The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1904-12-06
METRE HILL CAPTURED
Key 70 the Chain Of Forts at Port
Arthur Successfully Assaulted.
LOSSES ON BOTH SIDES HEAVY

Two Hundred and Three Metre Hili Has
Been i Point Of Vantage to the Rus
slams Throughout the siege, and Its
Capture Gives Control Of Harbor to the
Enemy Operations in the North.
Toxic, Japan. Imperial headquar-
tiers has just announced the success of
the most important movement at Port
Arthur since the beginning Of the
siege. The Japanese late at night cap
tured and held 203- Metre Hill.
This result was generally expected
when, at 10 p. M, headquarters au-
thorized this announcement:
"Our force operating against 203-
Metre Hill advanced at 10 O'Clock
from trenches already captured near
the summit Of the hill and are now
struggling for the southeastern por-
tion Of the fort on the summit
This victory means that the last
wedge has been driven between the
mountain group Of forts ranging from
the Etsze to the Orlung hills, and that
the entire city and harbor are at the
mercy Of Japan's great naval guns 1t
Is the opinion of strategists in the army
headquarters that the possession Of
this hill also effectually cuts off the
Russians retreat through the western
valley to the Liaothie Mountain, at
the extreme end Of the Port Arthur
Peninsular
st. Petersburg, Russia. "A telegram
received from the Russian Consul in
Chefoo announces that the Japanese
have captured the southerly crest OF
203-Metre Hill, but there is no confirm
alton of this report from any other
Russian authority. The Consul says
the Japanese losses were enormous,
and that 5000 men were sacrificed in
two hours in storming the ridges that
were held by the Russian forces. 1t is
conceded here that If this mountain
fort has been taken the way to Port
Arthur is practically open. and any
further fighting will be useless sac
rifick of life.
Mukden. The Japanese forces on
the right OF General Kurokis army
have been falling back below Sinstin-
tin, and apparently have abandoned
The turning movement which they at
tempted. The Russian forces, large
" augmented followed the Japanese
divisions, but it is impossible to say
whether there was any real strategic
significance in this new movement.
The left of General Kurokis army also
began withdrawing and evacuated the
village of Tsanthau. They have also
tetired from Tsinkhetchen. north Of
Da Pass, and have taken fresh posi-
ion ho Lon nf Srxs1 oh
seven and q half miles southeast,
where 1t is known they have many bat
teries of guns in the mountains. In
their retirement they carried off sew
eral hundred that were wounded in
The severe engagements of the last five
days. The Russian left army has
been ordered to take the offensive
against the japanese position at Sui
dun.
General Oku's Headquarters. via Flu
san.-There has been no severe fight
Ing save the outpost scouting and skir-
mishes against the Russian right. The
weather has been increasingly cold
and neither army showed indication
west of the Great Mandarin road Of
moving. Occasional Russian bonn
bardments against the Japanese po-
sition on the hills are usually unan-
swered. Reinforcements for the Jap
lnese army are steadily coming on
The railway by way of New Chwang
and Iiau Yang
Chefoo. Chinese who left Port Dali
ay on November % arrived here. They
say fighting at Port Arthur continued.
they heard firing November 20 while
1t sea. The Chinese assisted in car
wing the Japanese wounded from the
rains to the hospitals and personally
counted a thousand.