO
confident of success that the result of
preliminary operations has been made
public.
Thursday Fateful Day.
They believe the assault was timed
for the announcement of the fall OF the
fortress to be made upon the birthday
OF the mikado Thursday, which, by a
strange coincidence, is the tenth an
nlversary of the accession of Emperor
Nicholas and great Russian holiday.
Thursday, therefore. is expected to be
marked by fate for day of immense
rejoicing either for Japan or Russia,
according as the present assault sue
cceds OF fails. The war office is try
ing TO buoy up the Russian hopes with
references to the long and successful
defense Lieut.. Gen. Stoessel has thus
far conducted, but things have now
reached such pass with the garrison,
and the character of the present at
tempt upon the fortress is evidently
so determined, that the authorities
frankly admit they would not be sur
prsed ii the end was at hand. In the
face OF the gloomy reports direct from
Tckio the Invalid Russ, the army or
gan, Wednesday announced that tho
storming operations ended with n re-
pulse Of the Japanese on Monday, but
the paper fails to give its authority
Tor this important statement. No off
cial report warranting it has been re-
ccived by the war Office.
Gen. Sakharoff tclegraphed under
Wednesdays date that Tuesday night
was quiet the japanese, however, show
ing marked signs Of recommending the
offensive against the Russian left wing.
They have also reoccupied the village of
Sandiapu. near the Hun river, in front
of the Russian right flank.
Positions Unchanged.
Gen. Oku's Headquarters, Nov. 1, via
Fusan, Nov. 3-There is little change
in the positions of the Japanese and Rus
sian armies. On Sunday last detach-
ments composed of Russian infantry and
Don Cossacks attacked the Japanese
cavalry on the extreme left along the
Hun river, but were driven back, leav-
ing 20 dead soldiers and 30 horses. This
is the first time that the Cossacks of the
Don have taken part in the operations.
The Japanese line now follows the bank
Of the Shakhe river, except on the ex-
IRENE left, where it crosses that river.
Fighting Was Desperate.
Toxic. Nov. 3-The official reports Of
the Port Arthur operations since Au-
gust form recital of almost continu.
GUS fighting of desperate nature. The
Russians first struggled desperately to
block every Japanese advance and then
met the concentrated artillery fire OF
the Japanese with its kind. Latterly,
since the Japanese began running
parallels and transverses and extending
mines, the Russians have been con-
stantly making sorties. They rushed
into the Japanese trenches and engaged
In ferocious struggles with the en-
gineers and pioneers With desperate
courage the Japanese continued to close
In upon the fortress progressing stage
by stage. The Japanese infantry never
failed to respond when asked to make
an assault on almost impossible posi-
tfon and when the troops gained a foot
hold they generally held it with un-
llinching determination.