The Oskaloosa herald., 1904-07-07
OFFER TO GIVE
UP PORT ARTHUR
RuMoRED THAT STRONGHOLD
MAY SURRENDER.
CONDITIONS ARE SPECIFIED.
Only ProViso is That Garrison Be
Freed Report Without Anthem
tication- VIadivostok Squad
ron is Back in Port.
CONDITIONS ARE SPECIFIED.
Special to Daily Herald.

Special to Daily Herald.
Toxic, July SIT is reported that
Russia has. through France, offered to
surrender Port Arthur to Japan. to-
gether with its ships and arms there,
providing the garrison is freed. A con-
firmation of the report is impossible
and it is generally regarded to be un-
true. "a
Paris, July 5.-The foreign Office
dtscredits the rumor from Toxic that
Russia has proposed through France
to surrender Port Arthur if the gar
rison be freed. Official advices indi-
cate that the Russian military and na-
val position at Port Arthur is consid-
erably improved, and that ships pass
freely in and out Of the harbor. Large
quantities of supplies have been re-
ceived at the fortress and the Russian
authorities are regaining confidence.
The Japanese legation here is also
without information regarding the re-
port from Toxic.
Liaoyang, Sunday, July 3-(De-
layed in transmission Seeing the
cisive battle, in consequence of the re-
tirement of the Japanese and the
heavy rains, Gen. Kuropatkin, accom-.
panied by the military attaches, is re-
turning to Haicheng. Both combat
ants are apparently inactive. The JAP
anese have retired to the sandy part
of the country to await better weather.
The Russians have reoccupied their
old positions 80 miles eastward Of
Liaoyang The two armies are now
biyouacked on either side of Dalin
pass, which cannot be said to be an
effective occupation for either army, as
the deep mud renders impossible the
movement of transport wagons and
guns. No battle of any consequence
has been fought there since the RUS
slams retired from Da1in pass.
st. Petersburg, July Military ex-
ers believe that the center of gravity
has again shifted to Port Arthur,
where siege operations are expected to
engage most of the attention of the
Japanese until the conclusion of the
rainy season permits the resumption
of the campaign in southern Manchu-
ria. The war Office believes that
further advance on Tatchekiao is i'm
possible, in view of the powerful re-
sistance which can be made by the
Russians, combined with the great diff
f1culties of transportation over rain
sodden roads. Desultory fighting.
however, is likely to continue for the
possession of the passes, which are
particularly valuable to either bel
ligerent for the purpose of obtaining
information regarding the others
movements.
Tatchekiao. July 2, via Liaoyang, Ju-
ly 5.-Gen. Kuroki has begun to retire
probably as result of the rains which
have flooded all the rivers and threat
ened to cut him off from his base of
supplies. Nearly all the customary
fords are now absolutely impossible.
Tatchekiao, July 2, via Liaoyang,
July 5.-A fight between Russian tor
pedo boats and Japanese transports
was reported off the coast this after
noon. Heavy cannonading was heard
here from the seaward. An officer who
came in declares that from a hilltop
near the coast he saw vessels engaged
in fight, but they were too far off
to distinguish them.