The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1904-05-12
State OF SIEGE
At PORT ARTHUR
JAPS LAND TROOPS AND COM
MUNICATIoN WITH RUSSIAN
STRONGHOLD IS CUT OFF.
They Sink Ships in Harbor Entrance
Also-Events Will Cause Irnpor-
tant Change in Plans Of Vice Ad-
miral Skyrdloff.

ST. Petersburg, May IA dispatch
received Friday night says that Port
Arthur is cut off from all communica-
ton by land, the japanese having dis
embarked in it's rear, occupied the rail-
road and cut the telegraph. Vice Ad-
miral Skrydloff, who is en- route to Port
Arthur to take command of the naval
forces in the far east, will be unable to
reach his destination.
May Go to Vladivostok.
Vice Admiral Skrydloff and Vice Adj
miral Bezobrazoff cannot now reach
Port Arthur and will probably go to
VladivOstok to join the cruiser squad
ron there. Rear Admiral Wittsoeft,
who was left in charge of the fleet by
Viceroy Alexieff, will direct operations
at Port Arthur. Wittsoeft is good
officer, and it is believed he will render
excellent service.
Departure of Alexieff.
1t was because he was convinced that
Port Arthur was about to be cut off
that Viceroy Alexieff, accompanied by
his staff and Grand Duke Boris, left
hastily. The strength of the garrison
at Port Arthur is not revealed by the
authorities, who will only say that it
is adequate for defensive purposes. 1t
is not believed that the force there ex-
ceeds 10000 soldiers.
Alexieff at Mukden.
Mukden, May 7-Vice Admiral Alex
Jeff has arrived here.
Gen. Plug Reports.
st. Petersburg, May 1.-The ministry
of war has received the following tele-
gram from Maj. Gen. Plug, chief of the
military staff:
According to the information | have
received, seven of the enemy's trans
ports, and afterwards about 40, ap-
peared opposite Pitsewo on the even
| ing of May 4. On the morning of May
the Japanese began to land at Pitse-
wo and on the coast near Cape Termi-
| nal (about Is miles southwest of Pitse-
wo), under cover of artillery fire. At
this moment about 60 transports were
observed bearing down upon the whole
front and our posts retired from the
shore. All papers in the post Office a.
| Pitsewo were removed and the Russian
inhabitants abandoned the town. Ac-
cording to Chinese reports, by the
evening of May about 10000 of the
enemy's troops had landed and taken
up quarters in the Chinese villages
near the points of debarkation. The
enemy sent two columns of about one
regiment each, one in westerly direc-
ton and the other to the southwark"
A Terrible Blunder.
Toxic, May Gen. Kuroki, in re-
porting Thursday, tells of bloody en-
counter during the Russian retreat on
| Sunday last, when a large force of Rus
slams mistook small body OF their
own men for Japanese, killing and
wounding $50 of them
Loss Was Enormous.
St. Petersburg, May Ain a report
received by the emperor from Gen.
Kuropatkin under Tuesdays date, it
is stated that at least 1900 to 5000 men
were killed in the Yalu river fight.
| Say Port Arthur Is Blocked
| Ndy o. lie 1OhIO COI e
spondents of both the Daily Telegraph
and the Daily Chronicle assert that Port
Arthur is effectually "corked"
Nine Ships Sunk.
Toxic, May 5.-Tuesday afternoon
during fierce fog the Japanese success
fully blocked Port Arthur by sinking
nine merchantmen at the entrance,
which now is absolutely sealed. The
Japanese fleet in effecting the blocking
sent a steamer into the entrance at full
speed. The naval officers who made the
two previous attempts begged permits
sion to carry out the next attack in day
light, that being easier, and their request
was granted. So determined were the
naval chiefs to succeed this time that
they decided If necessary to lose half
their men. The number of casualties has
not yet been given out
Kuropatkin Off for Front
st. Petersburg, May 6.-Gen. Kuro-
patkin has gone to the front from Lao
yang to inspect the situation person
| ally.