Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-05-30
EXPECT an ATTACK.
Japanese Not Likely to Depend OF
Siege to Capture Port Arthur.

Japanese Noe Likely 10 Depend on
Siege to Capture Port Arthur.
St Petersburg. May 2s.-The general
staff expects the Japanese forces to at
tack Port Arthur and attempt to carry
the stronghold by storm without delay.
A siege is not looked for, but it is be-
| lieved that a month or more will he re-
| quire,l 10 bring up siege guns. In the
Chino--Japanese war, altho kinchou
| was taken practically without opposi-
tion, eleven days were necessary to
prepare for the storming of Port Ar
thur.
Col Novtzky of the general staff. in
an interview, points out that Port Ar
, thur, is altho generally denominated a
fortress. is In reality an intrenched
camp, whereof Kinchou was only an
advanced improvised position. II would
be unwise to Judge Of the strength of
the permanent connected fortifica-
tions around Port Arthur by Kinchou.
These Qualifications. he said. support
each other scientifically. Operations
against them will require the most care
fui systematic preparation.
Three Ways Open to Japs.
"Tte japanese now before Port Ar
| thur said Colonel Novtzky may pro-
ceed In three ways: First, an open at
tack after preparatory artillery fire;
second, a progressive siege; and, third,
d blockade. / think the Japanese will
adopt, the first course, as it is not to
their advantage to wait while Russian
reinforcements are arriving. The sec
cnd method is long and complicated
operation that might last months.
Port Arthur. generally speaking, is
impregnable. but impregnability is a
relative term. Nothing in fortification
is resllly inyincible. Guns will destroy
any structure. Cannon viii defeat each
ether Sappers can remove impedi-
ments outside and fill bitches. Scaling
ladders will overcome any walls. Mine
can be met with countermine.
"A blockade would involve passive
activity for many months and an enor-
nous number of troops. Therefore.
believe that the Japanese will attempt
to carry the place by assault with the
aid of their artillery.
The Japanese are copying on larg-
er scale their campaign of 1894 While
General Oku is at Port Arthur, General
Kuroki, after a junction with the ad-
NaIIClIlS dl dhuSliiIl, Will
move on Haicheng and New Chwang
until they are occupied. | do not be-
lieye General Kuroki will move against
General Kuropatkin's main position
until he has formed q base at New
Chwang."
A Russian correspondent has just re-
turned from Port Arthur. He has been
over and is thoroughly familiar with
the forts and defenses there. His opin-
ion is that the fortress cannot be taken
except by systematic siege operations
that will require many months.
Unless the Japanese are able to car
ry it in less than three MONTHS the
correspondent says, they will he too
late, as General Kuropatkin will then
have enough men to send an army to
relieve the garrison. F'ock is great
fighter. Stoessel has 10000 men in
Guiding the sailors on the war ships.
The garrison is proyisioned for n year"
The correspondent also explains that
the abrupt declivity in the rear of the
position at Nanshan made it impossible
for Gen. Fock to take away heavy guns
wher he retired