The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-07-12
EIGHT HUNDRED RUSSIAN DEAD.
Taken Into Port Arthur BY Chinese
Carriers.

Taken Into Port Arthur BY Chinese
Carriers.
Chefoo, July l1.-Chinese junkmen
who arrived here Sunday from Port
Arthur say that On Tuesday, July 5,
Chinese carriers brought into the town
over 500 Russian dead, two OF whom
we're high officials. They state that
a part OF the Japanese force advanced
to within six miles of the besieged
town, taking another eastern tort.
A fair wind brought a feet of junks
from Port Arthur Sunday, ca-l1g
both Chinese and Europeans. tie
ports which they bring OF conditions
at Port Arthur are contradictory, but
they all say that a Japanese division
from the northward is entrenching
seven miles from the marine camp,
while another division from the east
ward is fighting continuously and with
the aid OF the feet is endeavoring to
gain a position commanding the town
and naval basin.
A Russian says that the Japanese
occupied the summit of Takushan
mountain, which is about three miles
from Port Arthur, on the night of
July 6, with a mounted battery of ar
tillery.
On July z the Russian cruiser Novik
and four gunboats went out under pro-
lection of the guns on Golden Hill and
shelled a Japanese battery, which was
surrounded and captured finally by
Russian infantry.
The fighting to the eastward of Port
Arthur had been very heavy since
July 4. The Japanese ships along the
shore are Smelling the Russian posi-
ton in the hills. The smoke from the
artillery on the hills around Port Ar
thur is seer almost continuously. Dead
and wounded are being brought in at
all hours, and many private houses
have been turned into hospitals. Only
skirmishes have occurred to the north
ward. The main Japanese force is
ten miles away, but Japanese scouts
have been see in the vicinity of the
main camp, which commands the prin-
cipal pass to the hills directly back of
Port Arthur.
Bombarded by the Jap Fleet.
On the nights of July 2, 3 and 4 the
Japanese feet bombarded the roads
from the south of the town. The forts
were not damaged. No further night
attacks have been made since July 4.
A Chinese mechanic from the Port
Arthur drydocks says that two large
three-funnel ships have been missing
from the Russian fleet since the fight
off Port Arthur IN June %. The bat
tleship Sevastopol is still undergoing
repairs, and four torpedo boat Destroy
ers are in dry dock.
The Russians, on the other hand,
say that their feet is intact and that
as a matter of fact the Japanese have
been the losers in the fights off Port
Arthur.
The Russians assert that the Japa-
nese have lost no less than ten tor
pedo boats in their attempts to reach
the Russian guardship which was
protected by the stone-laden ships
sunk by the Japanese in their effort
to block the entrance to. Port Arthur.
The g~uardship is anchored behind the
wrecked vessels. An entrance was
opened around the foot Of Golden Hill.
but the remainder of the channel was
closed with booms, making it impos-
sible for torpedoes to pass.
Some of the torpedo attacks of the
japanese have been almost fanatical.
Frequently they have made attacks
where success was impossible and
when the torpedo boats have been
sunk. The Japanese have refused as
sistance, either committing suicide or
fighting off their rescuers.