The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1904-03-23
AGAIN AT
PIT. ARTHUR
japanese Still After Russian
Stronghold.
ORIENTAL GIBRALTAR
Both Sides Have Lost in the
SkirmiShes in the
Interior.
ORIENTAL GIBRALTAR

ST. PETERSBURG, March 23.-The
emperor has received the following
telegram from Viceroy Alexeieff:
Lieutenant General Stoessel reports
that early on Tuesday morning Japa-
nese torpedo boats were discovered
outside Of Port Arthur by our search
lights The guard ships and fort bat
teries opened fire upon them, the firing
lasting for twenty minutes. At 4
o'clock in the morning the attack was
renewed.
"At daylight four of the enemy's
battleships appeared from the south,
followed by the whole squadron of
eleven ships and eight torpedo boats.
Our squadron left the roadstead to
meet and engage them.
"At o'clock the enemy's battleships
opened fire on Liaotshin, after which
they took up position behind the
rocky eminence of Liaotishin and bonn
barded Port Arthur.
According to Lieutenant General
Stoessel the enemy's feet consisted of
six battleships and twelve cruisers.
During the attack the japanese fleet
divided, the battleships and torpedo
boats taking up a position between
Liaotishln and Golubinala bay pigeon
bay, while the cruisers formed up in
two tivisions~to tire south aud south
east of Port Arthur.
THE battleship Retvizan opened fire
over the crest of Liaotishin against the
enemy's battleships, which replied by
tiring on the town. Meanwhile our
fleet formed up in line in the outer
roadstead.
"At Z O'clock our squadron left the
inner harbor, the cruisers leading, with
the Askold flying Admiral Makaroff's
flag at their head, and the battleships
following.
THE enemy's battleships approach
ed Liaotichin and fired 100 shells from
their twelve inch guns at Port Arthur
and 10S shells at the environs of the
town.
"Our shells, fired at a range Of eighty
cables, were well placed About 10
o'clock a japanese battleship was
struck by shell and retired
About IL O'Clock in the morning the
cannonade slackened, and the Japanese
fleet reunlting drew Off slowly to the
southeast and at 1890 had disappear
ed.
During the bombardment five sol
4 \
ed"
Viceroy Alexeiefr further reports
under date of March %:
General Mistchenkow reports that
our scouts approached AnJu and OBJ
served on the left bank Of the Cheng-
cheng river, opposite Anju, intrench-
ments made by the enemy. Up to that
date the enemy had not appeared at
Yongpyon, fifteen miles northeast of
Anju. 1t is supposed that there is
one Japanese division at Anju and that
the remainder of the First army corps
is close to Pingyang.
'In consequence Of the report that
two squadrons of the enemy's cavalry
had arrived at Pakchon, fifteen miles
northwest of Anju, 200 of our caval-
ry were dispatched for the purpose of
preventing the enemy from crossing
the PRkchon river. Our cavalry found
three Japanese sQuadrons on the left
bank of the river, but they withdrew
toward Anju on the arrival Of our de-
tachment without lighting.
General Mistchenkow reports that,
the Japanese have taken the precau-
ton to, erect earthworks near Anju,
which are being held by a division un-
i'll the remainder of the First army
corps comes up from Pingyang. about
forty miles away. The advance Of the
japanese shows that they are losing
no time and that they are more rapid
than the Russians expected. Never
theless the fertilization of Auju shows
the Japanese operations are accom-
panied by all proper military precau-
tons.
The Russian government has, since
the outbreak Of the war, sent exactly
100000 troops to the far east by the
Siberian railway.