The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-08-19
PORT ARTHUR IS
FLAME.W WRAPPED
Great Explosion Succeeds Sound
of Guns, Then Siege Sus-
ponds.
DESPAIR SUPREME IN
RUSSIAN ADMIRALTY
st. Petersburg Officials at Last
Realize Sea Power Is
Crushed.
Special to The Journal.

celved a dispatch from chl-fu today,
dated yesterday, reporting that the sound
OF guns at Port Arthur was succeeded at
sunset by a great explosion. The be-
segers then seemed to suspend action. Nm
the evening Port Arthur was seen to be
enveloped in Intense light, caused. 1t Is
supposed, by a conflaeration In the town.
Paris, Aug. 1e.-The ST. Petersburg
correspondent of the Echo de Paris says
the newspapers there no longer attempt
to discuss the gravity of the situation at
Port Arthur. Public anxiety Is such that
1t has been arranged to make the baptism
of the czarevltoh, which Is set for next
Tuesday, an exceedingly quiet function,
owing to the fear that 1t may happen that
the fall of Port Arthur occurs on the same
day.
Chi-fu, Aug. ia battle Of huge
proportions ragged around Port Ar
thur Aug. IA and Is and was resumed
ed, sacrificed 10000 more men, but
gained important advantages in the
matter Of position.
Refugees state that the Japanese
made great attack Aug. Is. They
charged over a huge mined field,
where there were terrible explosions
and men were blown to atoms. 1t is
10000 casualties. The Japanese are
said to be driving large herds of cattle
over the Russian mines, trying to ex-
plode them. The Russians capture
the cattle, and this assists their food
supplies. During the last three days
200 shells fell in the town.
The main force Of the attack was
directed against the left wing and
resulted in the capture of Pidgeon
bay positions and some Of the forts
at Liao-tie-shan. At Pa-lun-chang
the Japanese hastily mounted guns,
which did excellent service in aiding
the storming of the right wing, where
the Japanese are said to have cap
tured two forts Of minor value,
mounting eight four-inch guns, two
siege guns and six quick-flring guns.
Seen on Peninsula.
The position that the Japanese oc-
clear, but numerous Chinese sources
aver that the Japanese have been seen
in force in that section.
Apparently crushing attack
originating in Louisa bay swept thru
the Pigeon bay positions into the
majority of the lives of the expedition
were sacrificed.
On the night Of the 18th the battle
lulled somewhat, when the Japanese
sent the terms of surrender to Lieu
tenant General Stoessel. The terms
march out with the fonors Of war and
join General Kuropatkin; that all
civilians be brought to a place desig-
mated by the Japanese admiral; that
the Russian warships In the harbor,
numbering seven, namely, the battle
Peresviet, Poltava, the armored
cruiser Bayan, and the protected
cruiser Pallada, and twelve or more
torpedo boat destroyers and four gun
boats, to be surrendered to the jap
anese.
Received With Curses.
Lieutenant General Stoessel Is al.
legged to have received the terms with
burst Of wonderful profanity, his
habitual taciturnity deserving him
He strobe the floor until he became
calmer and then remarked that, if the
Japanese proposition was a joke, i
was in bad taste. Then he replied:
last fort, Port Arthur will fight"
During the truce it was decided by
the Japanese, In the event of Genera
Stoessel returning an unfavorablt
answer, to occupy certain positions
These the Japanese took possession o.
on Wednesday evening without diff
Guilty. The Japanese artillery fir
was terrific thruout the night, and i
continuing without intermission Thu
morning.
The number of civilians yet remain
Ing in Port Arthur is unknown, but
= is said to include the wives of man.
naval and military officers, who, 70
patriotic reasons, have steadily refuse,
to leave the besieged town. 1t is SAIL
the remaining non-combatants petit
toned General Stoessel on Wednesda
to be allowed to remain in town rathe
than be under obligations to tn
enemy.