The Saint Paul globe., 1904-05-29

ST. PETERSBURG, May %, 8: 36
p. m.-Although work is pushed night
and day to prepare the Baltic fleet for
service, it is feared now that it cannot
be ready to sail for the far East be-
fore September. The delay is regarded
as especially unfortunate in view of
the situation at Port Arthur, where
the arrival of the fleet before the fall
of the fortress would compel the rails
ing of the siege.
1t has been found necessary to put
the damaged battleship Orel in dry
dock and possibly she may not ac-
company the Baltic fleet to the far
East There is no intention of pur-
chasing any South American Warships
offered by private firms. Neither has
Russia any intention of buying for
eign merchantmen for transport pur-
poses. -Four Hamburg-American liners
We're bought by the merchant marine
department and turned over to the
navy to become part of the volunteer
fleet. Twenty transports will accom-
pany the Baltic fleet carrying COAL
amnlunitien and every kind Sof~ stores
There wiA also be repair. water con-
densing and hospital ships. Altogeth-
er sixty two -pennants viii go out ans
der Vice Admiral Rojestyensky.
FIND WIRES TO MINES. s, "
TOKYO, May 2S.-The Japanese as
sault on Nan Shan hill was one of the
fiercest and bloodiest affairs in modern
warfare. In the earlier rushes of the
engagement every man participating
was shot down before he reached the
first line of Russian trenches It was
found necessary to stop these infantry
charges and renew the artillery fire
from the rear before the final and suc4
~ nj 2C NY1f n,
ton could be made. The success of this
assault was brought about by one de-
tachment of japanese troops, more in
trepid than their comrades, who sue
ceeded in piercing the Russian line.
A splendid stroke of fortune was the
discovery and destruction by the Japa-
neSe of the electric wires leading TO the
mines at the eastern foot of Nanshan
hill. This prevented the Russians
from exploding these mines when the
Japanese infantry crossed the ground
where they had been placed. 1t is pos
Sible that the fortune of the day hing
ed upon these mines. If the Russians
had been able to explode them at the
right time the losses among the Japa-
nese troops would have been tremen-
dous and it is possible also that the
Russians would have been able to hold
the hill.
Nanshan was spIendidly defended.
Nearly fifty guns of various sizes were
mounted on the various emplacements
and there We're also two batteries OF
quick firing field pieces. The artillery
| was sheltered behind loophoies trench
| ed on the terraces of the hill The in
| fantry manning the field pieces ran
| with them around the hill, thus using
these guns for the protection of the
most important points.
ALL FIELD GUNS IN ACTION.
The Japanese began the fight by
! bringing all their field guns into ac-
sault on Nanshan hill was one of the
| emplacements on the Hill. By IL o'clock
| in the morning the principal Russian
! batteries had been silenced. The two
Russian field batteries then withdrew
| to Nan Quan Ling hill and from there
| continued to fire on the japanese until
nightfall.
| After the Russian batteries had been
Silenced the Japanese artillery opened
| on the enemy's trenches, the Japanese
| infantry advancing. meanwhile, to
within rifle range The japanese grad
| the Russian lines, where they encoun-
! tered wire and other entanglements
/ They discovered an opening in these
obstacles and getting finally to within
! 200 metres of the Russian trenches,
| they rushed for the line.
Several successive charges were
made, but every officer and man in the
attacking parties was shot down 20 or
| 80 metres from the line. The charges
were then stopped and the Japanese
artillery renewed its preparatory fire
on the enemy's position. Towards
! evening detachment of Japanese car
ried a section of the Russian trenches,
breaking through the enemy's line.
| Hundreds of the comrades of these
men, inspired by their success, sprang
forward and then the entire Japanese
line swept the hill, driving the Rus
slams from their positions. 1t was in
| the desperate infantry charges that
| the Japanese sustained the bulk of
| their losses.
LOSE 5000 MEN.
| Japan paid heavily for her victories
| at Kin chow, Nanshan and Ta-Iien-
wan, losing 5000 men in killed and
| wounded in the repeated assaults
against these positions, but she scored
a sweeping and valuable victory over
| the Russians, capturing fifty guns,
clearing the way to Port Arthur and
| inflicting losses on the Russians which
| in the end are expected to total 1000
men.
1t is doubted if the Russians win
stand again north OF Port Arthur.
They retired from the field beaten
and they failed to rally at Nan Quan
Ling, where it was anticipated that a
second stand would be made. The
desperate onslaughts of the Japanese