The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-09-30
IN CONTACT
CONTINUED from First Page,

Russians residing here claim to hav.
received information that the Japanese
losses In the last assault on Port Ar
thur which begun September 18TH, were
seven thousand.
A Chinese VINO left the fortress IN
September 18th says that the Russian
losses were between 500 and 60c.
This Chinaman says that the Japa-
nese Were unable TO remain in the three
supplementary forts which they captur-
ed and that they retired at 4 O'Clock
on the afternoon of September 18th. AZ
ter enduring several day of remen
dous firing from the inned forts
He adds tina the Russians attempted
to bury the dead on 10Th sides al night
because the -decomposing bodies seri-
ousiy menaced the health of the garri-
SON.. The Russians aHege that it is the
deliberate policy of the japanese TO
undermine the health Tof the Russian
troops by means of the doors from the
decomposing bodies and that for this
reason they fire on the burial parties.
One Chinese who was a member OF
a burial party states that the japanese
fired when he and other Chinese at
tempted to bury the dead. He adds
that when the wine carries the odors
toward the Japanese the latter retire.
Chinese say that the most severe at
tacks were made on the supplementary
forts Of the Itz and Anshu mountain
forts. The Russians had undermined
the ground and several hundred Jap
anese were blown up on September
23rd. Reports received from the Miao>
tao stands mention a terrific report
which shook the houses there On that
date.
The Russian ships. says the report,
took no part in the battle. From thir-
ty to fifty shells fell daily in the Chinese
nnuy tnuyn nna hall tara tho rrddar
from a torpedo boat destroyer.
The Russians are nov building a new
fort on Liaoti prOmontory bearing on
the island side. It's construction indi-
Gates that five large guns will form the
nucleus of the battery.
St. petersburg, September 2S.-6:15 p.
m. The latest official advices from the
front are silent on the subject of the
Japanese thanking movements east and
west of Mukden, from which the war
office concludes that Fled Marshal Oya-
ma has not yet begun to press his adj
vance from lar Chan, or up the liz
river valley, indicating that there :.
still further delay in the general &C
vance.
The Associated Press is now author
lied to definitely deny the statement
that the japanese in any force have
crossed the Hun river about fifty miles
from Mukden.
There is no evidence that the Japa>
nese turning movement is nearly so
extended. The only Japanese at this
point are the scouts reported in these
dispatches September 26th. The only
information received from General Ku-
ropatkin timed 3 p. m. yesterday is to
the effect that the Japanese outposts
east of the railroad along the Shake
river continue to throw out small de-
tachments, but they are invariably met
and repulSed by the Russian cavalry
which maintains close contact along
the whole japanese line. Daily Skin
miSheS are occurring but none of an
important character. a herd Of cattle
and a few horses have been captured
by CosSacks.
According to information brought in
by Russian scouts the main japanese
forces are still concentrated along the
Yentai branch railroad and reinforce
mentS are still crossing the Taitse river,
using two PORTIONS at Bentsinu five
miles due east, of Yentai station. From
the latter fact it would appear that
| the preparations for the Japanese ad-
| vance are more backward than hereto
| fore supposed.
| The information received at the war
| office concerning the situation at Port
| Arthur is not reaSSuring. The block
| ade at last seems to be effective. Ad-
| miral TOgo'S ships are arreSting all the
| junkS which try to enter the harbor
| and are sending them to Port Dalny
| 1t is feared that this complete isola-
| tion may react on the spirits of the
| garrison.