The Savannah morning news., 1904-06-03
HOW THE JAPANESE FACED
THE TERRIBLE FIRE.

London, June 3.-The Times steamer
Haimun returned to Che Foo June 2
from a cruise in Kin Chou bay. The
correspondent aboard learned from
Port Arthur refugees that the native
and civilian population only get such
food as arrives by junk from Chinese
ports, or what they have themselves
secreted. The military authorities have
requisitioned all available food. On
half rations it is estimated that the
garrison has enough for five months.
The five damaged warships moored at
the Port Arthur jetties, the Times cor
respondent learns, have been denud-
ed of every thing movable. Lieut.. Gen.
Stoessel retains "a large number of
junks in the roadstead. The object of
this measure can only be conjectured.
The correspondent says:
Eye witnesses of the battle of Kin
Chou describe it as an unprecedented
military spectacle. Forty thousand
Japanese were massed behind the west
ern spur of Mount Sampson, under
such small cover as was afforded by
the twin peaks. The troop were within
1000 yards of the Russian works. There
was so little room to deploy for at
tack that battalions of Japanese troops
were obliged to stand in The sea wait
ing for the moment of attack, exposed
to a veritable inferno Of fire from
the Russian batteries. The shells plow-
ed into their serried masses.
Meantime battery after battery or
Japanese guns went into action upon
the Chi Lii Chwang and the Kauchiayan
flats and sustained gunboat fire play
ed upon the Russian works. Their
fVae fNfO-
jectiles. About midday the energy of
the Russian defenders in the works
in front of Mauchiaying village
seemed exhausted by the gunboat fire.
Two japanese battalions appeared over
the saddle between the twin peaks
and made a desperate effort to carry
the nearest Russian works. At first
the struggling walls of Mauchiaying
gave them some cover and a moments
breathing space. Then the gallant lit
tie infantrymen drept on again up the
slopes toward the Russian position.
st was an impossible task. AS yet
the defenders had not been sufficient
ly shaken. An avalanche of concen-
trated fire from infantry in the
trenches, machine guns in the Rus
sian works and quick firing field ar
tillery in the supporting defences struck
the Japanese. They melted away from
the glacis like solder before the flame
of a blowpipe A few, who seemed
to have charmed lives, struggled or
until they reached the wire entangle-
ments.
1T was in vain. Heroic effort was
wasted. Within fifteen minutes these
two battalions ceased to exist, except
as a trail of mutilated bodies at the
foot of the Russian glacis.
Seeing the failure of this attack
the gunboats and supporting artillery
concentrated the whole of their fire
upon the point where Gen. Oku had
determined to drive home his wedge
and by evening the works were prac.
ticable for an assault by a genera
who had such infantry as the Japan
csc and who prepared to take the re-
sponsibility of such fearful losses. i
would seem as if the actual carrying
of the works had been another Alma
The word was given for bayone
attack. Then the whole japanese
front surged forward and the mora
balance went over to the side of the
Japanese, the Russians retiring before
them"