The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-07-20
Japanese Vessel Captured by the
VladiVOstok Squadron.
Russian Cruisers Have Started
ON Another Raid.
TORPEDO BOATS.
Seems to Be Headed for East
Coast of Japan.
May Intend a Junction With the
Port Arthur FleetS

Toxic, July 20.-Noon-The vladi-
vostok squadron has overhauled a
japanese vessel eastward of Tsugar
Straits. The name of the vessel cap
tured and her fate has not yet been
learned.
| The Russian V1adivostok squadron.
unaccompanied by torpedo boats, ems
tered the Pacific ocean today at
o'clock. Its destination is unknown.
but it is suggested that it possibly
plans to raid the east coast of Japan
and then either return to Vladivostok.
escaping to the southwark or attempts
ing to form a junction with the Port
Arthur fleet. The squadron was dis
covered in the Straits of Tsugar at =
o'clock this morning steaming east
ward. At $3.50 a. m. it was reported of
Tappi cape and at a. m. observers at
Hakkodate discerned it and reported to
Toxic that it was then steaming to the
east.
Warnings have gone out to shipping
along the eastern coast of Japan and
merchantmen are hurriedly seeking
cover. 1t is said that most of the ship
ping will be warned before the Rus
sian vessels can infiict serious dam
age, if raid is purposed.
Ordinarily a lack of coal would pre-
vent an extended cruise but IL is pos
sible that the Russians possess COLI
lier at a rendezvous in the Pacific
ocean.
Count KelIer's Repulse.
Ia Tche Kiau, July 20.-Details of
the repulse of Lieut.. Gen. Count Kel-
ler's attack on the Japanese at Mo
Tien pass last Sunday which have just
arrived show that it was demonstra-
ton in force to ascertain the strength
of the enemy, and plainly developed
their numerical superiority. 1t is evil
dent that the Japanese are drawing
off troops from the Russian southern
front, reinforcing their positions to
the east.
she Japanese display marvellous
power of concentration at the right
time and place. The Mo Tien pass
engagement strengthens a conviction
here that the moment for a general
advance by the enemy has not yet
arrived. .3.. -...... rs.
Reports that the japanese are
about to land troops at Lin Kiou are
current, but not believed.
German Ship Seized.
London, July 2O.-The Suez corre-
spondent of. the Daily Mail July 19
says:
1.-The German steamer Sambia. it is
stated, has been seized by the Rus
slams and is expected here tom orrow.'
Cruiser Passes Dardanelles.
London, July 20.-The CONSTANT
nople correspondent of the Daily Mail
in dispatch dated July s says:
"a Russian cruiser has just passed
through Odessa with several guns COW
cred with canvas on her deck. She
also carried torpedo tubes.
Oku Receives Reinforcements.
London, July 2O.-The Daily Chron-
icle this morning prints dispatch
from its Yinkwo correspondent under
date of July 19, saying that the rein
forcements for which General Oku has
been waiting are now being disem-
barked under the protection of seven
Japanese cruisers. A fresh landing OF
troops, the dispatch says, is also be-
ing effected to the north of Port Ar
thur and important events may be
looked for this week.
SnipiDg for japanese.
Ia Tche Kiao, Tuesday July IS
delayed in transmission. All is
quiet in this region. Neither side Is
moving. The only activity is at the
outposts. The Russian sharpshooters
are having good practice sniping the
Japanese from the mountain sides.
Small detachments creep out at night
steal UP to the Japanese pickets In
the darkness. hide themselves i'm tree
tops and there await sunrise. AS soon
as the light is sufficiently strong they
get fine shots before the Japanese
pickets can get away
Captured Vessel Released.
Toxic, July 20.-6 p. m.-The steamer
overhauled by the Russian Vladfvostok
squadron was the Takashima. She ar
rived at Mororran at noon today and
reports that she left the Russian ves-
sells steaming to the southeast at great
speed. This course creates the inn
preston here that they are heading for
Saigon, the capital of French Indo
China, although it is possible that this
course is a ruse to deceive the jap
anese.
Russians Sink a Ship.
Chefoo, July 20, p. m.-Junks
with Chinese on board have come in
here from Lao Tie Shan promontory.
The men report that on Saturday
morning. July 16, at 8 o'clock, the
Port Arthur forts fired on a passing
ship. These shots were not effective
and the vessel did not stop. A tor
pedo boat then came out and either
fired on the vessel or discharged a
torpedo against her. A thick fog pre-
vailed and the occurrence could not
be seen. Shortly afterward 80 Chi
nese and one foreigner, survivors OF
the vessel, were brought ashore by
came in on the junks say they recog-
nized the vessel as a merchantmen,
and from the efforts made by the
Russians to rescue the survivors they
concluded the torpedo boat recognized
that she was mistaken in having at
tackled the vessel and did everything
to rectify her error. The fact that
these Chinese, before talking even to
the natives here, went direct to the
ships missing indicates that they are
telling the truth.
JAPANESE who have arrived here
from those parts of the Kwan Tung
peninsula which are occupied by their
troops report that the forces investing
Port Arthur are fortifying their pres
ent positions and assuming the defen-