The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-05-05
EFFEcTUALLY BLOCKED.

LONDON, May 5.-The opinion gains
ground here that the japanese have at
last effectually, blocked Port Arthur.
The Tokyo correspondents are very
positive regarding the matter and de-
scribe the determination with which
the enterprise was undertaken.
The Telegraph's correspondent de-
clareS that the entrance to Port Arthur
is absolutely sealed" and adds that
the Japanese fleet in effecting its pur
pose steamed into the entrance at full
speed and that the naval officers who
made the two previous attempts begged
permission to carry out the next at
tack by daylight, that being easier, and
their request was granted.
$50 determined were they to sue
ceed," adds the correspondent, that
they decided if necessary to lose half
their men. The number of casualties
sustained by the Japanese has not yet
been announced"
In favor of the supposition of Japa-
nese success in blocking Port Arthur,
it is pointed out that the previous at
tempts had left the channel so narrow
that two vessels sunk in the fair way
would probably suffice to seal up the
entrance, while there is a noticeable
evasion and half-heartedness in the
Russian denials of the enemy's sue
cess.
ANOTHER BATTLE DUE.
There is no confirmation here of the
Paris rumOr that an engagement be
tween Russian and Japanese squadrons
had taken place off VladiVostok, and
st. Petersburg knows nothing of the
rumored capture of NeW-chWang. 1t
is reported that the Japanese advanced
to within eighteen miles of Feng
Wang Cheng and that another en-
gagement is expected almost immed1-
ately.
Reports have been received here that
the Japanese captured a quantity OF
railroad material after Sundays bat
tie. This is supposed to indicate that
the Russians had made great progress
with the railroad from the main Man
churian line to the Yalu. If this is so,
it would be a simple matter for the
Japanese to repair this line, which
would materially assist them in their
advance through a difficult country.
RUSSIANS STUNNED.
ST. PETERSBURG, May 5. = The
Russian losses at the battle of Kiu
Lien Cheng were 1000 men and forty
officers, far greater than previous re-
ports indicated.
This is the official estimate of Maj
Gen. Kashtalinsky, who directly COM
manded the division that suffered the
brunt of the attack, and whose report
was received yesterday by the en-
peror. Many are inclined to place the
Russian losses even higher.
The magnitude of the Russian losses
had an almost stunning effect on the
authorities and aroused general grief
mitigated only by satisfaction at the
bravery displayed by the Russian
troops.
Not for a moment was there any in
tention to pay such a terrible price for
delaying the enemy's crossing Of the
Yalu. The fact was known through
out the city and gave rise to renewed
reports, attributed to official sources,
that Gen. Kuropatkin had officially
censured Lieut.. Gen. Zassalitch. If
this was so, Gen. Kuropatkin's tele-
graphed criticism of Zassalitch was cut
out of the dispatches which have been
published and the general impression
now held is that he will remain in
Manchuria.
The idea has prevailed that the Rus
slams would not make a stand at Feng
Wang Cheng, but the fact that a Jap
anese occupation of that point would
enable a movement to the southwest,
thus cutting off the Liaotung peninsu-
la, which is taken into consideration
by the authorities, leads to the expecta-
ton that Gen. Kuropatkin will dispatch
strong reinforcements there and make
a determined stand.
The activity of the Japanese, it is
remarked here, is not only north of the
Yalu, but also off the Liaotung PENN
sula, though the failure to seal Port
Arthur may interfere with the opera
lions they had been expected to carry
out on the west coast of that PENN
Sula.