Durango semi-weekly herald., 1904-02-29

Two OF the six Japanese steamers
sunk in the harbor entrance yester
day are SUD burning. the other fouI
are sunk in various points near the
harbor entrance, One lies very close
to the stranded battleship Retvizan.
ST. PETERSBURG, Feb. 25.-
There is general public satisfaction
over the Russian fleet repulsing the
Japanese In their attempt on Port Ar
| stones and explosives The czar has
wired congratulations to Viceroy
Alexieh and his squadron.
ST PETERSBURG. Feb. 25.-Up to
sundown this evening no further de-
tails were officially received of tue
presumed unsuccessful attempt of the
Japanese to block the Port Arthur har.
Dor by getting four old merchant
steamers sunk in the channel, but the
populace Is much disgruntled over the
announcement that the presumed vic
tory of yesterday is not what 1t was
first reported.
ST. PETERSBURG. Feb. 25.-De-
piNNts NH' Vi lHt mas
established bureau for supplying Off.
cial war news to correspondents of
foreign newspapers.
LONDON, Feb. 25.-lt is believed
here that the trans.Siberian railroad
running from Moscow to Vladivostols
through Siberia is really u handicap to
Russia The road is nearly 5000
miles long and has poor equipment
and bad roadbed, so that Transports
ton OF men and supplies Is not only
difficult but next to impossible. II
has cost $500 900 900 already to build
the Siberian railroad, and II is an en-
ormous annual loser The locomo-
lives are wood burners and were built
by the Baldwin people OF Philadel.
phia.
LONDON, Feb. 25.-General Alexei
Nicholairtch Kouropatkin, the Rus
sian minister of war, who Is directing
the operations against Japan. is easily
Russia's foremost fighter. The best
| authorities of Europe conccde that no
one in the entire world ls better equip.
ped in every branch of military know
edge.
Educated In the theory of arms at
the best OF the Russian military
greatest of modern Russian warriors,
Gen. Michael Skobelef, he made a glo.
rious record In every important Rus.
sian war since 1866. and worked his
way up from sub-lieutenant In that
year to the command OF the army in
1897.
He has received more decorations
than any one breast could wear at one
time, He was born on March II,
lS4S. and obtained commission as
sub-lieutenant in the Turkestab Ri
lies when he was only 49, After the
brilliant Turkestan campaign, which
added TO Russia's Asiatic possessions,
kouropatkin returned to st. Peters
burg a lieutenant to continue his mill
AIRY studies, In 1871. as the most
brilliant graduate of the academy OF
he general stan. he was seat IDroad
study military conditions In various
European countries. In France Pres.
dent Mcmahon invited him to take
part in the maneuvers at Metz. Here
he displayed such strategic ability
hat he was decorated with the cross
of the Legion of Honor. being the first
Russian to win that distinction
When war with Turkey broke out
IN 1877. kouropatkln was summoned
| back to Russia. Constantinople was
TO be taken, Between Russia and
Constantinople lay three great bar
riers-the river Danube. the Turkish
strongholds in Bulgaria and the Bal
kan mountains. The first barrier was
passed with ease. Osman Pasha had
Oeen hurrying from WIddin with co.
thousand trained soldiers. Reading
| that he was too late to defend the riv-
er. he threw his entire force into Pley-
| ma, thus menacing the line the Rus
slams must follow from the Danube to
egic move, for until Osman was dis
lodged no forward move could be
| made by the main army OF the Rus
slams. Twice they hurled themselves
against Plevna and were twice repuls
| ed with great slaughter,
| Between Plevna and Shipka pass
lay Lochva. held BY $1,000 Turks
This stronghold must fall before botf
wings of the Russian army could clost
in upon Plevna Skobelef and Kour
opatkin were dispatched against 1t
After three days of hard fighting
Lochva was captured, and the thirt
attack on Plevna was begun. 1t rag
ed furiously for Ave days. but ende'
In another repulse Of the Russians.
Skobelef and Kouropatkin Tough
side by side during those bloody day
and were frequently preclpitated int
hand-to-hand conflicts with the enc
my Their most terrible experience
were on September IL and IL. Sko
belief assaulted one of three Turkisl
redoubts on Green hill and carried
within an hour. but with loss o
5000 men. The redoubt was impei
fectly constructed and left Skobele
exposed to fire on three sides. TIL
Turks saw the opportunity and mad
sortle. Thereupon Col. kouropal
kin. the only officer on Skobelef'
staff who had not fallen. rushed /
meet them in the open with some 30
men. A desperate fight at shor