Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1904-08-04
HILL NEXT.
Japs Occupy All Strategic Places
About Port Arthur Save One.
CRITICAL, SAYS ST. PETERSBURG.
Kuropatkin's Army 10 Almost En-.
veloped by Gems. Kuroki, Nodzu
and Oku and He Must Fight
or Retreat.

or Retreat.
Chefoo, Aug. la japanese mer'
chant has received word from q Chi
nese whom he trusts to the effect thai
the Japanese have occupied every posi-
ton surrounding the besieged fortress
Of Port Arthur with the exception OF
Golden hill. The Chinese stated that
both sides suffered tremendous losses
in the operations necessary to bring
about this state Of affairs.
The members of the Russian intelli-
gence bureau here, while denying the
report that Port Arthur has been cap
tured, are inclined to believe the re-
ports true to the extent that the Japa-
nese have made great progress in their
operations about the besieGed fortress.
st. Petersburg, Aug. 1-Although
public attention has been distracted
from the events of the war during the
past week, first because Of the fear of
international complications and second
because Of the assassination Of Minis
ter Of the Interior Won Plehve, the sit
uation at the front is regarded as criti-
cal. The enveloping movement of the
three Japanese armies Of. Gems. Ku-
roki, Nodzu and Oku around Gen. Ku-
ropatkin's position appears to be al
most complete, and the extended line
Of the Japanese seems to be the only
drawback to concerted action. It is
realized here that the Russian general
must now either fight or withdraw the
whole army northward. He is being
closely pressed at Haicheng. At that
place Gen. Kuroki's northern column
makes 1t extremely dangerous to re-
main there.
There Is no inclination here to doubt
that there may have been pretty Sc
we're fighting at the outer positions Of
Port Arthur, possibly accompanied by
a bombardment from the sea, but 1t is
not believed that the Japanese are yet
ready to storm the fortress. Rear Ad-
miral Without, in command Of the
naval forces at Port Arthur, is relied
upon to put to sea If the condition of
the fortress becomes desperate. While
no definite information is obtainable,
the report that the fortress is short Of
ammunition is considered by the pub
lie as the most disQuieting feature Of
the situation.
The indications are that the Baltic
squadron Is on the eve Of an impor-
tant movement. Nothing regarding
this can be a~scertained officially, but
many Of the officers already have said
farewell to friends and families and
are holding themselves ready for in
slant service. The emperor had ar
ranged to inspect the squadron, but
his plan was given up, owing to the
assassination Of Minister Won Plehve.
Toxic, Aug. IA Japanese field
burial party which is working before
Port Arthur and a Japanese who was
made prisoner by the Russians and es-
capped, charge the Russians with rob-
bling Japanese wounded and with mutt
lating Japanese dead. They assert
that the bodies of wounded and dead
soldiers are stripped Of their watches
and valuables and that the dead have
been beheaded and bayoneted and
their eyes have been gouged out.
Frankfort, Germany, Aug. Ia To-
kio correspondent says that the Vadi-
vostok squadron has returned to Vladi-
vostok.
New Chwang, Aug. There has
been heavy fighting for two days In
the marshes south Of Haicheng during
the gradual retreat from Tatchekiao
5000 Russians forming the rear
guard and the peril Of this force in
creases daily.
Copenhagen, Aug. 1.-Two Russian
cruisers and two torpedo boats have
traversed the great belt, going north
wards. The great belt Is a wide chan
mel connecting the Baltic and the
north seas. II separates Fuenan, Ithe
second largest of the Danish islands,
from Zealand, the largest of the Dam
Ish islands and the sound between Tea
land and south Sweden.