The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1904-12-21
ONE WEEK OF WAR.
JAPS MAKE GOOD USE OF oo3.
METER HILL.
From It's Summit They Are Able to De.
stroy the Port Arthur F~leet-Future
of the Siege Probiematical Baltic
Squadron Ordered to Halt.

tured. 1t took them just four days to
get large guns mounted in safe posi-
tons at the summit, and then they
began to lombard the Russian battle
ships in the harbor. They had been
wasting great quantities Of ammuni-
ton on those ships for weeks past
but as their fire was then from the
north the ships could get protection
behind Peiyu Hill. Under the new
conditions the japanese fire was from
the west, and the ships could get no
shelter except by going outside the
harbor and hiding behind Tigers Tail
Peninsula, which for reasons best
known to themselves they did not care
to do.
AS General Nogi's reports Of the
damage lone to the Russian ships are
sent IN great detail, we may assume,
says the Chicago Record Herald, that
they are accurate, though of ours
the observations are made from hill
tops four or five miles distant. or the
Russian battleships, the Pobieda, Pol
tava, Retvizan and Peresviet are all
reported sunk, or, rather, submerged
In whole or in part at their anchorage.
The Sevastopol, the only remaining
battleship, lies in such position that
the Japanese are not sure whether
they have damaged 1t or not. The two
cruisers, the Bayan and the Pallada,
are reported as aground or badly list
ed, and both have been on fire. The
gunboats and ~destroyers are so small
that they make hard targets to hit,
but those Of them not already destroy
ed can hardly hope to escape long.
This is a most inglorious end for a
battle fleet, but we may be sure that
it has not been tamely accepted be-
cause Of any lack Of courage On the
part Of the Russian officers or men.
A more natural explanation OF their
refusal to make a sortie is probably
that the sailors could not be spared
to die at sea when they were so great
~ needed to help man the fortiica-
tons of the city. Perhaps, also, it
may have been the case that the naval
guns had long since been removed for
use in the forts, and that the ships
had been without repairs so long that
they could not be effectively maneu-
vered at sea.
AS to the future Of the siege, one
theory is that the Japanese, having no
longer any fear Of the feet at Port
Arthur, and having made sure that
no other Russian ships can enter the
harbor and live, will now trust to the
slow process Of starvation to capture
the town, instead Of renewing their
assaults. Such may be their decision,
but, on the other hand, they seem to
be pushing their trenches and tunnels
steadily forward, and a desire to have
the houses in the city for the army
to live in during the winter may make
an assault seem worth their while.
Certainly the sufferings Of winter life
In the Trenches would be very great.
A few days age Ii vas announced
that the Gar had ordered the dis
patch to the Pacific of a third squad
ron, to be made up Of two nearly corr
pleted battleships and five old ones,
with a number Of cruisers and torpedo
BOAT destroyers. There comes now a
report that TIE Car, disregarding the
opposition Of the grand dukes, has or
dered Admiral R~ojestvensky, the COM
mander OF the Baltic feet, not to 20
on to the far east. Nothing definite IS
known as to his whereabouts, but he
is probably near Madagascar. If such
an order really has been given, it can
only mean that the Emperor has his
doubts as to whether Admir- Rojest-
vensky, with his present force, is rs.
sured Q" a victory over the japanese
fleet, and deems 1t wise to hold him
back until he can be REINFORCED. At
this time of the year yladivostok, the
only port held by the Russians, is
frozen up. 1t is not a good base OF
operations, nor will it be a good place
to retire to in event Of reverses.
K%ouropatkin and Oyama still con
front each other in strong entrench-
ments along the line OF the Shakhe
River, and there is nothing in the ac-
counts Of the skirmishes which come
to us from day to day to justify any
inference as TO their intentions. Little
fights seem to occur impartially at Ill
points Of the line. Lone Tree Hill,
which the Russians call Poutilof Hill,
is, however, singled out for special at.
tention, as the japanese are reported
as bombarding it at least once or
twice a week.
While the armies are quiescent
Kouropatkin is availing himself of the
opportunity to ~reorganize his forces.
Since the departure OF Alexieff he has
had a free hand. At the present time
he has probably 100000 men all told.
hnt when his reorpa niZatinn lie com.