Omaha daily bee., 1904-06-17
RUSSIA ANxIOUsLY AWAITS NEWS
Hopes and Fears Are Exciting PODu-
lace of st. Petersburg.

Hopes and Fears Are Exciting POpu-
lace of St. PetersburE.
ST. PETERSBURG, June 16--The result
of the battle at Vafangow north of Port
Arthur, which has now been in progress
| for three days, is awaited here with
| breathless interest Excitement prevails
| in all quarters. The loss OF more than 300
| on Tuesday shows that the fighting has
| been of a desperate character, and Gen
eral Kouropatkin's report this morning
proves that both armies are determined
| to force matters to decisive issue. The
public has been considerably elated by the
| news of the success which thus far has
attended the expedition OF the vIadivostok
squadron to the straits of Corea. and
should General Stakelberg win a victory
over General Nozu on land, 1t would make
the deepest impression. Already there Is
much talk of his success. but the War
office prudently advises caution against
the acceptance of irresponsible reports in
the absence of Official news from either
| side.
Kouropatkin's dispatch. given out this
morning, brought the report UP to 2:30
o'clock yesterday afternoon, but stopped
at the most critical point of the battle,
when Stakclberg was meeting an attempt
TO turn his right wing by a similar move
around Nozu's left flank. Stakelberg's re-
serves had already been brought up and
| the japanese had been heavily reinforced.
| Exactly what portion Of Stekelberg's
| Cossacks were engaged at Vafangow is not
ascertainable. 1t consists OF the First,
Second and Sixth East Siberian rifles di-
visions. the Usuri mounted brigade and the
First East Siberian Sapper battalion.
General Goingross, who was wounded,
commands the First Siberian division OF
| four regiments and a machine gun bat
| talon. General Samsonoff commands the
| Usuri mounted brigade
The operations leading up to the battle
| of Vafangow date back to June H. when
two Japanese divisions, one commanded
! by General Nozu, advanced from the Pu-
lantien-Pitsewo line, probably prompted by
| intelligence that the Russians were receiv-
ing reinforcements. A sharp skirmish
took place the night OF June - at the
village Of Oudiden, ive miles west of the
| railroad ard seven miles south of Wa
! Fang Tien, and another skirmish occurred
| on the heights near the village OF Iidia-
! tun ten miles east OF Oudiaden. The Ian
/ anese were repulsed but the Russian ad-
vance posts retired. On June 10 two Ian
anese divisions were FIVE miles north OF the
! scene of the skirmish. their left wing rest
/ ing on the village of Vafangow and their
| right on the valley OF the Tassa, which
| flows parallel with the railroad falling into
: the sea ten miles south OF Pitzewo. After a
| days rest the enemy advanced fifteen miles
/ June IA and attacked the left OF the Rus
sian position four miles south of Vafan-
cow. The Russians had the best OF the
first days night annihilating a Japanese
cavalry squadron and taking some prison
ers. although at nightfal both armies re-
tained their positions.
| This dispatch reached the emperor yes
terday afternoon. but through a blunder
in transmission the war commission did
not receive It until this morning. There
was no intention TO withhold It's contents
from the public. Nothing further hss
reached the Wax once TO this time