Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1904-05-27
Y "A RIVER ~ R! DISTRICT.
Scene of Great Land Battle Be-
tween Japan and Russia.

"S" japan oAAo NOSS4as
FAIRLY OPEN COUNTRY, BUT HnLY
= Lofty Mountains on the North and
East Make 1t Most Dimcult For the
Passage Of an Army-The Yalu In q
Picturesque Stream Some Three
Hundred Miles In Length.
"Forked Ways" is the name given by
the Chinese to the lower Yalu river.
the scene Of the first important land
battle between the Japanese and Rus
sian troops. Above the Yalu is called
by the Chinese the Tachiang, or "Great
river" This designates especially the
stream beyond With, where the Japa-
nese army had it's headquarters. Op-
posite, just below Wiju, the river is d.
! vided by two islands, one, Samalinde,
Of considerable extent, says the New
York Herald.
Behind Yongampo and up the course
Of the stream to Win, a march of
about forty miles, and stretching back
about five miles, is level plain, which
is cultivated and occupied by Korean
farmers. Beyond this plain, in a
southeasterly direction, rises high
ridge. Southeast again, behind this
ridge, rise lofty peaks 1000 to 5000
feet in height.
Win, or Yichu, is on billy promon-
1T no 10 It,
beautifully situated and dominated by
a cliff about 200 feet high. Many of
it's people live along the Seoul road,
for ages an imperial highway to China.
Toward the sea, on the west, the
land is fairly open, though billy, while
inland, on the north and east, are lofty
mountains, making it most difficult for
the passage of an army. Except on
this Wiju-Seoul road wheeled traffic is
impossible in northern Korea.
The Japanese in 1894 crossed the
Yalu few miles above the town of
VIII and attacked the Chinese army
In the rear, overwhelming it notwith-
standing it's strongly fortified position
on the low hills just below Wiju. on
the Manchurian side at Chintiencheng
Mime consecutive forts' A few
miles above Chintiencheng the Al riv-
er enters the Yalu. The Al is swift
running stream, navigable for small
boats few miles up it's course The
hills of Chintiencheng. it has been said,
could be held by a few thousand men
against an army. This the victorious
progress of the japanese has proved a
! false conclusion as far as the Rus
slams are concerned Inland on the
Chinese side the country is Wild and
thinly populated.
Between Tatungkau and Chintien-
cheng, thirty miles from the first and
ten miles from tie latter. is Shahitze-
sand River ToWn'-or ANtunghsien-
Peaceful East Magistracy''- TO-
GOO lnha Ditunts. The town lies very
low and has been inundated more than
once. :: :. c.->,. -: CRITIC Of each
race TIL ..:::l 80 Chinese ton SITES have
been chosen il Icy land, While the
more poetic;:l Kore;: MS, who appreciate
natural scenic Eeauty, build on high
ground or in valleys nestled in hills.
Fairly good roads run from Antung
to Fengwangcheng and Mukden to
Takushan and Newchwang (Yinkow).
From Antung to Fengvangcheng is
forty miles. The mountain overlook
ing this town Phoenix) rises quite
abruptly from the low, swelling plain.
A deep, forbidding gorge winds up
ward into the heart of the site. In
Fengwangcheng are the remains Of
the Korean forts of the middle ages,
for here the Koreans made their last
stand before being driven out Of Man
churla
West Of Fengwangcheng the road d.
vides. One section leads to New
! chwang over three elevated passes, the
highest being the Tatungling. The
distance to Newchwang is $50 miles.
The main road crosses near the Mo-
t1enling pass to Liaoyang, 100 miles,
and thence to Mukden, forty miles far
ther on. This road is rather good.
The Yalu river, picturesque stream
some 300 miles in length, is the divid-
, ing line between Korea and Manchuria
on the northwest frontier. 1t is nav
igable by native craft as far as Shin
lzuihuo, but steamers are unable to
proceed beyond Antung. Some miles
below Antung, but situated in the same
bank and lying close within the estu-
airy Of the river, is the port of Tatung-
kao, where, when the weather permits,
cargoes for Antung are sometimes dis
charged. Tatungkao, however, is diff
cult to approach, and, as a general
rule, steamers unload and receive their
cargoes at Antung, a port Of great
promise in the near future.
The estuary Of the Yalu river is
broad, but the anchorage Of Tatung-
kao is exposed to tie northeast winds,
which at times blow with great force.
The stream has a rapid current and,
owing to the presence Of innumerable
shoals and sand banks, presents seri-
GUS obstacles to successful navigation.
Islands, both small and large, appear
IN ito c0,,rsp and high hills covered