The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-13
PORT ARTHUR NOT YET
TAKEN BY JAPANESE, BUT
MAY BE IN WEEK OR TWO
British Officials Think There Is No
Hope OF Saving the Russian
Stronghold.
EASY TASK FOR ENEMY
japanese Can Land at Pigeon Bay
and Cut Off RuSsians-Baron
Hayashi's Advices.

ment has information which leads IL TO
believe that Japan is likely TO be in pos
session Of Port Arthur a week from now.
In the best informed japanese circles here
1t is privately thought the war will be over
by July Those British officials who are
cognizant of the extraordinary thorough
ness with which Japan prepared for the
war are inclined TO share the Japanese
view regarding the duration of the struggle
Baron Hayashi. summing up events in
the far East, so far they have gone.
said to the Associated Press to-day:
Whatever may be the eventful result
of the war, Russia, in allowing US to oc-
cupy and fortify Masampho. has created
for herself another Dardaneiles. With the
fertilization of Masampho the integrity Of
Japan is assured forever. No fleet can
now pass there against Japan's wishes.
Even if we are beaten we would not give
up Masampho."
The Associated Press understands that the
Japanese troops are advancing rapidly to-
wards the YaIu river. There it is expected
they will meet and engage the Russian
forces. The japanese declare that the
numbers of the Russian troops are greatly
exaggerated. The plan of the Japanese
appears TO be to take the road which leads
almost straight to Mukden. They profess
TO have no doubt that they will be able to
drive back the Russian forces toward Har-
bin. Baron Hayashi points out that the
Mukden road. though nominally under
Russian military control, will be subject
TO constant raids from Chinese bands, who
will swoop down from the hills. Proceed
ing diagonally, the japanese intend TO cut
the line of communicated between Port
Arthur and the mainland of Manchuria,
not only preventing reinforcements from
reaching the Port Arthur garrison, but
inficting damage upon the Manchuria
Railroad.
CAN LAND AT PIGEON BAY.
The British view that the Japanese will
in the meanwhile be able TO occupy Port
Arthur is chiefly based on the latest in
formation that the Russian guns cannot be
brought to bear on any force landing at
Pigeon Bay. which is on the western side of
Port Arthur, and it is believed the Japanese
admiral will follow tactics almost exactly
similar to those intended to be pursued at
Santiago, the troops storming the batteries
in the rear while the japanese fleet lies
waiting for the ships of Viceroy Alexieff
who, in the event of a land attack being
SUCCESSFUL.
liberty with his crippled fleet or fight where
they are against practically hopeless odds.
In spite of the lack of news il is con-
fldently held here that the Japanese land
forces are actively engaged in a most inn
portant movement, which will come to a
climax as swiftly as did Japan's first naval
attack.
The Japanese minister said: "OnIy those
who went through the Chinese war quite
understand the emulation which exists be-
tween the japanese navy and army. In
the former war the army was all TO the
fore and no little jealousy existed between
the two arms of the service, though our
navy was then in it's infancy. Knowing the
army as 1 know 1T there must now be ire
mendous anxiety to score a success equal
10 that just made by the navy. You may
look for some very keen land fighting"
The advices of the Japanese minister fur
Their announce that NJ. Pavloff, the Russian
minister at Seoul and the Russian legation
guard have departed for China, and that the
Russian officers and sailors who surren-
dereG to the japanese after the battle
fought off Chemulpo will be sent to Shang-
hal under parole on the first neutral vessel
available. The official telegram adds the
information that all the survivors of the
Variag, Korietz and the transport Sungari
were taken on board the British, French
and Italian warships off Chemulpo.
NJ. Pavloff, from Seoul, reported that he
asked Mr.. Allen, the United States minister
to Korea, to convey the survivors of the
Russian ships to Shanghai or Che-Foo on
board two American transports which were
them into noncombatants, but the Japanese
minister at Seoul was ultimately instructed
to accept the French offer to take them to
Shanghai on board the cruiser Pascal, on
the condition that Russia agreed not to
allow them TO proceed northward from
Shanghai during the war.
The foregoing is the first reference made
in the Eastern dispatches to the loss of the
Sungari. Apparently she was Russian
transport which had arrived off Chemulpo
with the intention Of landing troops there,
though no mention has been made of their
capture by the Japanese. 1t was announced
Feb. Z from Toxic that Russian troops had
been dispatched TO Seoul
No confirmation has been received here of
the reported attempts of the Japanese to
land troops near Port Arthur. Captain Ia
mari, the japanese naval attache. discredits
these rumors. He said THE japanese
will never attempt TO take Port Arthur from
the alone" The captain attaches the
greatest Importance TO the seizure of Ma
sampho, Korea. as giving Japan command
of the Straits of Korea and preventing a
junction of the Russian squadrOns He
thinks from the plans previously arranged
that the main Japanese squadron is still in
| the vicinity of Port Arthur, probably pre-
| pairing for another attack.