The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-02-26
Report That Admiral Togo Has
Again Attacked the Rus
sian Stronghold.
CAPTURE RUSSIAN BOATS
Japanese, by Using the Enemy's Sig,
nails, Seize Upon Torpedo Boats of
tho Harbor of Port Arthur
Repor.. Is Confirmed.

but the navy department says it has
had no news from Togo today. 1t is
considered very probable that the vice
admiral has made another attack on
the Russians, as he Is ngage IN
blockading Port Arthur.
London, Feb. 24.-The Nagasaki cor
respondent Of the Daily Telegraph. ca
bling under date of February %, re-
ports that the Japanese uadro mas
captured four Russian torpedo boats at
Port Arthur by using Russian signals.
This dispatch appears to confirm re-
! ports from various quarters Of a fresh
attack on Port Arthur by the Japanese.
The report reached Nagasaki from
Che Foo, and 1t adds that the Russian
crews of the four topedo boats have
been transferred.
No other news of this attack has
been received in London, but the enc
Foo correspondent of the Morning Post,
in a dispatch dated February %, says
the statement is current there that the
Japanese torpedo boa d~estroyers In
the attack on Port Arthur on Febru-
airy IA sun or damaged two Russian
b~attleships, in addition to the torpedo
boat already reported. 1t is possible.
therefore, that the report OF the Tete-
graphs Nagasaki correspondent ais
refers to the earlier attack.
Niceroy Alexief's retirement to Har-
bin is now an accomplished fact. and a
correspondent of the Associated Press
cables hat Port Arthur is now strictly
q naval stronghold, n h forts are
being manned by naval gunners. Only
twenty foreigners are now at Port Ar
thur, and they are traders, disposing of
their merchandise. Some of them are
under suspicion, and there Is likeli-
hood of their being arrested. There are
many complaints Of unwarranted ar
| rests, unexplained expulsion and defa-
nation of character by the Port Ar
thur police.
The report that large bodies of Cos
sacks and other troops are occupying
| New Chwang n Pulu Ming Ting are
unfounded.
Movements of Foreign %squadrons.
A dispatch to the Daily Mail from
Hong Kong says a British squadron Is
concentrating there, n that a CORE
spending French concentration of war
ships is occurring at Saigon, lndo-
China. This is supposedly a result of
the Anglo-Fnench understanding.
According to the Nagasah CORE
spondent Of the Daily Telegraph the
American squadron, the vessels OF
which are variously reported at Che
Foo and Shanghai. is going to make a
demonstration at the mouth of the Yalu
river.
Indefinite reports of the movements
of troops in the vicinity of the Yalu
river n attempts to cut the Siberian
railroad are also published.
The Wei-Hai-Wei correspondent of
the Times describes q visit to Che
mulpo. Korea, on February 10 and the
Japanese landing operations there,
which he says demonstrated that the
Japanese military organization is SUI
perior to that of any European power.
A general Japanese advance along the
Pektn road to Ping Yang, Korea, the
correspondent continues, is expected
shortly. The original plan was to land
at Masampho, but the naval successes
enabled the Japanese to begin opera
tions at Chemulpo, and a further
change of base to Chinnampo Is highly
probable. AS soon as the ice breaks up
troops will be established at Ping Yang
in sufficient strength to guard against
sudden Russian descent. 1t is believed
that while the power of Russia at
Vladivostok is intact the Japanese will
not attempt to land on the eastern
coast of Korea. AS an evidence of Ja-
pans intention it is worthy OF note that
her cruisers are busy patroling to-
wards the northwest of Korea and that
she is not landing artillery at Che
mulpo.
Everything suggests an immediate
dash for a Strategic position in north
ern Korea, the correspondent con-
cludes, and it is possible the Russians
are considerably further south than Is
supposed,
Toxic, Feb. 22.-Russlan warships are
reported between Japan n Korea.
Transports carrying troops across are
heavily conveyed in consequence.
Japs in No Hurry.
London, Feb. 24.-The latest advices
Of japanese Minister Hayashi lead him
to believe the Japanese troops may now
wait possibly two or three months be-
fore undertaking aggressive operations
in M%anchuria. Baron Hayashi does not
credit the report that $500 Russian SOL
gagement at the Yalu river. He says
there is no Japanese force in that vicin-
ity large enough to inflict such q loss.
The only naval development Baron
Hayashi expects in the near future is
a possible attack on the Japanese fleet
by the powerful Russian torpedo flotilla
at Port Arthur, hitherto unused. On
the Japanese side, except possible ac-
lions against the Russian Vladivostok
squadron, the minister does not loo
for developments at present, believing
Admiral Togo will be satisfied to keep
the disabled Russian squadron prison.
ers at Port Arthur. The minister cred
its Russia with having barely 100, 600
troops in Manchuria.
AwfulIy Easy.
The minister said: I'VE have tounC
that Russia is SO unexpectedly unpre-
pared that / should not be surpried If
the japanese land forces contented
themselves with establishing a thor
ough organization and advancing as
the construction of q railroad towards
the Yalu river progresses. Russia APP
pears to be less. prepared than was
China in 1895. I believe only three
trains a day can be run through Man
churia. Supposing these are equally
divided between troops and supplies,