Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-12-08
Japs MercilessIy Shell Ships From
Top of Two Hundred and
Three Meter Hill.
THEIR DOOM SEEMS SEALED
Correspondent Gives. narrowing De-
scription of Scene. After
Last Big Fight.

Toxic, Dec S-The commander of
the naval land battery on Metre hill at
Port Arthur reports:
"At 1880 today it became certain
the battleship Peresviet has been sunk.
She is in the same condition as the
Poltava. The Pallada Isl beginning to
list to port We are vigorously bonn
harding the Pallada
The Pobiedas middle funnel is Sc
riously damaged. The vessel is sub
merged to the stern walk. The upper
deck of the battleship Retvizan is
nearly submerged"
Scenes mt Hill.
Headquarters of the Third Japanese
army before Port Arthur via Fusan,
Dec. S.-A correspondent of the Asso-
ciated press visited Two Hundred and
Three Metre hill. the scene of the aw-
full six days fight which ended with
its capture by the Japanese.
The advance works and the crest of
the hill are torn away, the slopes of
the hill covered with debris and the
trenched smashed and filled with soil.
In a single section of trenches 100
yards long over 200 Russian dead and
wounded were seen. They are horri-
bly, mangled with dynamite grenades.
PalIada Settiing.
The protected cruiser Pallada, which
is lying between the Retvizan and
the mine ship Amur. cannot be dis
tinctly seen. but there seems to be a
slight sinking astern.
The armored cruised Bayan is now
burning to her fore deck.
The battleship Sevastopol appears
to be lying in the east harbor along
side the great crane, but only the
tops of her masts are visible.
The principal aims taken by the
naval and military guns today are at
the Pallada, Bayan and Sevastopol.
Fleet Badly Dasnaged.
TOXIC. Dec. S.-The &ommander of
the japanese naval land battery in
front of Port Arthur reports:
THE taGret ship Poltava is sunk.
The battleship Retvizan seems to have
been sunk her stern being under the
water.
"The bOmbardment Wednesday
heavily damaged the battleship Po-
bieda which is listing to starboard."
Japs Sink POltavn.
Toxic. Dec. S.-The Russian battle
ship Poltava has been sunk in the har-
Dor of Port Arthur, the battleship
Retvizan has been seriously damaged,
the cruiser Bayan is aground, and
others of the cZar's war fleet have
been battered by shells as result of
the plunging fire poured in by the
Japanese from Two Hundred and
Three Metre hill.
VIII Not Send Black Sea Fleet.
St. Petersburg, Dec sS.-The Asso-
ciated Press is authorized to announce
that Russia has no intention of send
ing the Black sea fleet to reinforce
Rojestvensky's squadron. 1t is Rus
sias purpose to dispatch the third
squadron from the Baltic. as soon as
it can be made ready.
Firing mt Munden.
Mukden, Dec. S.-The Russians con-
tinue to lombard the Japanese posi-
tions with heavy and light artillery.
The Japanese response is feeble.
VIII Send Third Squadron.
London. Dec. S.-According to st.
Petersburg report to the Daily Mail
the emperor on Wednesday decreed
the dispatch to the far east of a third
squadron, comprising the battleships
Paul l. and Slava, which will be COM
pleted as speedily as possible, five old
er battleships, five cruisers and 40
torpedo boat destroyers. The whole
squadron, the dispatch adds, it is
hoped will be fitted out in two months.