The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1904-12-15

tutcu. ~ y uncln JUST TOUR unys 10
get large guns mounted in safe posi-
lions the summit. and then they
hcgnfv ) lombard the Russian battle
ships In the harbor. They had beer
wasting great quantities Of ammuni-
zion on those ships for weeks past.
hut ns their fire was then from the
north the ships could get protection
behind Peiyu Hill. Under the new
conditions the japanese lire was from
the west. and the ships could get no
shelter except by going outside tlc
harbor N hiding behind Tigers Tail
Peninsula. which for reasons best
known TO themselves they lid not care
90 do.
As General Nogi's reports OF the
damage done TO the Russian ships are
ser In great detail, we may assume,
sayx the Chicago Record Herald. that
they are accurate, though Of course
the observations are made from hill.
tops -four or five miles distant. OF the
Russian battlcships. the PoLicda. Pol
tnva. Ietvlzan and Percsvlet are all
reported sunk, or. rather, submerged
A I'm whole or In part at their anchorage.
y The Scvastopol. the only remaining
battlcshlp. lies In such position that
the Japanese are not sure whether
they have damaged IL or not. The two
cruisers. the Bayan and the Pallada.
are reported as aground or badly list.
ed. and both have been on Ere. Tho
gunboats and destroyers are so small
that they make hard targets 10 hit,
but those Of them not already destroy
I'D can hardly hope TO escape long.
This Is n most inglorious end for a
battle fleet. but we may be sure that
IL has not been tnmely accepted be-
caus OF any lacE OF courage on the
part OF the Russian officers or men.
a uiorc natural explanation Of their
refusal 10 make n sortic is probably
that the sailors could not be spared
Co die az sea when they were SD great.
IL needed 10 help man the fortificl-
tlons of the city. Perhaps. also, IL
may have been the case that the naval
guns had long since been removed for
use I'm as, forts. and that the ships
had been Without repairs so long that
they could not be effectively maneu.
=scrrd at sea.
AS TO the future OF the siege. ON
thcory ~ that the Japanese. having no
longer any fear Of the fleet at Port
Arthur. and having made sure that
no other Russian ships can enter the
harbor and live. will now trust 10 the
slow process Of starvation 10 capture
: the town. Instead OF renewing their
assaults. such may be their decision.
but, ON the other hand, they seem 10
be- pushing their trenches and tunnels
steadily forward. ana a desire 10 have
h houses I'm the city for the army
TO live In during the winter may make
an assault seem worth their while.
Certainly the sulferings OF winter life
In the trenches would be very great.
a few days ago Il was announced
that the Car had ordered the dis.
patch to the Pacific OF a third squad
ron. TO be made up OF two nearly corr
plcted batilcshlps and five old ones,
with n number Of cruisers and torpedo
boat deStroycrs. There comes now a
report that the Car. ~disrcgardlng tha
opposition " the grand dukes. has or.
dered Admiral l,ojcntycnsky. the o M
mandcr Of the Baltic fleet. not TO ~
on 60 the far cast. Nothing definite ~
known as to his whereabouts. hut ha
IN probably near Madagascar. III such
nm order really has beer given. IL eau
only mean that the Emperor has his
doubts as to whether Admir- Rojcst-
vensky, with his present force. ~ ms.
sured OF u victory over the japanese
fleet, and deems II wise 10 hold him
hack until he can he REINFORCED. ~
-.this time Of the ycnr N~lliivnstok. tho
only port held by the Russians. Is
frozen up. IL Is not a good base or
operations, nor will Il bc a good place
20 retire 60 In event OF rcvcrscs.
Kouropatkln anil Oyama stIlI con.
front each other In strong cntrcnch.
mcnts along the line OF the Shakhr
River. and there Is nothing in the nc.
counts OF the stirmishcS which come
to ms from day Ia day to Justify any
Inference rs 20 their intentions. Little
fights seem 10 occur lmpartinlly at aIl
points OF the line. Lone Tree Hin.
which the Russians call Poutilon lin,
is. however, singled u Tor special nj.
t~ention. az the Japanese are reported
as ~bombarding L nt least once or
twice n week.
While the armies arc quiCsrcnt
Kouropa'tin Is availlng himself az the
opportuuliy "a r~corgauizr his forces.
Since u, sdcparturc OF AleXleG he has
had n IRE, hand. At the present tlmr
nc has probably 100000 men NIL told.
hut whrn his reorganization II com.
pletc he expects Ia have three armies
OF i50.CCO men each, which be- can
match. army to army. against the con-.
mands OF Oku. NodZu AMI Kurokl
War News Ia Brief.