The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1904-06-17
JAPANESE Command
ROAD TO MUKDEN
LATEST TOWN TAKEN BY MI
KADo'S TROOPS OF GREAT
IMPORTANCE.
BESIEGERS AT PORT
ARTHUR REINFORCED
Assault on Town Awaited by Russians
Troops at Vafandien Ready to
Retreat If Necessary-Kuropatkin
Trying to Flank Kuroki.

yen, now occupied by the japanese
army, is of great strategical importance,
being situated about 40 miles east by
south of Kaipling and As miles southeast
of Haicheng 1t commands perfectly
the roads to both places. SlamatsZa is
also an important point, as it controls
the roads to Liaoyang and Mukden. BY
following this route the Maotienllng
pass, strongly fortified and almost inn
pregnable Russian stronghold, will be
avoided on the advance of the Japanese
army northward.
Assault to Begin Soon.
Liaoyang. June 13.-Reports from
Chinese sources are to the effect that
the Japanese forces near Port Arthur
have been heavily reinforced. 1t is be-
lieved that an attempt to take the
fortress by assault will be made as
soon as the Japanese are strong enough
to invest it on the land side and at the
same time protect themselves from pos
sible attack in the rear in case the
Russians sent force from the north.
There are persistent rumors again
that the Port Arthur squadron has sue
ceeded in making a sortie, but no Of
fetal confirmation of the report is OBJ
| tainable.
The Russian requirements on their
way here will soon materially change
| the situation and enable Gen. Kuropat-
kin to move freely.
Gen. Kuroki's main army is still at
Fengwangcheng. Russian outposts
| cover his right flank above Saimatsza
and extending eastward. They are in
constant touch with the enemy and there
are almost daily skirmishes of more OF
less Importance Developments are an.
ticipated in this direction.
Russian View of Situation.
st. Petersburg. June 13.-The view o.
the general staff is that as the japanese
column which reached Siuyen was no
followed by either of the main armies
in southern Manchuria the japanese
have no present intention OF advanc
ing on Haicheng, but have sent for
ward a force as feint, to menace ant
discourage as much as possible the dis
patch of heavy Russian force down TIT
Liaotung peninsula. Neither does TIT
general staff believe that the enemy,
column at SaimatsZa, even should /
go so far north as Djiandjian, is OF
; serious character, the opinion beln
that Gen. Kuroki continues to dangl
before Gen. Kuropatkin's eyes a dou
Bile objective, but that he is not We
strong enough to risk real advance
This belief is based on calculations tina
the enemy has not more than 13O,OO
men all told in southern Manchuria, an
that only in the event of the Japanes
attaining strength greatly in excess
, these figures will they be capable OF
genuine forward movement.
No fresh news has been received j
regard to the situation around POI
Arthur. Private advices from Lac
wang indicate that the Russian fore
at Vafandian is prepared to retlr
, northward if seriously threatened.
, The correspondent of the press hear
that Gen. Kuropatkin is reversing Gel
Kuroki's thanking movement north
. Saimatsza by sending troops from Mui
. den to turn Kuroki's right wing.
A rumor is current at the admlralt
= that the Japanese battleship Yashima
= on the rocks near Port Arthur. In
source of the report is not exactly trac'
. | able