The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1904-11-03

inflicted fatalities only on the Eng
fish, it has pracdced target shooting
at several other nationalities. 1t fired
on the Swedish steamer Aldebaran,
likewise on the German steamer Sonn-
tag, on the Norwegian steamer Skaa-
toll. and on a Danish torpedo boat.
These extraordinary performances may
be explained by Rojestvensky's orig
inal proclamation that he would IRE
on any ship which approached him.
His officers evidently interpreted his
words to mean that they must fire
on every ship which they approached.
The British trawlers, for instance, had
their nets down and ware barely NOV
ing along. The Russian squadron came
upon item and promptly fired.
The War in Manchuria.
After ten days of comparative quiet
along the Shakhe river there are signs
that the two armies are again coming
together. The Russians claim to be
the aggress0rs in certain places, but
dispatches from correspondents at Gen
eral Kuroki's headquarters state that
the Russians have now been driven out
Of their last position south of the
Shakhe river. In the opinion Of the
Chicago Record-Herald, it would APP
pear that the Russians are no longer
strong enough to take the offensive
on a large scale, while the japanese
have as yet shown no desire to push
their way further to the north. There
is sure to be great deal of scattered
fighting before winter sets in, but
whether there will be another pitched
battle is uncertain.
The battle of the Shakhe river will
be me norable in history for the econ
omy Of lives with which the Japan
csc fought it. In the battle of Lao
yang. although the Japanese had to
charge again and again upon Russian
intrenchments, the losses Of the Rus
slams were the heavier-the proper
ton being about four Japanese killed
and wounded to five Russians. In the
battle Of the Shakhe the figures thus
far available would indicate that the
Russian losses were at least three, and
possibly five or six, times as great as
the Japanese.
Concerning the losses, we have two
facts upon which we can absolutely re-
ly. because both come from Japanese
official sources. and Japanese official
statements have not once during the
war been open to the slightest suspi-
cicn as to their literal truth. The first
is that the total japanese casualties
killed and wounded-numbered 1879
officers and men. The second is that
the total number of Russian dead
buried by the Japanese on the field
was 1888. Now in the Japanese ar
my, for which we have detailed fig
ures, the ratio of killed to wounded
was as one to six, and if that same
ratio should apply to the Russians
their total casualties on the basis Of
the dead buried on the field would
number about 10000.
The Russian official statement places
the total number of killed, wounded
and missing at 800 officers and $4,000
men. This sets the lowest limit of
the losses. but unfortunately we can
not feel confident that 1t Is the whole
truth. An earlier figure purporting to
come from an official report of General
Kuropatkin's. but not verified. puts
the wounded alone at 55.S6S. We have
also the estimate of correspondent
at Mukden, who places the dead at
5000 and the wounded at 10000. II he
was as much too low on the wounded
as on the dead (using the Japanese fig
ure Of burials as the test) the total
Russian casualties by this reckoning
would be nearly $1,000.
Now General Kuropatkin cannot
have had over 100000 men in the bat
tie. and it thus appears that his total
casualties were at least one-fifth. and
possibly from one-fourth to one-third,
Of his entire force.
Reports from Port Arthur indicate
renewed attack on the Rihlung and
Keekwan forts just north of the city.
The end of the siege may very possibly
be approaching. There are indications
that the resistance of the fortress is
fast weakening and cannot be sus-
tanned rnuch longer. The japanese are
creeping in on all sides. taking an adj
vance post here. another one there, a
minor fort here, and a few machine
guns yonde-. They are always closing
in, never receding. They are strength
ering their artillery every day. while
the Russian guns cannot be added to
! nor replaced when worn out Nogi fills
up the gaps in the ranks as fast as they
are made. while Stoessers gaps con-
stantly grow bigger and cannot be
filled up. Weight must shortly tell.
4 War Newa In Rrief.