Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-10-10
Sudden Forward Move
ment Retakes Lost
Ground.
ISSUES A STATEMENT
Says Army at Last is Strong
Enough to go to Relief
of Port Arthur.

St. Petersburg, Oct 10.-Kuropat
kin has taken the offensive. The en-
tire Manchurian army is advancing
south from Mukden on LiaOyang. Bent
saiputze has been attacked and cap
tuTed.
The Russian advance southwark be
gan Oct with the occupation of Shak
he. on the railroad - miles south Of
Mukden. On oct. ; the Shakhe river
was bridged and the following day
troops began crossing to the south
bank.
Cen. Mistchenko attacked the Japa
nese center near the Yetai coal mines
driving in the enemys outposts.
Issues nm Address.
Gen. Kuropatkin. in a long address
10 his army, issued Oct. 2. declared
that after seven months of retreatins
the army was now strong enough tt
take the offensive and to march to the
relief of Port Arthur.
VIII Exercise Care.
St. Petersburg. Oct 10.-A high of
ficer of the general staff informed the
Associated Press today that Kuropat
kin is prepared TO advance with great
care but when the main collision will
occur will depend on circumstances
Heavy fighting is hardly likely before
a week at the earliest.
CossackS Protect FIanks.
St. Petersburg. Oct. O.-Kuropatkin
is in the field personally directing the
forward movements of the army which
il is understood has divided into two
strong columns moving on each side
of the railroad whence they will draw
their supplies, their flanks being as
sured by no less than 150 squadron:
of Cossacks. The Russians are oper
ating along a front of between 40 ant
40 miles.
Three Vessels Reported sunk.
Toxic. Oct lot is reported here
the Japs recently centered the fire
from their land positions and from
the fleet blockadng Port Arthur ol
the west harbor with the object of de
stroying the Russian fleet and succeed
ing in sinking three vessels the name
and character OF which are unknown
Japs Retire Southwark.
Mukden Oct. 1O.-The Japanes
main army is retiring southwark. II
right wing has gone 80 miles. TIL
Japanese are giving up not only tn
positions which they occupied afte
the battle of Liaoyang but places the
had previously taken.
Jap Line In Broken.
St. Petersburg. Oct. 10.-Gen. kurC
patkin's order of the day annOuncin
his determination TO take the Offensiv
was supplemented last night by tn
news that an offensive movement ha
already been begun and that the Japs
nese line has been broken at Bentsi;
put2e.
The japanese occupied a front {
about 80 miles. stretching from Ben
siaputze on the east through Yents
and across the railway 10 the bank
of the Hun river on the west.
The Russian force had been movin
south in close touch with the Jap;
nesc advance since Oct 1. The Jap:
nese outposts were driven back in
series of Skirmishes. and on Oct.
the Russians reoccupied the station [
Shakhe. IL miles south of Mukden. th
railway battalion restoring the brids
across the Shakhe river the next da
in order to facilitate the advance.
Jnps Defeated In Skirmishes-
Meanwhile Gen. Mistchenko's Co
sacks pushed southwestward as far {
the Yentai mines. defeating the Jap
nese in a series OF warm skirmishe
The most important action. howeye
occurred on the Japanese right :
Bentsiaputze. Here the Japanese he
n strong and important position. b,
il seems they made the ineXplicab
omission 10 fortify a commanding hi
which was the key 10 the whole stu
ton
\ portion of Gen. Kuropakin's for'
made a strong attack on BentsiaputZ
and. taking a leaf out of the Japane:
book. occupied the hill from the ca
and flanked the japanese out of Il
town. causing a serious loss in a re
guard fight. The Russian casualti
are reported 10 have been inconside
able.
Position of Rival Armies.
While these operations are progres
ing south OF Mukden, it is report,