Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-06-09
NOCOMBINEDATTACK
ON PORT ARTHUR.
Reports of Chinese Refugees From
There Are Entirely Dis.
credited.
SOME FIRING FROM THE SEA.
II Worst Comes to the Worst Squad.
ron Will Go Outside HarbOr and
Fight the Enemy.

ST. Petersburg. June (2:OS p. m).-
The war office Is in possession Of infor-
nation which the officials declare war;
rants a contradiction of the reports,
brought by Chinese fugitiyes TO Chefoo,
Of four days land and sea attack on
Port Arthur and Of extensive damage
to the forts An Official dispatch from
Rear Admiral Wittsoef, dated June Z,
reports that the enemy has been bonn
harding Portt Arthur intermittently
from the sea, but does not mention
serious operations from the land side.
The general stan seems certain that
the enemy's siege guns have not yet
been brought tup
Discussing the Chinese reports
brought to Chefoo, a member OF the
general stan said:
1--WE have had our own experience
with the unreliability OF the Chinese
reports. The idea of the explosion OF
mines by thunderstorm is absurd,
and the Chinese statement that the
whole garrison has gone to the front Is
wild nonsense, betraying the deepest
ignorance of the conditions governing
The safe guarding Of fortress. The
garrison OF each fort never leaves It's
post EXCEPT to pursue a routed enemy.
The troops contestlng the advance upon
the fortress are few regiments Of n
aemen which have all the time been on
the Kwan Tung peninsula for this pur-
pose
In an official dispatch from Port Ar
thur to one Of the ministers not the
ministry Of war nor the ministry OF me
-t.lW nm 20 oil n 4
fantry, the Fifth, participated in the
defense Of Kin Chou,
The admiralty II not disposed 10
credit the report that the Port Arthur
squadron has left Port Arthur. or the
r,imor of It's junction with the Nladlvo-
stok squadron, though this Ia evident
10 mart of the program. II II comes 60
Inc worst the Port Arthur squadron
will go out and give battle,
Al the admiralty the reported action
Of the Japanese warships In shellng
the coast near Kaichou VIII be inter-
pretted. 81 confirmed, as demon5tra-
ton TO discourage the sending OF
strong force south against Gen. oku =
rear
The mysNncatlon cohceThlhb tne
s,rength Of the force. sent south con-
timer The war office, which seeming
ly is not fully advised in regard TO Gen.
<uropatkln's plans, says the command
cr-in-chieCs ability to detach an ade-
ouate force viii depend upon the NUM-
her Of troops at Gen kurokfs disposal,
concerning which apparently there is
No accurate Information here, although
Inc belief Is that the Japanese COM
mander has n bout AS battalions at Feng
Wang Cheng. and S6 In the vicinity or
Takushan The last Intelligence re-
ceIved al the war office is 20 the effect
that the japanese have abandoned
their advance north or Feng vans
Chene and west OF Stu Yen. The Rus
slams are holding Stu Yen and Siamats-
"a
While declining 20 furnish specific in
formation on the subject II seems GER
tain that the Russians are now IN wire
lees communication with Port Arthur.
p, no other way could the receipt OF
Admiral Wittsoef's dispatch OF June Z.
renorting the Intermittent lombard
man, OF Port Arthur from the sea be
accounted Tor.
while the above represents the official
view regarding the reports and the ma
ture OF the lighting around Port Ar"
thur. this city Is full OF all kinds OF
Wild stories and the public Is Inclined
70 credit the idea that the enemy has
already begun serious work against the
fortress.
REPORT FROM CHEEFoo.
cheefoo, June ., $3.50 p MA Chinese
formerly employed In the machine
shops at Port Arthur. who arrived here
TODAY. SAYS that only Ave OF the nine
largest Russian ships at Port Arthur
are capable OF going 10 sea, and that
steam Is kept up on but three OF the