The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1904-04-09
LIFE AT PORT ARTHUR
Russians Report the Situation as
Satisfactory.

81. Petersburg, April "a CORE
spondent Of the Associated Press al
Fort Arthur who returned to the fort
resSeS yesterday from an inspection
trip to southern Manchuria, telegraphs
that that country is strikingly full OF
an unusual and active life, that the
troops are vigorous and healthy and an
| mated by desire for active opera-
| lions. and that the entire native popu-
iat1on. including that of the CONNER
cial world, is friendly to Russia and
| full of faith in the Russian arms. The
| correspondent says:
| Russian money, which was shaky
at the beginning of the war, is again
| firm
The Chinese volunteer militia
formed there present a good appear
ahce, wearing a special uniform with
epauIettes bearing the Russian nation
al flag. The. natives provide provisions
freely. and are selling horses brought
from the surrounding country. the
mandarins are an exception to this gen
eral rule. as they are cautious and are
trying TO carry water on both Shout
ders. AS their conduct is passive. il
does the Russians no harm.
Railway in Good Condition.
The railroad holds out splendidIy
ana works regularly, all the attaches
OF the road being imbued with the high
Importance of their task. Sentries arr.
posted at the boundary end are doing
DUTY IN the neptral zone dividing China
and Manchuria. The weather is warm
and the rivers are open. In Port Ar
thur all is quiet and the inhabitants
have become accustomed to a state Of
war, though some of them are impa-
tient that the enemy has been for so
long time invisible"
In a second telegram the correspond
ent gives picturesque details of the last
attempt of the Japanese to block the
harbor, as follows:
Following a reconnaissance our fleet |!
returned and anchored in the interior of !
the harbor. After midnight the dark |
ness became more profound and our
searchlights were constantly in opera
ton piercing the gloom. Suddenly a
shot Numbered. and then a second ana
a third. Golden hill and Tiger cliff
opened fire when the enemy was dis
covered. From the battleship Petro-
pavlousk a. launch put off with Vice
Admiral Makaroff and other officers
heading for the gunboat Bobr. At the
same time the torpedo boats SLIM ana
Reshitelny signalled to prepare for ac-
ton and to attack the enemy. The
sunboat Otvajny discharged her six
nch guns and the torpedo boat Stint
ired a broadside while huTrying toward
he enemy, and let go a torpedo which
'airly struck the prov of the first Jap
lnese steamer, carrying it away.
Rain Of Bullets.
Other Japanese steamers came or
t full speed, raining Hotchkiss bull
cts at the SLIM which fired a second 6
orpedo at the steamers and then ran
ground.
The commander of the SLIM discov,
red five of the enen1y's destroyers. fur
her away and the big ships valiantly t
ushed to attack, firing their guns as
hey did so. The enemy then separated d
nd disappeared in the darkness. f
Meantime the Bobr and the Otvanr. v
y continued to fire on the stranded
learners and on the small boats put
ng off from them.
Commander Travinsky of the Resh-
elny saw a large steamer making to-
ard the center of the channel and 4
red torpedo, which exploded on the
de of the target. Lieutenant Krinitz-
Y, commanding the SLIM, having
'ught five of the enemy's ships for =
ng time in the darkness, was himself