The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1904-02-29
LINES in
CONFLICT
Russians and Japs Meet on
the YaIu River.
BOTH CLAIM ADVANTAGE
japanese Appear South of Vlad-
lvostock and Invest the
Place.
BOTH CLAIM ADVANTAGE

ST. PETERSBURG, Feb. pa dis
patch received here from Liaoyang
says that Chinese on the Yalu river re
port that an advance guard Of Russian
cavalry which has penetrated Korea fol
a distance Of about 200 versts across
the river had an encounter with a de-
tachment Of japanese and that the Jap
anese were compelled to retreat and
fed, leaving their horses, which were
seized by Cossacks. General Linevitch
dispatched cavalry and n body Of in
fantry in pursuit and with an order to
occupy northern Korea.
A Tokyo dispatch says: "A number
Of the enemys cavalry appeared at a
point 700 meters north of Pingyang,
Korea. Our infantry fired upon them,
causing them TO retreat
1t is also reported that Korean sol
diers on the Hamgyeng frontier have
been attacked and dispersed by Rus
sian troops
A Seoul dispatch says details Of
sklrmish at Pincyang show that fifty
Russian cavalrymen approached the
north gate Of the japanese camp and
fired at a distance Of 1000 meters. A
sharp fusillade took place, and the Rus
slams retired All foreigners are safe.
A Chefu dispatch says: "The Japa.
nese sailors that arrived here are from
the Jinsen Maru and the Bushiu Maru,
two of the five merchant vessels with
which Vice Admiral Togo attempted TO
block the entrance to Port Arthur on
the morning Of the oath. Lieutenant
Saito commanded the Jinsen Maru and
Lieutenant TarisaH the Bushiu Maru
Each steamer was manned by thirty
men, twenty-nine of whom are here.
One man OF Lieutenant Saito's COM
mand was killed while lowering a boat
on the Jinsen Maru. The details Of
how the steamers were taken into the
entrance to the harbor and sunk are
being withheld by the sailors, but Lieu
tenant Salto stated that they got so
close to the Russian battleship Retvizan
that had they been armed with rifles
they could have fired into her crew.
"When II was found that the scheme
was a failure they dropped anchor, and
the crews crowded into the remaining
boats. They then blew up the steam
ers"
The car has received the following
from Viceroy AieXeleif:
"The Retvizan has repelled several
attacks by the enemy's torpedo boats,
two Of which are believed to have been
sunk by her in the open sea, Our tor
pedo boats under Captain Of the First
Rank Matussevitch and Captain Of the
Second Rank Prince Lieven, encounter
ed, unsupported, and pursued the enc
my's torpedo boat fiotilla. They sight
ed no large warships. Later in the
morning the cruisers Bayan, Diana,
Askold and Novik were sent out to pre-
vent the Japanese cruisers from pure1-
ing portion Of our returning torpedo
boat fotilla. One Of our torpedo boats,
which was cut of by four Japanese
cruisers, sought shelter in Dove bay,
where 1t was subjected to long dis
lance are by the enemy"
Tokyo dispatches say that as the
campaign progresses 1t seems that the
chances are growing simmer for a
great pitched battle on the open sea be-
tween the fleets Of modern battleships
which the world has long awaited. It Is
believed here that the Russians lack the
strength to assume the offensive and
that they will probably stick to Port
Arthur doggedly to await a sea and
land investment.
1t is announced officially by Major
General Plug, chief Of staff that the
Russian cavalry has crossed the Yalu
river, and it is expected to be followed
shortly by heavy land ighting, as Cen
eral Linevitch has sent a whole army
corps of infantry to support the Cos
sacks, who have penetrated to a point
below Anju and who are reported to
have beaten the Japanese in several
skirmishes Nevertheless this move
ment in force must not be assumed as
sign that the Russians have takeL
the offensive. but rather that they are
taking up strong position in northern
Korea in order to check the advance
OF the formidable army Of japanese
landing on both shores of Korea while
tie concentration Of Russian troops