Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930, 1904-12-22

The Japanese have made good use
| OF 2O3-Meter Hill, which they cap
tured. 1t took them just four days to
get large guns mounted III safe posi-
tons at the summit, and then they
began to lombard the Russian battle
ships in the harb0r. They had been
wasting great quantities of ammuni-
ton on those ships for weeks past,
but as their fire was then from the
north the ships could get protection
behind Peiyu Hill. Under the new
conditions the Japanese fire was from
the west and the ships could get no
shelter except by going outside the
harbor and hiding behind Tigers Tail
Peninsula, which for reasons best
known to themselves they did not carr
to do.
AS General Nogi's reports Of tbs
damage done to the Russian ships are
sent IN great detail, we may assume,
says the Chicago Record Herald, that
they are accurate, though Of course
the observations are made from hill
tops four or five miles distant. OF the
Russian battleships, the Pebieda, Pol
tava, Retvizan and Peresviet are all
reported sunk, or, rather, submerged
in whole or In part at their anchorage.
The Sevastopol, the only remaining
batueship, lies in such position that
the Japanese are not sure whether
they have damaged it or not The two
cruisers, the Bayan and the Pallada,
are reported as aground Or badly list
ed, and both have been on FIRE. The
gunboats and destreyers are so small
that they make hard targets TO hit,
but those Of them not already destroy
ed can hardly hope to escape long.
This is most ingloriouS end for a
battle fleet, but we may be sure that
1t has not been tameIy accepted be-
cause Of any lack Of courage on the
part Of the Russian officers or men
more natural explanation Of their
refusal to make a sortie is probably
that the sailors could not be spared
to die at sea when they were so great
~ needed to help man the fortifica-
tons Of the city. Perhaps. also, it
may have been the case that the naval
guns had long since been removed for
use in the forts, and that the ships
had been without repairs so long that
they could not be effectively maneu-
vered at sea.
AS to the future Of the siege, one
theory is that the Japanese. having no
longer any fear of the aeet at Port
Arthur, and having made sure that
no other Russian ships can enter the
harbOr and live, Will ROW trust to the
slow process Of starvation to capture
the town, instead Of renewing their
assaults. Such may be their decision,
but, on the other hand, they seem to |
be pushing their trenches and tunnels
steadily forward. and 4 desire to have
the houses in the city for the army
to live in during the winter may make
an assault seem worth their while
Certainly the sufferings of winter life
In the trenches would be very great
A few days ago it was announced
that the Gar had ordered the dis
patch to the Pacific Of third squad
ron, to be made up of two nearly corr
pleted battleships and five old ones,
with a number Of cruisers and torpedo
boat destToyers. There comes now a
report that the Gear, disregarding the
opposition Of the grand dukes, has or
dered Admiral Rojestvensly, the COM !
mander Of the Baltic fleet. not to 20
on to the far east Nothing definite IS
known as to his wherea bouts, but he
is probably near Madagascar If such
an order really has been given, it can
only mean that the Emperor has his
doubts as to whether Admir- ROiest-
vensky. with his present force, is as
sured Of victory over the Japanese
fleet, and deems 1t wise TO hold him
back until he can be REINFORCED At
this time Of the year Vladivostok, tho .
only port held by the Russians, is |
frozen up. It is not a good base Of
operations, nor will it be good place
to retire to in event Of reverses.
Kouropatkin and Oyama still con-
front each other In strong entrench-
menus along Cne line OF the SNdKnS
River, and there is nothing in the ac-
counts Of the skirmishes which come
to us from day to day to justify any
inference as to their Intentions Little
fights seem to occur imparHally at all
points Of the line Lone Tree Hill,
which the Russians call Poutilof Hill,
Is, however, singled out for special at
tention, as the Japanese are reported
as bombarding it at least once or
twice a week.
While the armies are quiescent
Kouropatkin is availing himself of the
to reorganize his forces.
Since the departure Of Alexieff he has
had a free hand At the present time
be has probably 100000 men all told.
but when his reorganization is COM
plete he expects to have three armies
Of 10000 men each. which he can
match, army to army, against the con-
mands Of Oku, NodZu and Kuroki