Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-27
RUSSIA AGGRESSIVE
Kuropatkin Said to Have As
sumed Offensive.
PREPARING FOR FIGHT
CARS PEOPLE ENCOURAGED BY
OUTCOME OF NAVAL BATTLE.
Army Against oku Reported as Ex-
ceptionally Strong-Inspec-
ton of Jap Works.
PREPARING FOR FIGHT

ST. PETERSBURG. June q, II % am
dispatches received here from TIA Tche
kiao indicate that both the Russian and
japanese armies are moving into contact
|. for great battle, which even now may be
in progress.
General Kuropatkin yesterday assumed
the offensive against General Oku. while
General Kuroki from a position fourteen
niles to the eastward was moving against
the Russian flank at Haicheng
The Japanese have evacuated Senu-Chen,
apparently with the object of enticing Cen
eral Kuropatkin south. In the meanwhile
General Kuroki is advancing on Hai-Chen
ready to attack the Russian left, and is
again moving throops north from Feng-
Wang -Cheng.
Not since the war began has such air
of excitement pervaded the war office and
admiralty. The news received during the
next few days is expected to largely deter
mine the fate of the present campaign on
land and The spirits of the Russians
have appreCiably risen at the prospect that
after all the sortie of the squadron of Rear
Admiral Without. in command of the ma
val forces at Port Arthur, while it may
have resulted in the loss of some of the
- Russian ships, has been successful.
A dispatch from Che-Foo this morning
SAYS that Chinese junk reports having
seen two big Japanese warships and several
torpedo boats damaged ON Friday near
Port Arthur. This strengthens the belief
here that great sea hight has occurIea req
and that the japanese. who alone are able
through wireless teleGraphy to be in con-
stant communication with their base. are
Withholding the news.
If the Vladivostok squadron is at sea with
the purpose of effecting a 1uncture as is
generally believed. with the Port Arthur
squadron, its appearance on the scene could
easily turn the scale in favor of the Rus
slams.
May Be Reverse.
Some usually well informed person
ages at the war Office are bold enough
&c see in q report received this morning by
the Bourse Gazette of the hasty retirement
OF General Oku evidence that the japanese
feet has suffered a reverse, and that the
commun' cation of this intelligence to Oku
with the accompanying threat that his base
at Pitsewo may be attacked, competed MS
withdrawal.
All direct news from the land side ndi-
Gates an immense and decisive battle near
Ta-Tche-Kiao. According to the Asso-
cfated Press advices last night, General
Kuropatkin is there. personally in COM
mand. The presence of the military at
taches and newspaper correspondents Is
also significant. Kuropatkin's purpose
seems 10 be to try to prevent 1uncture OF
General Oku's and General kurokis armies
The outposts are in touch all along the line
Ii KurOk has met kuropatkn's offensive
move southwark against Oku by ad-
vance en- Hai-Cheng. as the advices of the
Associated Press from Ta-Tche-klao say,
the Russian Communicating chief seems to
be seriously endangered unless he retires,
or is strong enough to present two faces to
the enemy Kurok was only fourteen
miles frcm the Russian army yesterday,
according TO a dispatch from the front, and
the three armies so close together that
decisive battle appears to be inevitable
Loss Of Transports.
LAO YANG, June 27.-The apparent ces-
sation of the japanese advance in the
northern part OF the Liao-Tung peninsula
IS attributed hero to the loss of two or
three transports carrying ammunition. 1t
is also reported that the naval battle off
Port Arthur caused an alteration in the
Japanese plans.
Viewing Jap Works.
GEN. KUROKIS HEADQUARTERS IN
THE FIELD. Feng-Weng-C -Cheng. June Is.
via Seoul. Korea delayed In transmission).-
A party OF eighteen correspondents and
military attaches has been conducted on
tour OF the main Japanese works beyond
!, headQuarters 1t was seen that the great:
est care has been taken in building these
works and that the attaches remarked
temporary defenses having been construct
Ell with more pains than most European
armies would take under similar Circum-
stances. At Liao-Iang. where II was hith-
crto thought the first meeting between the
two armies In force would occur, the Rus
sians have guns in position mounted ON the
city wall and trenches on the plain south Of
the city extending over an area of 1S1 de-
grees. These trenches are constructed
that they be flooded during the rainy
season Recent rains indicate the begin
nng of the wet season when military
movements upon large scale will be
greatly Handicapped and perhaps rendered
in possible for months or more.
The japanese completing arrange
rents for transportation whereby facilities
for the supply OF the army Will be assured
regardless OF weather conditions.
Koreans are bringing in many stories OF
CCssack outrages in northeastern Korea.
According to these reports the natives have
been forced to furnish supplies TO the ma
RAIDERS who have in return burned the
houses of the villagers and Ill treated their
wcmen.
In Justice to the Russians It must be said
that the Chinese here1bouts have been
nberally paid for work and supplies during
the Russian occupancy. few buildings
were burned along the line OF their retreat,
but the towns were left mostly undamaged.
Within the Japanese lines the country is
enjoying its usual prosperity except that
the merchants suffer from the stoppage OF
traffic with the interior. Farmers find a
good market for their products and coolies
get unusual prices for their labor. In
most of the towns the local magistrates
continue their Jurisdiction under Japanese
supervision.
RUSSIANS ASSUME OFFENSIVE.