Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1904-12-22
AUTHORITIES SEEM PoWERLEss
TO STOP THE SMUGGLING OF
coNTRABANp.
BELIEVE PORT CAN HOLD OUT
ARRIVALS AT cHEFu FROM
PORT ARTHUR SEE HOPE FOR
GARRISON.

ILOuuOl, DeC. 10. - l. lie Ddlly Mall
asserts that thousands of tons OF
dynamite and other explosives. shells
and ammunition. all clearly contra
band, have been Struggled from the
Thames the past few months on
barges and transferred to mysterious
steamers at rendezvous at the mouth
of the river, for the Far East. the au-
thorities apparently being powerless
to prevent the traffic.
The Daily Mail comments upon the
terrible dangers attending this traffic,
saying a spark or collision might
cause catastrophe within stones
throw of the house of parliament,
Say Fort Can Hold Out
Chefu, Dec. 18.-Passenger who ar
rived yesterday from the Kwangtung
fetal Japanese report of the sinking Of
various Russian ships recently at
Port Arthur. They say the Japanese
could have done this at any time in
the past two months. but apparently
preferred to use their guns against the
Russian military forces.
It is believed the destruction of the
Russian ships indicates that the jap
anese have abandoned hope of cap
turing the fortress.
The Japanese lost three torpedo boats
within the past month by mines, the
last one sinking in the night attack OF
Dec. Ia on the Sevastopol.
Steamers laden with ammunition
and provisions have run the blockade
of Port Arthur in the past fortnight
and there are high hopes that the fort
ress will hold out for many months.
Japanese Make Advance.
Russian Headquarters. Dec. II, via
Mukden. There was considerable
desultory firing on both sides yester-
day. The Japanese made an advance
but it proved to be only demonstra-
ton.
Night sorties continue. A curious
melee resulted last night from stimuli
taneous advance of both Russians and
Japanese. Two columns of Japanese,
taking advantage of the darkness, adj
vanced on Russian positions, and at
the same time a Russian column set
out for the village of Nanganza. The
Russian column heard the Japanese
firing in the direction of their base
and thought they had been discovered,
but held Nanganza while sappers
mined and then returned. The Jap
anese re-entered the village, where
they were greeted with a tremendous
explosion which ~ n s1
Killed Many Of Them.
In the meantime the two japanese
columns operating in the direction Of
the Russians heard the explosion and
thought they had been outfanked,
whereupon they retired. The Japanese
and Russians met as each side was re-
turning. Both were utterly surprised.
"A hand-to-hand scuffie in the darkness
ensued, but as it was impossible to
distinguish friend from foe probably
little damage was done. The Russian
loss was only one. The night Of Dec.
IA fourteen Russian scouts penetrated
to the village Of Fanshen, where they
destroyed a Japanese signal tower and
carried off an old bell which had been
used by the Japanese to signal the APP
proach Of Russian troops.
Stoessel Again Wounded.
London, Dec. IS. Gen. Stoessel,
the Russian military commander at
Port Arthur. according to dispatch
from Chefu to the Daily Telegraph,
has again been wounded. this time by
q rife bullet. The correspondent
adds that the wound is not serious.