The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1904-10-14
BELIEVED JAPANESE WILL MAKE
A STRONG sTAso AT LAO
YANG.
GREAT BATTLE IS NoTFAR OFF
oYAMA,s FORCES WEAKENED BY
SENDING MEN TO PORT
ARTHUR.

While Gen. Kuropatkin has contin-
ued to advance his entire front
against the armies of Field Marshal
Oyama, he has not met with any
formidable opposition. However, the
expectation is that battle Of magni-
tude must be fought within few
days. 1t is believed that the Japanese
will make stand at Liao.yang. Sew
eral positions east of that place have
been abandoned by the Japanese.
TT St. Petersburg it is surmissd
that Field Marshal Oyama's forces
have been weakened by the dispatch
of troops to aid Gen. Nogi m reducing
Port Arthur, and that this condition
has afforded Gen. Kuropatkin an op-
portunity to recover ground lost dur
ing the month of August.
Stoessei Sees the End.
London, Oct. IL. = The Morning
Posts Shanghai correspondent says It
is stated that Lieut.. Gen. Stoessel has
reported that unless he is relieved be-
fore December, he must surrender.
Big Battle Is Near.
st. Petersburg, Oct. -. - A battle
upon which the fate of this years
campaign in Manchuria depends
seems only few days ahead. Ad-
vices from the front are meager. All
that is positively known officially is
that Gen. Kuropatkin has cast the die
at last, about faced his army and is
marching resolutely against the en-
envy as il resolved to do or die.
According to unofficial reports Field
Marshal Oyama, at the first sign of
Gen. Kuropatkin taking the offensive,
began drawing in his line and concen.
trating upon fortified positions north
of Liao.yang. According to the latest
reports which are contained in a dis
patch to- the Associated Press from
Mukden, dated at 6 o'clock last night,
the Japanese outposts are being
driven in all along the lire.
Blockade Is Weakened.
A dispatch from the Russian head.
quarters at Mukden yesterday says
the land blockade of Port Arthur has
been weakened, but that the Japanese
at Liao-yang have been reinforced by
$4,000 men by way of Niuchwang and
that they expect three additional di.
visions in a few days.
No Fighting at Port Arthur.
Chefu, Oct. 12.-The Russian agent
here announced authoritatively that
there has been no nghting of impor-
lance at Port Arthur since the last
big assault on the fortress from Sept.
~. to %.
On the night of Oct. the japanese
landed force from Tache bay and
the Russians retired in the face of su.
perior numbers. The next day, how
ever, the Japanese were driven out by
an artillery fire, one gun which they
had mounted, being destroyed.
The japanese, engage in lombard.
ments for three or four hours daily.
Mikado Addresses Nation.
London, Oct. IL. "A. dispatch to a
news agency from Toxic says:
AT an audience this morning the
emperor of Japan handed the premier
a message to the nation as follows:
Since the commencement of hos.
tilities our army and navy have dis.
played conspicuous bravery, and with
the officials and people with united
minds complying with our instruc
tions, they have hitherto steadily ad
vanced by progressive steps, Never
theless, our prospects Of final success
are still distant. earnestly hope that
the sincerity of the national spirit
will enable us to realize our final OBJ
ject.'"
Three Ships Sunk.
Toxic, Oct. PIT is reported here
that the Japanese recently centere6
a fire from the. land positions and
from the fleet b!ockading Port Ar
thur on the west harbor with the OBJ
ject of destroying the Russian flee,
and succeeded in sinking three YES
sells, the name and character of which
are unknown. ~
The failure Of the Port Arthur fee,
to make a sortie is creating the i'm
preston that the Russians intend t.
destroy theft ships Just before the fal
Of the fortress in preference to takinf
the risk OF sortie. TAI
RusSia 10 Thrilled.
st. Petersburg, Oct. IL. The rumol
announcement that Gen. Kuropatki1
Is at last strong enough to assume tn,
offensive, together with unonicial Re
ports that offensive movement,
against the three armies OF Field Mar
shall Oyama have been In progress,
since Oct. 4, has sent a thrill Of 70.
throughout Russia. The announce
ment. which has been awaited patient
" through long, weary months OF dis
seonfS gement and defeat had an II
Simultaneous effect.
The public bulletin boards ct On,
straet corners. upon which were post
g copies sof Kurop atkin's order y