Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-11-17
Report of Hitch Confirmed
by Formers De-
nial.
ARTHUR STILL IN DARK
Cold Weather at Shakhe Ends
HostiIities and Drives Sol
diers Into Dugouts.

St. Petersburg, Nov. I1.-As re-
suit OF dispatched received from Gen.
Stoessel the war Office expresses entire
confidence that Port Arthur will be
able TO hold out until the arrival OF
the Russian second Pacific squadron.
The facts do not warrant the sensa-
tional report that Russian Ambassa-
dor Benkendorf to Great Britain may
be recalled on account of the present
hitch in the Angio-Russian North sea
convention.
Objects tn Language.
Russia has taken exception TO the
language OF the English text Of the ar
ticl-= relating to the fixing of the blame
and has proposed some modification
but there is no evidence that a dead
lock has been reached.
say- All Fort. Are Held.
St. Petersburg. Nov. 17.-Gen. Stoes-
sci. i'm his dispatches to the emperor.
reports the results of the Japanese at
tack OF Oct 20 on the north front OF
Port Arthur The Russian losses were
$50 killed or wounded. All OF the AT
tacks Nov 3. the day OF the anniver-
throne was celebrated. were repulsed-
StoesseI was slightly wounded in the
head during one of the latest assaults
on Port Arthur.
Kuropatkin reports that i'm an am
buscade Nov. IS near Sinhinpu 32 Jap
nnese dragons were killed or wound
ed.
The text OF StoesseIs dispatch of
the 2Gth Is ut follows:
Bombardm~ut Was Vigorous
I'VE have the honor To report to
your majesty that the Japanese bonn
barded very vigorously Oct. 20 our
forts and entertainments north and
northeast. The following day they at
tackled one OF the forts on the north
side. but our heavy artillery and shrap-
mel fire dispersed their reserves and
the assault was repulsed. Our losses
were one officer and about seventy
men killed and 400 wounded.
Fighting Every Night.
Chefoo. Nov. 17.-Fighting at Port
Arthur has taken place nightly since
the Japanese began their general as
sauIt Oct. &c. according to- Capt. Ron
berg. a pilot who was a passenger on
The Japanese trenches the captain
says. are closest to the forts on Rhi-
lung and Keekwan mountains and to
other forts on the northeastern group.
Enemies Converse
Sharp shooters OF the opposing sides
occupying the pits converse with each
other frequently and borrow a cigaret.
The Japanese are displaying great en-
ergy IN the construction of trenches
and mounting guns. All railroad
steamers belonging to the Russians ex-
cept one. have been sunk by Japanese
shells The hospital ship Angara has
been sunk in shallow water. Patients
are still on board the ship but are COM
forable. The Japanese shells directed
against the harbor are fired with re-
markable accuracy.
Chinnman Was . Spy.
Recently a silk clad Chinaman who
was seen travelling in Sampan. was
watched by Russians who observed
that following the discharge OF each
shell. he placed a handkerchief TO his
nose then into his left pocket. appar-
emily thus signalling the landing
places of shells behind distractions.
tanning a direct view of their effect.
The Chinaman was hanged
Forsify second Line
Chansianouton. Nov. 1.-THE Japan
ese. according to Russian scouts. are
heavily fortifying their second line OF
defense along the Taitse river. The
major portion OF the skirmishing the
last few days has been around the vii
lage of Yansintoundi.
The health OF the Russian troops
with the advent OF cold weather is
splendid Hospitals are no longer
crowded Most OF the sick and wound
ed have been sent north
Russian Fleet May He Out.
London. Nov. 17.-The arrival of the
Russian torpedo boat at Chefoo is TAX
en- here To mean that the remnants of
Russia's crippled fleet has made the
long expected sortie from Port Arthur
This. with the categorical arr.ounce-
ment from Toxic that the Russians
have commenced a general withdrawal
from Port Arthur to- the Liaotishan
uauiuSula whittier they have removed