Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1904-04-08
JAPS ADVANCE ALONG YALU
RUSSIANS SEEM TO BE RETREAT
ING IN TWO COLUMNS.
1t is Not Probable They Will Make a
stand, South Of Yalu River--Japs
Are Ready for BattIe-cossacks
Handicapped in Northern Korea
Naval Conditions a Puzzle.

Toxic, April 4.-The advance suaru
of the Japanese army in northwestern
Korea has occupied the town OF Seng
Chepg without opposition. Seng Cheng
| is on the Pekin road. $50 miles west Oh
Chongju, and about 40 miles south OF
Win.
When the Japanese drove the Rus
SLAMS out of Chongju, the Russians
withdrew in two columns, one going
over the Pekin road. The Japanese
advance from Chongju was made very
rapidly. 1t was anticipated that the
Russians would resist this advance,
but they failed to do SO, and it is now
not probable that there will be any
further opposition south of the Yalu
river.
| Ready to Force Yalu.
| Weihaiwei, April Al have just re-
| turned from a four days cruise. in
| which l visited one Japanese base and
passed close to the entrance of Port
Arthur harbor. My message giving
| the particulars of the late Japanese
attempt on Port Arthur was sent by
wireless from the Korean coast, a dis
lance of over 100 miles, showing that
our apparatus is in perfect condition
and can be relied upon in case of
| emergency
/ The situation in Korea, so far as
could be learned at japanese head
quarters, is about as follows: Cen
eral Kurokis, who is in command of
| tho To nd ic IN D0ci
ton to force the passage of the Yalu
river at any time which the Japanese
| general staff decides is the most dan
| gerous to strike. He is, however, ap-
parently awaiting the mobilization of
the second japanese army before at
tempting any important move. This
| second development is well under way,
but l am pledged not to indicate its
whereabouts until the blow has actual
/ ly fallen.
Honors About Even.
! In the meantime the Russian and
Japanese outposts are in constant
touch on the line of the Choug Choug
Ing, but as a rule they do not come to
serious conflict, although few sharp
encounters have taken place, in which
honors were about even. The country
in northern Korea is of such nature
that the Cossacks are badly handicap
ped and are hardly so effective as
well trained infantry forces would be
The weather is improving, though com
lmunication is still extremely difficult
The Japanese are constantly improv
ing the roads, and even though they
penetrate far into Manchuria, they will
not suffer so mucn as General Inuoy's
men on the marcn to seize Pingyane
last month
The naval conditions are extremely
puzzling. 1t is impossible to learr
whether the entire Russian fleet was
in Port Arthur at the time of the
last Japanese attack When the Hal
nun passed the entrance of the harbol
Saturday afternoon We could distingu
ish no smoke in the harbor and We
met no vessels on the way. The dense
fogs that at this season of the veal
hang over the waters and make navi
cation extremely hazardous, may give
Admiral Makaroff the opportunity tt
practice his own theories regarding de
stroyer tactics and attempt nigh
dash on the Japanese fleet.
The latest trustworthy reports SHOW
that the Russian land forces are in tn,
main on the line between Liaoyant
and Hal Cheng, south of Mukden, Will,
all of the arrivals from the north ant
the troops that could be spared from
/. Perth Arthur are concentrated a
points where they are available TO
quick dispatch to the Yalu when the.
are needed there. There are also mo
bile forces at other points ready TO
dispatch to any theatened point.