The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1904-11-01
READY FOR
BATTLE
Russ and Jap Closing for
Bitter Struggle.
PIT. ARTHUR ATTACKED
Mikado's Men Have Captured
More of the City's Outer
Defences.

LONDON, Nov. l.-St. Petersburg
advlces this morning say that every
thing indicates that both the Japanese
and the Russian armies south of Muk-
deu are ready for resumption of hos
tilities, If indeed fighting has not al
ports that the Japanese have received
endorsements from the south and
Fengwangcheng. Their concentration
seems to have been accomplished, and
they are ready to resume the offensive
both east and west of the railroad.
There is no official estimate of the
strength Of the japanese reinforce
ments, but correspondents place it at
from 10000 TO G0,0OO
1t Is believed here that the second
battle on the Shakhe river will prove
to he rs much bigger and more serious
than the first as the first was more Sc
rlous than the battle of Liaoyang.
General Kuropatkin is confronted by
nm exceedingly difficult problem, He is
pitted against Japanese force stron-
ger. even despite its recent losses. than
that first opposing his southern adj
vance.
\ Chefu dispatch says that gener-
al assault upon Port Arthur has deyel-
oped into a tiercely raging battle. The
Japanese have flung heavy forces
against the fortress in their third at
tempt TO secure a commanding posi-
ton.
The japanese have been preparing
for this assault for a month. Ii is be-
lieved they did not expect to capture
the town on this occasion. but 10 ac-
complish another important forward
step.
This plan was adopted following the
first assault. when thousands of lives
were sacrificed in an attempt TO swarm
over the Notifications by mere force
of numbers, regardless of loss.
This assault, like the previous one.
was a climatic incident of weary
weeks of trench digging. gun mount
ing and small engagements. In the
opinion of experts the assault will
cease when the japanese have secured
such positions as will enable them to
keep steadily closer under the noses of
the Russian guns.
The Japanese infantry are now using
devices which enable them
to throw grenades with great accuracy
and rapidity.
In the meanwhile another body of
Japanese assaulted the trenches on the
slope of Rihlung mountain. The Japa-
nese trenches extended to certain por-
tons of the slope and stopped some
distance above the extreme japanese
outpost. where the ascent of Rihlung
became almost perpendicu-
lar
The Russian trenches scanned the
slope. To advance against them over
an unbroken slope which was mined
even without Russian resistance, would
have been a difficult task. but the
slope had been torn up, great holes
places by the bombardment, and the
Japanese awaited themselves of these
which offered combined
foothold and protection against bull
cts.
In the meanwhile the fire Of all their
AVAILABLE artillery WAS directed against
the Russian trenches, the Russians
eventually retiring, whereupon the Jap
,nese in thirty minutes constructed
renches sufficient to shield themselves.
The Russians exploded mines, but, the
Japanese declare, without result.
Mukden advices say that at the pres
mt moment the trenches on both sides
ire crowding with troops and at many
places the japanese and Russians are
vithin hailing distance. At the isolat-
ID hill of Mammalian, in the plain
where the Russians ten days ago cap
ured fourteen guns and bayoneted 500 |
Japanese, the rival forces are only 600
faces apart