The Oskaloosa herald., 1904-11-24
fire RACES NEAR
RUSSIAN ARSENAL
COMMANDMENT HAS TELLING Eff
Feet ON PORT ARTHUR.
GEAR LOSES MORE wAR-sHIPs.
Japanese Defeat Reported at PoutiIoff
Hill-casualtles Estimated at 500
Town of ~Shahkepo Being
5ombarded To-day.

Toxic, Nov. ga Port Arthur re-
port states that buildings near the
Russian arsenal caught fire at noon
on November %, owing to the bonn
bardment of Japanese naval guns. At
n~ine-forty last night they were still
burning.
Japs Bombardine Shahkepo.
st. Petersburg, Nov. 2S.-Gen. SAX
haroff reports that the Japanese are
today severely bombarding the village
of Shahkepo, on the Snake river.
Several other minor engagements
have occurred since Sunday.
Zandagaw, Manchuria, by courier to
Mukden, Nov. 3D. Japanese lost 500
men in the attacks of November II and
November Is and were evidently dis
heartened. When they renewed the at
tack November 10 the Japanese sent u
several battalions from Double bumped
hill, but tAeir movements lacked de-
cision. The Russians opened fire from
Poutiloff (Lone Tree) hill and neighbor-
ing em1nences. Shells burst in the
midst of the advancing Japanese coli
umns and quickly checked them. The
Japanese also tried a turning operation
at Chanlindza, but there also they were
dispersed. There was a slight encounter
Novembes 20. Russian scouts pene-
trated a short distance into the Japanese
lines, but without much result.
Country Laid Waste.
During the last two days the Chinese
have been moving in large numbers
from the east northward, taking their
wives, children and household goods in
order to save them from the Japanese.
They evince more confidence in the Rus
slams than in the Japanese. The Chi
nese complain that the whole country
between the Russian and Japanese lines
is laid waste, Noe a single dwelling Is
standing. The earth dwellings OF the
soldiers are comfortable.
The Attack on RoutiloR ELL.
Mukaep Ny 70 vie Issessin lSay
since the Jap6nese attack on Pom
tilof hill on the night Of November Is
no activity has been apparent. The
character OF. the attack on Poutflon
hill is not fully understood beyond the
fact that three or four battalions par
ticipated, 1t probably was made on
the initiative of the local commander,
without the consent of headquarters,
and as an attack it can only be favor
ably regarded in the light Of a recon,
naissance in force. This incident Is
the most important that has happened
since the battle of Shakhe. Poutilofi
hill, which is now the center Of inter
est of the entire line, could be seen
flashing the signal of attack from her
Notifications as the Japanese infantry
advanced. :.
On account of repeated reports that
the Japanese intended to attack oD
November 10, this assault was believed
to be the signal for an advance of the
entire line, and consequently the entire
Russian army, on the qui vive, inaugu-
rated its w hostile movements. both
east and west of Poutiloff hill. The
japanese arrived within so yards OF
the Russian trenches. The Russian
fire was too deadly for a further adj
vance. The next morning disclosed
about so Japanese dead, which the
Russians buried yesterday. The jana
nese succeeded in carrying off in haste
200 wounded. The Russians lost half
a dozen men in trenches.
Three Destroyers Sunk.
London, Nov. pa dispatch to the
Daily Express from Nagasaki gives de-
tails of the sortie of the torpedo boat
destrpyers from Port Arthur on the
nights, of November 13, IA and Is. Only
one Of these destroyers reached Chez
foo, the R~astoropny. Three others
were sunk by the Japanese. The three
boats sunk left two days before the
Rastoropny and all carried duplicate
dispatches from Gen. Stoessel. The
Japanese cruiser Kasuga sank the first
destroyer after a fight lasting half an
hour, in which all the Russians were
shot or drowned except four, who we're
rescued from the sea by the boats from
the Kasuga after the destroyer sank.
One Of the men thus rescued has since
died. The cruiser Matsuhima sank the
second destroyer % miles from Port
Arthur, receiving itself an ineffective
blow from a torpedo. Two Japanese
torpedo gunboats sighted the third de-
stroyer of Liaotishan at midnight and
chased it until 4 o'clock in the morning,
when the engines Of the torpedo boat
broke down. The ~gunboats discharged
two torpedoes at the destroyer, both
of which struck almost simultaneously.
The destroyer sank with all on board.
appointment for Alexieff.
St Petersburg. Nov. 23. An impe-
rial decree issued Tuesday appoints
Wceroy Alexieff a member Of the
Gil of the empire and Of the committee
Of ministers.