Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930, 1904-10-13
pER>0D(G5RE 2EsSS OF THE MAR

L
has been the case ever since the siege
began, just nothing at all. What we
are able to guess with fair degree
of probability is very little. When a
general assault is being made by the
Japanese we soon know the bare fact
by the thick crop Of rumors that come
to Chefoo. Also the latest rumors
usually suffice to show that earlier ru-
mors were false. But what positions
the japanese are now holding, and
more especially whethey they have
driven the Russians permanently out
Of any one Of the chain Of great inner
forts Of Port Arthur, cannot be told.
Nevertheless it Is worth while to
cast a glance over the progress of the
siege and make the best guesseS about
1t that We can. The first landing Of
Japanese on the Liaotung Peninsula
was made May 5, Immediately after
the battle Of the Yalu. May q was
fought the battle Of Kinchau, with
the storming of Nanshan, and there
upon the effective investment Of Port
Arthur by land began. Dalny was at
once occupied by General Nogi and
made his base.
About the last Of June or the first
of July, concurrently with the occupa-
ton Of the three passes in the Man
churian mountains by Generals Kuro-
Xxi, Oku and Nodzu, the first lombard
ment of Port Arthur was made. This
was at long range, and it resulted in
advanced line across the peninsula at
q distance of some ten or twelve miles
from the main defenses Of the fortress.
The Japanese seem then to have di-
vided their armies into three sections.
At any rate, three general lines of
attack on the fortress can be marked
out. Their left came along the east
coast of the peninsula against Mount
Takushan and Siao-houshan. Their
center advanced on the village Suei-
sze-ying, about five miles north Of the
harbor, close to Wolf Hill. Their right
sought to work around to Pigeon Bay,
on the west coast of the peninsula, d.
rectly west Of the City of Port Arthur.
Between Aug. 1 and Aug. 10 we can
locate with a none too certain guess
the Japenese occupation Of TakuShan
Mountain, Of Wolf Hill and Of vii
lage and minor fort on Pigeon Bay.
With this the besieging army was in
direct opposition to the line of ex-
ceedingly strong forts which make up
the inner defenses. Rumor after ru-
NOR at that time told of the capture
of Etse-shan and AntsZshan, two Of
the strongest Of these forts, and the
sortie of the Russian fleet Aug. 10
gave grounds for the belief that these
rumors were true and that the fall of
the fortress was impending.
These rumors proved all wrong. and
If the japanese actually succeeded in
forcing the Russians out Of Etse-shan
they were unable to hold it them
selves. A month of comparative quiet
"a time Of commandments, but not Of
assaults-followed. Then, as it would
seem, about two weeks ago-most Of
the stories say Sept. ia new series
&t assaults began. We were told that
the japanese had captured nine minor
forts, part of them lying close in to
Else shan and Antszshan and part
south of Wolf Hill. These latter con-
trolled the waterw0rks Of Port Arthur
and gave the Japanese new point
from which to make attacks either
upon AntSZhan to the west or upon the
strong Keekwan forts to the east We
are still in ignorance whether these
positions, if actually taken, were held.
and also as to whether they are now
being used as aids for further as
saults, or whether assaults have now
ceased for the present. We have little
reason to think that any one Of the
main chain Of forts is now in Japanese
occupation. The fact that both sides
are losing confidence is a striking evil
dence of the desperate fighting around
the place. The Russians feel that
they cannot much longer resist the
desperate attack. The Japanese fear
they cannot batter down the indomit-
able defense.
There have been outpost skirmishes
between the armies Of Oyama and
Kuropatkin, but no serious fighting.
The Japs took Da Pass, about forty
five miles southeast of Mukden. But
its defense was not seriously attempt
ed. and it is not q place Of great i'm
pOrtance. Oyama's troops were still
concentrated, at last reports, just north
Of Liaoyang and at Yentai. This be-
ing so another big battle is not soon
imminent, for two armies cannot fight
when they are twenty-five miles apart.
Liaoyang is being fortified by the
Japs on its north side. When these
works are completed the town will be
a perfect stronghold, for Kuropatkin
already had fortified it on its southern
and eastern sides. The plan Of the
japanese is evidently to push the Rus
slams back as far as practical, and
then relying on their Notifications to
hang On like death to the territory