The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-10-14
DESPERATE
 IS CONFLICT Heavy Losses Suffered
 by Each. REPORT OF KUROPATKN Admits That the Retirement Was Necessary. Se Sign of the Battle siackening, Ai- though For several Days the aattle Has Been t
 Fierceiy wased.
REPORT OF KURoPATKN

St. Petersburg, Oct. 14-G:5O a. m.) Desperate fighting and heavy losses on both sides. with varying successes, Is the summing up of the situation by General Kuropatkin in telegram filed Oct. 1s. There is no sign ot the battle slackening. On the contrary. General Kuropatkin telegraphs that he had ordered the army to resume the light with sunabated vigor today
 General Kuropatkin is in the thickest ofs the fighting and General Sakharon, his chief of stan, is personally directing reconnoissances. The conflict has been most desperate at the center and on the west flank. The advance guards at those points had to he repeatedly re- inforced. owing to the great pressure of the Japanese attacks. At nightfali Oct 12 the Russian right was with drawn to its main position. but one or the abandoned positions was retaken at the point of the bayonet during the night
 Contrary to Field Marshal Oyama's report, no indication is given in Gen. erai Kuropatkins telegram of an en- veioping movement by General Oku. The only positions captured by the Jap anese force were at the center. where tbe Russians were compelled to retire during the afternoon. There Is no mention of the loss of guns. The war offce declines to deny that there was such a loss, but explains that sucn an incident was possible while positions were changing hands. but that even II if is true, 1t is of no material conse-
 According to telegrams from Rus .tay correspondents, the horrors. of the battle were intensified by bitter cold and rain. General Mistchenko who had been reported to be raidtng in Korea, playedsa a conspicuous part In the hsnt- ing on the Russian left flank. 2gs.
 Accordink to the last news of the fighting in the direction of Bensihu. the Russians were striving for the posses eon of a pass, but no news was re- eeived from there yesterday. The pass alluded to presumably is Hu pass which is mentioned in General Sakna- roff's telegram of October II. Hu pass is eight miles due north of Bensihu. sho,,id this mass fall into the hands of the Russians 1t would involve the cap ture of Bensihu, thus opening up the road to Liaoyang.
 Whereabouts or Rennenkampn.
 According to the belief of the gen eral Stan, General Rennenkampn hao moi penetrated as far as the Taitse Riv- CT, but he is cooperating Tn the at tempt to capture Bensihu.
 Tn the midst of the anxiety and sus- pense involved in the great fight south If Mukden, comes also the first word fin many days from the defenders cf Port Arthur. While General Stoessers s report of the condition of affairs at Port Arthur is no later than October '. it shows that the garrison at that time was in unimpaired spirits. making d heroic defense against series or most bitter assaults in all the history of sieges.
 The closeness of the fighting and the deadly character of the attacks and counter attacks are shown by the fact that both sides are using hand Erenades, and that the Japanese, after a bloody capture of the Signal station hill. were unable to hold the position in face of the fire of the fortress
 The repeated failure of the Japanese to hold a footing once gained in the circle of inner forts Is received with considerable satisfaction as indicating the skill with which the defenders of Port Arthur were arranged. the main line of forts supporting each other so as to render any one position almost certainly untenabIe even if temporarily captured by an enemy.
 Matter of Ammunition.
 But the reckless ferocity of the as- sulats by an overwhelming force of Ja- panese seems to make 1t certain that Port Arthur can only be held by an immense expenditure of ammunition and it is becoming a serious question with the authorities how long even the great supply known to exist in the fortress can last in the face of the Japanese attacks.
 The most serious feature of General Stoessers report from a strategical point of view is the fact that the Ja panese have got a mortar battery in position, to bear on the inner fortress
 Emperor Nicholas held a council oi war today, at which, 1t is believed, the appointment of General Kuropatkin tc the post of commander-in-chief of the forces In Manchuria was decided on.
 The Baltic squadron will leave Libau tonight for a short cruise.