The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-05-10

Win, May l.. Wis Seoul. May g.
When the early mist drifted from the
Yalu River this morning the Japan
ese Infantry was disclosed lined up
for battle on the low, sandy Island oc
kinteito. which Is in front Of Wiju.
The walls and towers Of the city on
the hill, rising abruptly from the south
bank Of the river and the nearest Of
the three channels, were crowded with
Japanese and Korean SPECTATORS of the
forthcoming attack.
Kinteito Inlet. is hardly anything
more than a dry bed Of the river. 1t
is q low, sandy plain, only few feet
above the level of the water and with
out shrubbery or cover, except in its
southern half.
INFANTRY IN THREE-MILE
LINE AWAITING TASK.
The infantry lay with stacked arms
across the island awaiting their work.
The soldiers were spread out in their
black lines three miles long, from q
point on the island opposite the village
Of Chiu-Lien-C Cheng on the west to q
point opposite the extremity Of the
Tigers Head on the east. One divi-
sion Of the Imperial Guards occupied
the center line, another division was
on the west, and third on the east
Of the line.
The Tigers Head forms q peninsula
projecting into the river. almost pakal-
lei to the south bank. The Japanese
division, which executed the thanking
movement from upstream yesterday.
with almost its full force present, was
now on the sands north Of the Tigers
Head. Four field batteries were be-
hind the infantry on its extreme
iankA concealed by the shrubbery.
RUSSIANS SILENT
UNDER CANNON FIRE.
Two batteries began the action BY.
throwing shells to the Manchurian
side Of the river for half an hour.
while the. sun was rising. They
sprinkled with shells the embank-
ments whence the Russian guns had
been firing for the last week, but no
response to their fire was Forthcoming,
and II looked as II the Russians had
removed their batteries during the
night It seemed as If the enemy had
withdrawn entirely, as no signs Of life
could be seen on their works.
Soon after Z O'Clock the japanese be-
gan to advance. The distance from
the Korean 10 the Manchurian bank
Of the Yalu u about two miles. The
japanese troops spread out in extend
ed formation as they went forward.
When they were 4 few hundred yards
from the hills on the Manchurian side
they threw themselves prone on the
ground and began volleying.
In the meantime the japanese bat
teries searched the hills with shrapnel.
HURRYING RUSSIANS
MAKE FINE TARGETN
The Russians now could be seen at
intervals where the road was ex-
posed hunying in small squads along
the hills. These exposed stretches Of
ths road made fine targets for the jap
anese gunnsrs. A fierce FIRE was con-
centrated on one open space, half the
ahrapnel thrown bursting over a small
area with wonderful precision. There
was perfect shower of puffs Of white
smoke in this place, and the observ-
ers could see the work Of an occasional
shell as 1t dug q great hole in the
earth and scattered quantities OF
rocks.
Still the Russians remained silent.
There was no answering fire from
them until the first Japanese line was
within few hundred yards Of the
river bank.
SHARP vOLLEYS BURST
FROM RUSSIAN TRENCHES.
Then sharp volleys burst almost sim
ultaneously from several trenches. and