The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-06-09
TALE OF JAP REPULSE
Russians Retell Story of Port Arthur
StOrming.


st. Petersburg, June Especial dis
patches from Liaoyang report Chin
csc as bringing news that the Japan
csc on June attacked Port Arthur
by land and sea, but were repulsed
with q loss of $500 men and four ves-
sells, which, judging from the descrip-
ton given Of them, were torpedo
boats. -
other dispatches give rumors of
naval battle between two fleets in the
gulf Of Pe-chi-n and a definite report
Of q bombardment in Liao-tung gulf
near Kai-ping, which may foreshadow
q landing there for the purpose of cut
ting the railroad back of the Russian
troops operating around Wafandian.
The war office Is in possession Of
information which the officials declare
warrants a contradiction of reports
brought by Chinese fugitives to Chi-fu
of a four days land and sea attack on
Port Arthur and Of extensive damage
% the fort.
An official dispatch from Rear Ad-
Iniral Wittsoeft, dated June 7, reports
that the enemy has been bombarding
Port Arthur internationally from the
sea, but does not mention serious OPP
erations from the land side. The gen.
eral staff seems certain that the en-
emy's siege guns have not yet been
brought up. .f.'
Discussing the Chinese reports
brought to Chi-fu, a member of the
general staff said:
eve have had our own experience
with the unreliabtlity Of Chinese re-
ports. The idea of the explosion of
mines by a thunderstorm Is absurd and
the Chinese statement that the whole
garrison has gone to the front is wild
nonsense, betraying the deepest ignor-
ance of the conditions governing the
safeguarding of a fortress. The gar
rison Of each fort never leaves its post
except to pursue routed enemy. The
troops contesting the advance upon
riflemen which have all the time been
on the Kwan-tung peninsula for this
purpose"
At the admiralty the reported &C.
ton of the Japanese warships in she'll.
ing the coast near Kai-chou will bt
stration to discourage sending a strong
force south against General Oku'.
rear.
The mystifcation concerning the
strength Of the force sent south con
tinues. The war office, which seem
tngly Is not fully advised in regard tt
General Kuropatkln's plans, says the
commander-in-chief's ability to detacI
an adequate force will depend upor
the number Of troops at Genera
Kurokt's disposal, concerning which
apparently there is no accurate in
ISTc, dlIuO the Del1eI Is ina
the Japanese commander has abou
forty-eight battalions at Feng-huang
cheng and thirty-six in the vicinit,
of Taku-shan.
The latest intelligence received a
the war office is to the effect that tn,
Japanese have abandoned their ad
vance north of Feng-huang-c heng ant
west of Siu-yen. The Russians ar,
holding Siu-yen and Saimatsza
While they decline to furnish spe
ciffc information on the subject /
seems certain the Russians are now il
wireless communication with Port Ar
thur. BY no other way could the re
ceipt of Admiral Wittsoeft's dispatcl
of June Z, reporting the intermitten
bombardment of Port Arthur from
the sea, be accounted for.
While the above represents the of
fetal view regarding the reports an
the nature Of the fighting around Por
Arthur this city is full of all kind
of wild stories and the public is in
clined to credit the idea that tn
enemy has already begun seriou
work against the fortress.