Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1904-09-15
WAR NOTES.

\
enforced inactivity-rain and bad roads
making military movements impossible.
Yesterday the Russian right and left
were extended along the Hun river.
while their centre seemed to extend as
far south as the Yentai coal mines,
along the railroad They were occupy
ing the city of Moukden, the Capital of
the province and having population
of about 10000
The Japs had advanced in three col
umns- and were closing in as fast as the
roads would permit. The situation is
somewhat similar to that previous to
the battle of Liao Yang, excepting that
here the river is to the south of the city,
while at Lao it was to the north.
The country to the north of Moukden
| is very mountainous, and the Russians
are fortifying Telling pass, expecting
| to effectually check the Japs there, if
defeated at Moukden as they were at
Liao.
On Sunday last Russian fleet con-
sisting of eight battleships, four cruis-
ers, and a lot of torpedo boats, colliers,
and transports set sail from Cronstadt,
the seaport of st. Petersburg, and sup
posed to be on its way to the far east.
1t will take several weeks for it to
reach Vladivostock, and by that time,
all the Jap vessels, injured in the last
fight off Port Arthur, and now being
repaired in the Jap yards, will probably
be again ready for action.
Yesterdays dispatches announced the
advance of new japanese army from
the west, which had crossed the Hun
river and was making for the railroad
| to the north of Moukden. All the indi-
cations were that the Japs intended
closing in upon the Russians as rapidly
as the weather and roads would permit,
and forcing another battle.
On Sunday last the Russian auxiliary
cruiser, Lena" carrying twenty-five
guns, put into the harbor of San Fran
cisco, and anchored; her Captain claim
| ing that she came in for repairs to an
injured boiler.
The Jap. Consul protested, and de-
manded that the Russian be required
to leave the port within the 24-hour
limit. The ship was inspected by U. S.
officers, and found to be in need of re
pairs that would require at least si1
weeks, and as by that time Jap. cruisers
could be on hand to sink or capture her
as soon as she put to sea, she will prob
ably be dismantled, and detained unit
after the war closes.
II Her arrival at San Francisco caused
war risks on cargoes to Japan to Juml
from one one-fourth to three percent
I THE FIGHTING AT LIAo-YANG.
In telegram to the japanese pres
bureau in London, an officer of Fielt
Marshal of Oyamas staff describes tn
J line collision Of the two armies about
Lao Yang.
"The crescent of fame and slaugh
ter" lit was magnificent to look upon
-tpur norrifyfng TO study our-troor
advanced again and again, only to b
flung back. The Russians left their in
trenchments whenever the Japanes
charges speut themselves unavailingly
and pressed the ebbing remnant o
their assailants. Hand-to-hand fight
ing then prevailed, as far as the eye
could see.
Eventually the combatants separat
ed, leaving the ground strewn or drift.
ed deep with killed and wounded.
despite slaughter, shock and din oi
rife and cannon fire. the Japanese re-
newed their desperate assaults houl
after hour. The Russians yielded only
when we got around their fanks ant
then slowly. Their officers showed
complete contempt for danger, and ne
elected few If any tactical opportuni
ties.
The struggle exceeded in desperate
ness, any thing the unaided imagination
can picture aud subjected the nerves Of
all responsible participants to mos
terrible ordeal.
The japanese triumphed because oi
their unconquerable spirit, and theil
marvellous tactical fexibility, due tc
the training of the subo rdinate officers
and the rank and file, in the practice OF
war.
A Russian correspondent of the Asso
ciated Press. in graphic description OF
the fighting at Lao Yang. says:
"Only the Russian soldiers tradition
al splendid qualities enabled them to
support the terrible conditions, OF
i ntnh he In oh Of cln
unbearable. The japanese availed
themselves to the utmost of rain and
darkness. and did not cease fighting,
their night attacks testing Russian en-
durance severely.
The japanese suffered terribly, but
made light of their losses They con-
tinually drafted fresh reserves into the
/ ranks to replace the worn-out men.
Indeed the Numerical superiority of
| the Japanese is astounding and incom-
prehensible, for after losing enough rpen
| at Port Arthur aud elsewhere to form a
perfect army their effective strength
| appears only to increase, and they still
are concentrating fresh bodies of troops
on the Lao river
"The battlefield was perfect inferno.
| General Stakelberg was wounded. but
despising death. he remained immov-
able at his post throughout the day, re-
| gardless of the rain of shot around him
Several officers of his staff were killed
or wounded. In the evening General
Stakelberg notified General Kuropatkin
| that he could hold the position. or take
the offensive if necessary.
Among the incidents of the day
was the slaughter of two japanese bat
talions. which were pursued through
the Chinese corn and grass to Salza,
and surrounded by tue Russians They
| resolutely refused to accept quarter
preferring death
'-In another part of the field the Jap
anese shelled and captured by assault
one of the Russian trenches only to
| find too late that it had been abandon
ed by the Russians and occupied by
their comrades Tney fell upon the
PROSTATE bodies and flooded them with
tears
I'm one Gaze party of Japanese Off
GERS found body of men retiring in
| disord der and drove them back to the
battlements at the point of the sword
The Russian frontier guards died nj
their posts, refusing to surrender 1t
was the anniversary of the creation of
their regiment, which they had cele-
| brated the previous night They lost a
large proportion of their officers
AT many points the combat ,nts
stoned each other.
"Of late the Russians have learned
| 70 make Their batteries more effectual
| and thus have gained sensible advant-
age over the Japanpse The Rnssiana