The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-21
Capture of keekWan Mountain
Fort Is Important.
Japanese Hope Soon to Possess
the Entire Hill.
FIVE OUT OF SEVEN.
OF This Line Of Forts Now Held
by NOgi.
Admiral Togo Reports the
SevastOp0l as Being Disabled.

|
Headquarters of the Japanese Third
Army Before Port Arthur, Dec. 21, via
Fusan.-The capture of the north fort
| of East Keekwan mountain December
| Is by the japanese is of much i'm
portance because it opens a way up
| the gorge to the hills and will render
easier the capture of the mountain.
1t gives much additional foothold for
| a general assault on the western half
of the eastern fortified ridges. The
Japanese now hold five of the seven
protected forts.
Toxic, Dec. 21.-AdmiraI Togo, who
has personally made a series of obser-
vations of the Russian battleship Sc
vastopol, telegraphs to the navy depart
ment, expressing the opinion that the
Sevastopol is disabled. Great weight is
attached to Togo's personal observa Iions
and opinion, inStanced by the fact that
when the Russian battleship Petropav-
lovsk was sunk Togo was one of the
few officers of the entire Japanese fleet
whose eye caught the vision CT speedy
disaster.
Commander Yezoe, who was killed
while torpedoing the Sevastopol, has
er posthumous honors.
Going to Meet Baltic Fleet
London, Dec 21-The Daily Mail cor
respondent at Hong Kong says he has
learned on trustworthy authority that
a powerful japanese squadron of battle
ships and arnlored cruisers is proceed
ing south, accompanied by Is colliers
and transports to attack the Russian
Baltic squadron.
Half Million More Men.
ST. Petersburg, Dec 21.-The mobiliza-
ton announced of the reserves in seven
military districts affects a portion of
about half the military districts of Rus
sia. While some of the reserve men
called to the cOlOrS will be used to COM
plete the strength of the regiments go
ing to the front, by far the greater pOr-
ton will be formed into reserve units
to replace troops which have already
gone to the far east. This year the
conscripts taken number about half a
million men being about double the
number usually called to the colors.
The number of young men annually Ii
able to military service is over 800, ,000-
The new mobilization will entail addf-
tional relief measures for the families
of reserve men which probably will be
met by increasing the credits of the
zemStVOS.
Russians Concede Loss of Fleet.
ST. Petersburg, Dec. 21.-While de-
clining to give details the admiralty ad
mitS that Russia advices from Port Ar
thur sent by General StoesSel SubStan-
TALLY confirmed the Japanese advices
of the partial wrecking OF the Russian
ships in the harbor and the censor has
been instructed to permit the publica-
tion of the dispatches. 1t is that sew
eral of the large ships and a respectable
number of torpedo boat destroyers are
still seaworthy, but they are not being
considered as a factor in the coming
fight between Admiral Togo's ships and
fI1o SGio IN
The whole series of misfortunes which
has attended the Port Arthur squadron
is bitter chapter in Russian naval an
nails but since the arrival of the latest
advices there has been less disposition
to criticise Rear Admiral Wirens fail
ure to make a sortie, General StoeSSel
having decided that further defense of
the fortress would be impossible if the
guns of the warships and sailors landed
were reembarked. Had the ships been
able to go out under the conditions ex-
listing they would have been at the
mercy of the Japanese and have been
sacrificed without hope of infiicting
commensurate damage If the fortress
is relieved it is believed that most OF
the ships will be raised and saved
The reports that a Japanese squadron
of 40 vessels had already sailed to meet
the second Pacific squadron is regarded
at the admiralty here as being incorrect
and circulated for a purpose.
Russians Repulsed.
Toxic, Dec 21.-The following re-
port from Manchurian headquarters
was received at 1870 last night and
made public today:
"On Monday at o'clock in the
afternoon the enemys artillery east of
Da mountain bombarded the neigh
borhood of Sinlintung. At 1 o'clock in
the morning, Tuesday, the enemy's in
fantry attacked south of Pieniuhung-
pao and at Tatzupao. By O'Clock in
the morning he was repulsed. Simul-
taneously the enemy's infantry at
tackled Chinshantung, Heillintung and
Huangtai and made a most vigorous
attack in the neighborhood of Chin
shantung. The fighting continued
about an hour when the enemy was
completely repulsed- We had no cas-
ualtieS.
Japanese Captured Some Guns.
Washington, Dec. 21.-The follow
ing cablegram, dated Toxic, December
21. has been received at the Japanese
legation:
"Port Arthur army reports our
trophies at the battle of the north fort
of Tunkeewanshan were four quick
frers, two of which are usable. four
machine guns, all usable and five
WI under NINA |