Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-02-19
THE WAR IN THE EAST.
Rumors of Important Operations a
Port Arthur and Along the YaIu.

Port Arthur and Along the Yalu.
The news of actual operations in
the war between Russia and Japan for
the past week or two has been confined
principally to unconfirmed rumors.
That there is something Of great i'm
portance going on every day, there is
no question; but although there are
numerous correspondents on the scene,
noting everything that is done 1t Is only
occasionally that these correspondents
are able to communicate promptly with
their papers.
From such reports as have been re-
ceived confirmed and unconfirmed, 1t
seems that the Russian fleet which
has been making it's headquarters at
Port Arthur, has been crippled to such
an extent that there Is but little left
of it. The Japs have Port Arthur
guarded at sea just as the Americans
had the Spanish cooped up in the har-
bor of Santiago; but the Russian fleet
does not appear to be nearly as effec-
tive as was the Spanish fleet.
The Russians have an effective fleet
in the harbor of Vladivostok about one
thousand miles further north. At least
the fleet was there. There have been
rumors of disasters to it. but these ru-
mors have not been confirmed. Grant
ing, however, that this fleet Is still in
as good shape as ever, 1t is not really
-, 10 nc ~
ese fleet that is watching it.
Reports of a few days ago from al
legged Japanese sources, told of an ef-
fort to assault Port Arthur from the
sea. A heavy snow storm came up and
because Of it and the fierce wind the
assaulting fleet was scattered. and only
two torpedo boats were able to enter
the harbor. 1t Is claimed that these
boats managed to inf1ict serious in
jury on a Russian vessel; but there Is
nothing definite on the subject.
AS the situation Is understood here,
the news of the next big battle will
come from the vicinity of Port Arthur.
While the Japanese fleet is watching
the entrance to the port, 1t is believed
that the army is landing thousands of
men on the coast with view to as
saulting that stronghold In the rear.
The Russians are also concentrating
their forces to meet the expected at
tack and the whole situation looks very
much like a repetition Of Santiago.
When news Of the fighting comes In 1t
will tell story of great slaughter.
This dispatch sent by correspon-
dent Of the New York Herald from
Nagasaki, Japan, on Feb. Is, tells OF
the situation there as the correspond
ent saw it at the time:
Yesterday the Japanese soldiers on
the point of embarkation were singing
in the streets of many ports, besides
those Of Moji, Nagasaki and Kobe.
transports have embarked troops
horse and foot and guns and more are
going somewhere but the japanese ca
valry horses seem hardly worth trans
porting except to a knacker's yard.
Never have I seen such sorry scrub
ponies.
There are more than score of
steam transports at Moji, among other
places, and Of these numbers have
cleared nightly for ports toward Korea
To-day there are ten large transport
steamers at Nagasaki flying the army
and not the navy transport flag. Each
vessel has a gross register Of about six
thousand tons. Horse boxes have been
fitted on board several Of the vessels
and the mems quarters are most COM
modiouS.
"Trains arrive upon the wharves,
which, with their lines, were laid In a
week. They cover mile Of ground
formerly marsh, but now filled up.
The troops are fed and marched to
their billets, and subsequently embark
ed upon lighters and steam Launches,
by. which they are taken quietly to the
ships.
Il notice that the steamers besides
carrying a full complement Of their
own boats have each from eight to ten
large, strong sampans upon their
davits. These sampans are admirably
adapted for being rowed or towed In
shallow waters or through heavy
surf.
Cavalry, artillery and infantry are
embarking under ones eyes and going
where I hazard to guess.
THAT they are not merely going to
land at Chemulpo or elsewhere in Ko-
rea, but close to the neck of the posi-
ton of their Russian foe-say by the
Yalu, or, better still, within a hundred
miles of the Liaotung peninsula
might say, If I guessed again, but 1
might be wrong.
"All railway traffic toward Moji from
Nagasaki has been suspended. Except
for the troops this has been the case for
three days.
"The Japanese fleet is quite fit to
resume action, and I am impressed
with the fact that it will get all that
is left of the Russian fleet without un-
due waiting.
mines have been laid across Naga-
saki harbor's entrance"