The Oskaloosa herald., 1904-11-24
FIRE RACES NEAR
RUSSIAN ARSENAL
BoMBARDMENT HAS TELLING Eff
Feet ON PORT ARTHUR.
czAR LOSES MORE wAR-sHIps.
Japanese Defeat Reported at PoutiIoff
Hill-casuaIties Estimated at 500
Town Of Shahkepo 5eing
Bombarded Today.

Toxic, Nov. pa Port Arthur re-
port states that buildings near the
Russian arsenal caught fire at noon
on November %, owing to the bonn
bardment of Japanese naval guns. At
nine-forty last night they were still
burning.
Japs Bombardine Shahkepo.
| st. Petersburg, Nov. 23.--Gen. SAX
haroff reports that the Japanese are
today severely bombarding the village
of Shahkepo, on the Shahke river.
Several other minor engagements
have occurred since Sunday.
Zandagaw, Manchuria, by courier to
Mukden, Nov 3D. Japanese lost 500
men in the attacks of November IL and
November Is and were evidently dis
heartened. When they renewed the at
tack November 10 the Japanese sent out
| several battalions from Double bumped
hill, but taeir movements lacked de-
cision. The Russians opened fire from
Poutiloff Uone Tree) hill and neighbor-
| ing eminences. Shells burst in the
midst of the advancing Japanese coll
umns and quickly checked them. The
Japanese also tried turning operation
at Chanlindza, but there also they were
| dispersed. There was slight encounter
Novembes 20. Russian scouts pene-
trated short distance into the Japanese
| lines, but without muchresult.
Country Laid Waste.
During the last two days the Chinese
have been moving in large numbers
| from the east northward, taking their
wives, children and household goods In
order to save them from the Japanese.
They eyince more confidence in the Rus
slams than in the Japanese. The Chi
nese complain that the whole country
between the Russian and Japanese lines
is laid waste Noe single dwelling is
/ standing. The earth dwellings Of the
i soldiers are comfortable.
The Attack on Poutilotf Hin.
sIukasp E9y 3 q yie E!sRssln Ess; y:
23.-since the Japanese attack. on Pon'
tiloff hill on the night OF November 1s
no activity has been apparent The
character of the attack on Pouulon
hill is not fully understood beyond the
fact that three or four battalions par
ticipated, 1t probably was made ON
| the initiative of the local commander,
! without the consent of headquarters
i and as an attack it can only be favor
ably regarded in the light of a recon-
naissance in force. This incident is
the most important that has happened
since the battle of Shakhe. Poutilofi
hill, which is now the center of inter-
est of the entire line, could be seen
j flashing the signal of attack from her
Notifications as the Japanese infantry
! advanced.
/ On account of repeated reports that
the Japanese intended to attack op
] November 10, this assault was Believed
to be the signal for an advance of the
entire line, and consequently the entire
Russian army, on the qui vive, inaugu-
rated its own hostile movements, both
east and west of Poutiloff hill The
Japanese arrived within SO yards OF
the Russian trenches The Russian
fire was too deadly for further ad-
vance. The next morning disclosed
about 80 Japanese dead, which the
Russians buried yesterday. The Japa-
nese succeeded in carrying off in haste
4 200 wounded. The Russians lost half
dozen men in trenches.
Three Destroyers Sunk.
London, Nov. "a dispatch to the
Daily Express from Nagasaki gives de-
tails of the sortie of the torpedo boat
destrpyers from Port Arthur on the
nights, of November 13, IA and Is. Only
one Of these destroyers reached Chez
foo, the Rastoropny Three others
were sunk by the Japanese. The three
boats sunk left two days before the
Rastoropny and all carried duplicate
dispatches from Gen. Stoessel. The
Japanese cruiser Kasuga sank the first
destroyer after fight lasting half an
hour, in which all the Russians were
shot or drowned except four, who were
rescued from the sea by the boats from
the Kasuga after the destroyer sank.
One Of the men thus rescued has since
died. The cruiser Matsuhima sank the
second destroyer 25 miles from Port
Arthur, receiving itself an ineffective
blow from a torpedo. Two Japanese
torpedo gunboats sighted the third de-
stroyer of Maotishan at midnight and
chased it until o'clock in the morning,
when the engines of the torpedo boat
broke down. The gunboats discharged
two torpedoes at the destroyer, both
i OF which struck almost simultaneously.
The destroyer sank with all on board.
appointment for Alexieff.
St Petersburg, Nov. g.. - An impe-
rial decree issued Tuesday appoints
4 Viceroy Alexieff a member of the coun-
ell of the empire and of the committee
| of ministers.