Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1904-08-12
KURON HOPES TO
FORCE A SURRENDER
Japanese Armies on Three
Fronts Forcing Things to
a Final Issue.
a SALLY AT PORT ARTHUR
Russian Destroyers and Gunboass Go
Out, But Are Reported Driven
Back by Togo and His Fleet
The War Situation.

St. Petersburg. Aug. 6.-The fact tina
there is no further news from the FROM
beyond General Zassalitch's account OF
the fighting at Simoucheng on July 81,
bears out the Associated Press expla-
nation that the Japanese are hating 10
bring up supplies, especially
ton. of which a Ii Tern engagement
entails an extrayagant use and With
out which it would be impossible even
for a victorious army to follow up it's
success. The tropical heat is intense
and there are many sun strokes.
Chefoo. Aug. 5.-S. A. Serebrinik, who
was a passenger on the British steamer
Hipsang. which was sunk by a Russian
torpedo BOAT in Pigeon hay. july ~
and who was among the refugees VINO
arrived here on the German steamer
Sulbery, was interviewed. According
TO his version the hghting before Port
Arthur from July 26 to IS inclusive was
directed against the last of the outer
defenses, namely Wolf, Green ana
Christ hills, situated north and east
of the city. The japanese captured
Wolf and Green hills, but failed TO taxi
Christ hill, which was the only out
post held by the Russians when Mr..
%Serebrinik left Port Arthur.
A newspape placed the Russian loss
at 200 killed and 500 wounded; the
Japanese at 1900 killed and wounded.
1t was also estimated that n Japanese
fired 125, 600 rounds OF shfapnel. Inc
ground was covered with broker shells.
The japanese attacking force was es~
timated at 10000 men ON the night
of July 2S a truce was declared for the
purpose of burying the dead, which
strewed the hills.
Russian fleet emerged from tine
harbor on July 26 and engaged AdTnlral
Togo, who withdrew TO safety beyond
his mines. "A japanese gunboat struck,
a mine and was damaged, but not sur
ficiently to sink her. She was towed
away. The Russian warships then re-
tired, one squadron going to the inner
basin. and the other behind the Tigers
tail. None of them was injured.
Toxic. Aug. 6.-The Japanese are
hourly awaiting tidings of victory at
Port Arthur with more interest and
cagerness thar heretofore displayed
during the war. 1t is known the jap
enese moose about the beSieged city is
gradually Tightening, and the japanese
guns are pouring fire into a diminish
ing circle, and it is felt here that the
critical hour is fast approaching.
But the public is ignorant of the
hour when the final assault viii be
made, n also of the details of the
work already done around Port Arthur.
1t is believed the fire from the Japa-
nese batteries will compel the Russian
fleet to leave the harbor ana accept
battle from Togo.
II is becoming proverbial that the
Japanese infantry Will go anywhere
and will refuse to retire, no matter
how great their losses may be. "A story
is current to h effect that the en-
peror has expressed the wish tEat the
capture shall be effected with the
smallest possible sacrifice of life.
Washington. Aug. 6.-The Japanese
legation today received the fol- owing
from Toxic:
''Oku reports the enemy has been
~retreating northward continually since
August 2. on the Sd our army oc-
cupied Hal Cheng and Nowchwang.
Toxic. Aug. 6.-Twelve torpedoboat
d~estroyers, four torpedoboats II some
gunboats emerged from Port Arthur
harbor on Monday night, blu We're
driven back by the japanese warships.
Newchwang. Aug. 6.-Field Marshal
Oyama. commander-in-chief o fthe Jap
anese forces in M~anchuria, and Gem
eral Kodama, chief of staff, left Kai
Chou Yesterday and ave established
headquarters in the field with the
army
Newchwang. Aug. 1.-THE Russian
force f~ntrenched outside Hal Cheng,
which place is now occupied by the
Japanese. yictors at the battle or
S~imoucheng, numbers over 10000 men.
General, Kuroki. with 100 900 men, is
now behind the Russian forces; Oku,
With so 5000. is on their front; while on
4l,o fnff 80 Nadrtf with ED ono If KurO-
patkin IS defeated in the approaching
battle he must either mov westward
or surrender.
The Russian troops at Port Arthur
have ben driven back TO the last lind
OF theiv defenses. The Japanese att
The foregoing dispatch, sent out
from the rew Japanese base of OPP
erations at Newchwang, and therefore
presumably representing reasonably
accurate knowledge of conditions, gives
for the first time something definite
are operating in Manchuria. The
statement that they nave zoe, 900 men
actually in the campaign against Ku-
ropatkin Is startling, for the japanese
have not heretofore been taking the
! world into their confidence as to their
| forces or their locations. The object
OF giving out such definite figures at
this time Is only to be conjectured, but
il seems to indicate confidence on the
part of the Japanese that they have
the situation so well In hand that
nothing can defeat their purposes.
Yesterdays st Petersburg dis
patches intimatad that Kuropatkin had
been hurrying back his main army TO
Mukden and was leaving only a skel-
eton force to contest the Japanese adj
vance. II the Japanese estimate OF
Russian strength Is anywhere near the
| truth, however, his Is not the case.
IT is doubtful, indeed, at this stage,
whether Kuropatkin has control OF the
railroad north Of Lao Yang and Is in
a position TO send his troops north
ward. The meagerness of advices from
the Russian army suggests strongly
that the commander Jnay have lost his
telegraph line and be compelled to send
kilograms by courier back toward Har.
bin.