The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-05-31
Russian military censors and might
prove OF great value TO the enemy

Va Az " kLC
St. Petersburg. May 2s.-The general
staff has received the following tsle-
gram dated May 18th from Lieutenant
General Mackaroff:
There Is no change In general situa-
ticn in the Feng-wang-Cheng district
Our cavalry report hat the japanese
are constructing for~tiic7tions around
Feng- Wang-Cheng. where they have
a force of G.000 infantry and 2,00o cav
airy with So field guns.
The Japanese advance guard has "a
vanced TO twenty-five miles north o.
the Al river, their front being turned
towards Saimatse and Kuan-Ti2n-Sian.
They are effecting no other me sements
Forth OF the Al river.
In the neighborhood OF Piteswo ard
further south the japanese landing cor
tinues. the troops marching thence to-
wards Kin Chou with covering detsch-
ments thrown out on the west.
According TO Chinese reports a battle
took place at Kin Chou May 18th in
which the japanese lost 700 men. The
Russian losses were not so great.
A Japanese landing at Takushan be-
gan five days ago and il is reported that
10000 troops, principally infantry, were
landed. but this has not yet been veri-
fled. The troops landing are marching
from Takushan nortL vest owards Stu
Yen and Southwest towards Port Ar
thur.
One of our sotnias encountered a Jap
anese detachment on the night of May
20th-21st at Sitkhouchintse n caused
great CONSERVATION among the Japa-
nese h opened a wild fire against the
Cossacks. In the darkness they fired
upon their own men,.
On May 21st a Russian accommodating
party got behind the japanese army be-
lind Tansanchintse, on the main road
from Sakhedza to Laio Yang and found
a japanese detachment 800 strong. The
Russian scouts watched for sixteen
hours, during which time at least 49,
600 Chinese IND Korean coolies passed
together with 200 carts. The Japanese
finally discovered and attacked the
Russian scouts, all of whose horses
were killed. The scouts were obliged to
return on foot.
St. Petersburg, May 26.-The fol-
lowing dispatch from Viceroy Alex
Jeff. dated May 26th. has been re-
ceived by the Emperor:
Reports from Rear Admirals
Wittsoeft and Grigorovitch to-day
stated that the enemy bombarded
from In-Gen-Tsi bay Con the west
coast Of the Kwang-Tung peninsula.
about thirteen miles north of Port
Arthur) with gungoats. (The vice
" - pcN oOSS INV oiN t~ q
of the bombardment.)
"On the following night, the Japa-
nese attempted to block the road
stead of Port Arthur with mines, and
from shore observations it is believed
that some steam launches and two
torpedo boats were sunk.
Between May Is and May Fl the
Russians cleared eleven of enemy's
mines from the roadstead.
THE boats of the merchant steam
er Amur with a dredge and a steam
launch have been brought to Port
Arthur from Dalny."
London, May 27.-The Toxic cor
respondent of the Daily Express says
it is reported unofficially that the
Japanese have captured Kin-Chou
and are now attacking Dalny.
London, May 27.-The Toxic cor
respondent Of the Daily Mail, under
date of May 26th, says:
According to a relia bic report.
the Japanese occupied Kin-Chou to-
day."
st. Petersburg, May 26.-The gen.
eral staff is not in a position tonight
to confirm or deny the Toxic report
hat the Japanese have occupied Kin
Chou. The latest official information
regarding fighting in that vicinity
was conveyed in General kuropat-
kin'S telegram, which said that the
Japanese had lost seven undred On
May IS. This agrees with Informal
ton contained in The Associated
Press dispatches Of May 25th, Cen
eral Kuropatkin apparently accept
ing the report from the same Chinese
source. 1t would be a great sur
prise to the authorities here if the
report of the capture of Kin-Chou
should prove to be true.
The impression heretofore enter
tanned is that Kin-Chou would prove
a hard nut for the japanese to crack
and that it's reduction would need
a siege train and call for careful APP
~proaches, which would occupy the
enemy for a long time.
The opinion Of the best authorities
is that if the japanese rushed Kin
Chou by a frontal attack, unsupport-
ed by heavy guns, which it is not
believed they possess. the capture or
the place has been effected at a great
loss by the attackers