Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1904-03-30
PROGRESS OF
THE WAR.

There appears to have been little real
fighting during the last week. The nu-
merous alleged bombardments OF Port
Arthur can all be boiled down into one
single attack. This bombardment was
served up fresh by the refugees arriving
at Yingow, Newchwang, Tien-tsin, Che
foo and Shanghai to the correspondents
in hose towns. And the correspondents,
thinking they had new stories, promptly
cabled the refugee tales home. So the
story kept drifting in all through the
week.
1t has become evident that, all reports
to the contrary Notwithstanding, the
Japanese battleship squadron is quite
intact up TO date A Mukden CORE
spondent of French paper visited Port
Arthur and was there informed chat ac-
cording to Russian advices the enemy s
squadron was reduced to the battleships
Shikishima. Yakima, afikasa, Asahi,
the Matsuse, which must mean the Hat
SUSIE. and the Fudashi. which must mean
the Full. These six battleships are all
that the Aikado has ever had.
The dash OF the Port ArtiSr squadron
to unite with the YladivostoE cruisers
came to nothing. The ships crept out
at night, but soon encountered the Jap
aaese scouts and returned. On Tuesday
the Russian squadron, with the aid Of
ice-breakers and dynamite, forced its
way out of frozen Fladivostok harhor,
and afterward was reported at rest in
Possiet bay, about ninety miles to the
south.
A Toxic paper which has hitherto re-
ceived a great deal OF accurate advance
information about military movements
printed a statement that Japanese
army division had crossed the Tunen
river between Hyeisan and Musan. II
this news be true it is likely that the
divisions objective is Vladivostok.
Hyeisan and Musan they are marked
only ON the larger maps lie on the boun-.
dairy between Korea and Manehuria. The
two towns arc about 100 miles apart by
road. Hyeisan may be found on large
maps by taking linz from kilju slight
" north of due west Where this line
intersects the boundary is Hyeisan Mu-
san lies TO the northeast about 100 miles
as the crow flies or due west Of Du-
kuga. On the Manchuriau side of the
river there is fairl flat country between
Hyeisan ailsI .s,sss.saIl. To the northeast
that is, in the direction OF Nladivostok
the fiat country continues. To the
s0uthwest-that is. in the direction of
the mouth Of the YaIu and the Seoul
Pekin road. along which another Jap
anese army is known to be operating
the fiat country is broken by a series
OF preeipitate mountain ranges. In 9TH
er words. il would be exceedingly diffi
cult for an army in the position describ.
ed by me Toxic paper To move south
westward toward the mouth Of the lalu
or the Liaotung peninsula, whereas il
would be comparatively easy. so far as
TIE couiguration Of the ground goes. for
such an army to march northeast. toward
Nladivostok
The inference is strong that il the di-
vision has crossed the Tumen river as
reported its objective will be that town.
That wall give two or perhaps three dis
tinct campaigns. One will be against
VIadivostok. Another will be against
Che Russian forces near Win. at the
mouth OF the ialu. 4 third may be
made hy an expeditionary army debark-
ing from ships behind Port Arthur and
raking that place in the rear. 1t is reck~
oned dangerous 10 divide forces too great
~. Possibly the Japanese fear three
fold division, and prefer to make their
ighs in two sections only. II such is
their intention it gpes 70 explain why
the Japs have hitherto neglected what
every military expert who has appear
ed in an English speaking newspaper