The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1904-10-06
RUSSIAN Mines
Wreck WARSHIPS
TOGO LOSES TWO TORPEDO BOATS
AND sTEAMER-CRUISER
BADLY DAMAGED.
A Total of 200 Men Go Down with the
Vessels-Fierce Fighting at Port
Arthur-The Situation in Vicinity
Of Mukden.

Arthur-The Situation in Vicinity
of Mukden.
London, Sept. 29.-Disaster has over.
taken the japanese navy in the move.
ments around Port Arthur. Within the
last four days two japanese torpedo
boats have been sunk by mines at Port
Arthur harbor, japanese steamer went
down with its crew and cruiser of the
Nittaska type is said to have been seri-
ouSly damaged.
At least 200 men are reported lost in
the wrecks Of the warships. 1t is evil
dent that Admiral Togo, in daring Wiz
ems attacks by approaching within
cannon shot of the forts, has made q
grave mistake. The torpedo boats were
especially useful to the Japanese.
Losses in Last Assault.
Chefoo, Sept. 29.-Russians residing
here claim to have received Information
that the Japanese losses in the last as
sault on Port Arthur, which began Sep
TENDER 10, were 1000. A Chinese, who
left the fortress on September &c, says
500 and 600.
This Chinaman gays that the Japanese
were unable to remain in the three sup
Elementary forts which they captured,
and that they retired at four o'clock on
the afternoon of September 26, after
enduring several days of tremendous
firing from the inner forts.
Fighting at Port Arthur.
Chefoo, Sept. 26.-As a result of the
battle before Port Arthur which began
on September 10 the Japanese succeed
ed in capturing several important posi-
tons, and the Russian tenure of the
big forts guarding the north, northeast
and northwest sides of the town is
seriously threatened. Chinese informa-
ton places the Japanese losses under
5000 for the three days fighting. Pos
sibly the most important capture dur
ing the fighting was that of Fort Kuro-
patkin, which, while of minor value
with regard to preventing the entrance
into the town Of the japanese, had
been constructed for the purpose of
protecting the source of the garrison's
water supply. The control of this
water supply is now in the hands Of
the Japanese.
Military experts here are Of the
opinion that if the Japanese capture
either Rihlung or Kikwan forts, or the
Itz and Anshu forts the doom of Port
Arthur is sealed, and for this reason
the importance of the results obtained
by the Japanese in their latest assaults
upon the Russian positions is obvious.
Da Pass Captured.
st. Petersburg. Sept. 30.-News has
been received here from Mukden 70
the effect that the Japanese have at
last begun the offensive. They have
captured Oa pass, and are pressing on
Gen. Kuropatkin's left flank. 1t is be-
lieved the Russians abandoned Da
pass wi hout serious resistance. Sew
eral other passes of the Da range,
eastward of Bentsiaputze GO miles
southeast of Mukden), are also in the
hands of the japanese. Kuropatkin
is evidently drawing his forces to the
less mountainous country northwest
ward. where he may decide to give
battle. In the meanwhile sharp fight
ing is regarded as imminent south
east of Mukden, whence the japanese
are expected to deliver their main at
tack, the flank movement from the
west being of secondary Importance.
Advance Has Begun.
London, Oct. Field Marshal Oya-
ma has begun the long-expected ad-
vance upon the Russian army at Muk-
den, and a coincident movement
against Sinmintin is indicated by the
fact that the Japanese have occupied
Siaobeyho, west Of the Lao river.
There is concentration of the Japan
csc forces in the vicinity of the Yen
tai mines, and the advance lines are
being gradually pushed eastward Gen.
Sakharoff, in the dispatches to the war
office at st. Petersburg, reports sue
cesses in several engagements of a
minor character An undated dispatch
from Gen. Kuroki's headquarters re-
ports the present japanese military or
ganization to be as efficient as it has
been at any time since the war began.
There is no definite news from Port Ar
thur. Change in the Russian minister
Of marine and in naval commands are
announced on high authority. The new
head Of the admiralty, it is said, will
be Vice Admiral Doubasoff an officer
of wide experience in war and the pres
ent head of the technical bureau of the
ministry of marine.
Japs Win and Lose.
st. Petersburg, Oct. 1.-Sharp fight
Ing has occurred near Mukden, result
Ing in the Japanese driving in Gen.
Kuropatkin's outposts.
A telegram from Gen. Sakharoff.
dated September 80, describes a sue
cessful onslaught upon a Japanese ad-
vance guard near Yentai on September
%. The Japanese began the fight by
attacking position held by the Rus
slams at Oulitaidze, 20 miles south of
the Hun river. The Russians withdrew
and then countermarched and occupied
the enemy's position at Toumytsa,
north of Yentai, and drove the Japan
csc as far as Yentai station, losing four
men, whereas the Japanese lost 20
killed and wounded. .t