The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-05-12
AFFAIRS IN MANCHURIA
APPROACH GREAT CRISIS
st. Petersburg Is Pleased Because the
Trainload OF Ammunition Was
Plote6 Into Port
Arthur.

Possiet, Siberia, May 11.-A Japanese
torpedo boat made its appearance in the
roadstead two days ago and suspicious
lights have been seen.
Everything Is quiet here, but all is in
readiness to meet any landing of the ene-
my whose probable purpose is the cutting
off of Vladivostock.
st. Petersburg, May r. 1886 a. m.-Im-
pending events of great Importance to the
military situation In Manchuria are fore
shadowed by official dispatches given out
late last night by the war commission.
On May the Japanese forces cautiously
moved from Feng Wang Cheng toward
Hal Cheng, which is thirty-two miles
east by north of New Chwang, and It. is
the opinion of the general staff that they
should certainly reach their destination
within two days. If the Japanese occupy
Hal Cheng, with Port Arthur effectively
cut off, New Chwang, which the Rus
SLAMS have already dismantled, would pass
into their hands, The entire Lao Tung
peninsula in fact, save Port Arthur ana
perhaps Kai Ping would be commanded
by them.
The satisfaction felt at the ro-establish-
,nent of communication with Port arthur
is increased by the knowledge that train
load of ammunition has been safely ue-
livered to the fortress. This was done IN
the presence of the enemy's army, wnich
landed at Pitsewo, and which Is apparent
~ on the eve Of being reinforced by an
other division on board thirty transports
now lying off Port Adams.
Do Not belong to Third.
the southwest of Feng Wang Cheng,
which it is established do not belong TO
a third army none having landed at
Talxu Shan. crossed the Tayang river May
7 and should by this time be operating
in the Lao Tung peninsula, provided they
continued, as is regarded probable, the
plan being to complete the mastery OF
southern Manchuria.
Besides acting energeticaly in south
ern Manchuria and moving on Hal Cheng'
General Kurold kept in mind the neces-
sity of outhanking General Kuropatkin
at Lao Yang as is shown in the fact
that on the morning of May 10, he start
ed formidable force consisting or
division of infantry and forty guns and
1860 cavalry toward Saimatdza. In view
of General Kuropatkin's statement that
an examination May 10 of the line be-
tween Saimatdza and Feng Wang Cheng,
failed to show the presence of Japanese,
the authorities are puzzled as TO Where
the Japanese forces came from.
The authorities are looking with con-
siderable philosophy on the division by
General Kuroki of his army into three
separate commands for they expect Gem
eral Kuropatkin promptly to take ad-
vantage of the numerical inferiority Of
the enemy.
The fact that it was considered neces-
sary to send train load of ammunition
to Port Arthur, has aroused comment.
and 1t is accepted in certain quarters as
an indication that the Russians have not
sufficient supplies of war material there.
The Associated Press has received the
following assurance from a member of
the general staff:
Has Ample Munitions.
There are ample supplies of munitions
of war at Port Arthur, but naturally
General Kuropatkin desired to send as
much as possible to the fortress. During
the expected siege great quantities OF
shells and explosive will be fired, and
we cannot afford to permit the reproach
Of the defenders that they could not hold
Port Arthur because of lack of powder
and shell. But | assure you there are
enough supplies there for one year"
With such a large force of the enemy
before Port Arthur, it is well understood
here that it is a question of days, per-
haps hours, before communication is
again cut Off 1t is predicted that there
will be a daring attempt at a repetition
of Lieutenant Colonel Spirydonoffs plan
to get ammunition into Port Arthur.
One fact mentioned in the official des-
patches, in which the authorities lay
stress, is the action of the Chinese in
saving a Japanese detachment from a
cossack ambuscade. Such incidents as
these can only lead, 1t is stated, to Cen
eral kuropatkin's taking determined
measures. He cannot have the enemy
within as well as outside the lines.