Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-08-15
JAPANESE SWEEPING
 THE LAND AND SEA
Vladivostok Squadron Defeated and Scattered-Ves- sells Sunk Disabled-Port Arthur Again Under Fire and Japanese Are Within Three Miles O1 the FOrtess-Another Naval Engagement is Going on Germany Orders Vessels DismantIed.


 Liaoyang. Aug 14-The Japanese are preparing to make an attack. They make reconnaissances daily to ascer- tain the strength of the Russians at Z Anshanchan. The Japanese are eight miles to the southward of Anschan- chan and thence hold line southeast including the valley of Sidahi, whence their line runs northeast to Holungow, which is occupied by a large force. Further north their outposts are some miles from Landiansan. Opposite An ping the Japanese occupy Goutzyatszi. On the Taitzi river the Japanese out posts occupied Daodinshan, whence the Japanese tried to ford to Bedsihu, which is defended by the Russians. The road thence stands towards the Yantai mines and the railroad north of Liaoyang The Japanese also oc-S cupy Tzantchan, opposite Dapindou- shan, on the Saimatzi road oyer the Taipin pass and through Sintszintin to Mukden.
 There are constant reports that the Japanese are moving large forces on the railroad to Sinmfntsin and that they are bringing up pontoons to cross the Liao river, thus threatening the Mukden and Iiaoyang railroad
 From this it is easy to perceive that the Russians strategical position is very good. They occupy with Liao- yang as the center a fortified semi-cir- cle. The Russian forces can be con- centrated easily and moved along in- side lines. The Japanese, on the other hand, are outside and therefore much dispersed The Russian position, it is claimed, will be still better when they retire from Anshanchan. The Japan ese are ever showing a desffe to close the circle from the north, simultane Ously moving from the west and east towards Yantai, Mukden and Ia pass. Under the present circumstances 1t is believed that this task is be- yOnd their strength, at least until the fall of Port Arthur releases large number of troops.
 St Petersburg, Aug 15. 1:52 D. m.--- The Novoe Vremya's naval expert, reviewing the incidents of the sea fight of August 10, says:
 Admiral Togo's first division sail ed out from the Elliot islands or Ta- Henwan, and arrested Admiral With oft's progress, utilizing the enormous superiority of the Japanese in torpe-s do boats to attack the Russian van guard and sowing floating mines ina It's course a stratagem almost hitherto unknown, which paralyzed Withoft's movements as it was almost impessi- ' ble to detect the floating mines with out stationing a lookout in the bows which necessitates exposing the men to almost certain death This pre- sumably caused Withoft and his saff to leave the coming towers and stand on the bridge whence they could bet ter detect the treacherous obstacles. j Thanks to the courage and self sae- rifice of the admiral and the other of ficers the squadron successfully avoid ed a danger such as never before en- countered, but the remainder of Admiral Togo's fleet came up, com- polling general engagement in which the Japanese again were favored by the superiority of their torpedo boats, thirty to eight Their artillery also was stronger by half as many guns and their secondary batteries by third more than their main batteries. The Russians had the advantage, how ever, of the disposition of the big guns of the Czarevitch, Poltava and Sevastopol, the strong force of their fire aft enabling them to punish the enemy behind. The battle at this stage was limited to long range firing, an which the twelye-inch guns had a monopoly. It was at this time that the Czarevitch was crippled and the others gathered round to protect her. 1t was the crucial period. The Jap- anese, according to their custom, con- centrated their fire on the fagships, the Retvizan and Czarevitch, which were both crippled.'
 The writer adds that he believes !, Ao out of action but he is convinced that the Japanese sustained severe loss and recalls the fact that many Japanese vessels were crippled at the naval bat tie of the Yalu by tne Chinese war ships.
 He does not expect Admiral Togo was in position to follow up the Rus sian warships. which, he claims, es, caped and probably are heading for Vladivostok.
 St Petersburg, Aug 15, 1:26 p. m.- The newspapers to-day devote slight editorial space to the naval engage ment off Round Island August 10, and generally express the belief that the remainder Of the Port Arthur squad ron has broken through the Japanese feet The editorials mostly deal with the Ryeshitelni incident M. Sou vorin, editor of the Novoe Vremya, vehemently declares that Captain Shestakovsky, by skipping the face of the Japanese commander, admin astered the only punishment suitable for such an outrageous act.
 All the papers make sarcastic allu- sions to the bankruptcy of interna- tional law" and the Russ, Novoe yremya and Novosti produce an ar ticle from a Berlin paper based on the perils of the work of maritime law, pointing out that the Japanese were not justified in attacking the Ryeshitelni, regardless of the fact that she was armed or disarmed. The same authority invokes support for the contention that the Russian war ships did not violate international law in seeking shelter in neutral ports.
 The Knight Commanders captain sss oxnactod fo arrive in St Petersburg