The San Francisco call., 1904-07-08
japanese Army and Navy Are
Tightening Their Grip
on Port Arthur.
Operations of Paramount
Importance Are Going on
in the War Zone.

TOXIC, July Z, IL a. m.-Opera-
tons Of paramount Importance are 60
ing on within the war zone, but the
Government succeeds in yelling them
in almost absolute secrecy. Since the
occupation of Port Dalny the Govern
ment officials have been silent con-
corning conditions at Port Arthur. 1t
is generally known, however. that the
japanese army and navy are daily
Tightening their relentless grip on the
besieged city. and that a final assault,
followed by the fall of the fortress, is
now only a matter of a few weeks.
1t is known also that engagements
of varying importance are constantly
occurring on the hills surrounding
Port Arthur. The fleet of Admiral Togo
is in motion day and night and is fire.
quently engaged, but the forces and
number of guns of the besiegers, as
well as their positions, details of past
operations and future plans are secrets
which probably will not be revealed
until the final and decisive action.
Fragmentary information from vari-
Gus sources, especially Chinese,
reaches Japan, but its publication here
or the sending of ii abroad is forbid
den under severe penalty.
NO foreigner accompanies either the
Japanese forces which are besieging
| Port Arthur, the army under Generai
Oku, or the army which was landed at
Takushan, and the newspaper CORE
/ spondents and foreign attaches with
General kuroki are made to remain
/ within circle having a radius of a
| little more than half mile.
! The Russians are forced to travel
/ afield along a japanese front which
extends for 25O miles in order to deter
i mine, by actual scouting, the positions
and the strength of their enemy, and
added to this they must discount d
series of clever feintS and ruSes de-
! signed to deceive them.
Many false reports concerning the
war operations are being sent abroad;
these the Japanese welcome as being
! just so much more chaff and sand In
the eyes of the enemy.
The curtain now down over the
| theater of war will, however, soon be
raised, and it is confidently expected
that the lifting will reveal the Japan
ese to be in possession of splendid
| strategical advantages, with men and
| guns enough to carry the present cam
paign to a successful conclusion.
ST. PETERSBURG, July Z, 1906 p m.
1t is reported that the Emperor will
leave st. Petersburg Saturday for the
Volga region and will visit Kaizan,
Penza, Samara and Syzran. to bid fare
we'll to the Fifth and Sixth Siberian
] army COIpSs winch VIII De nelQ IN re-
/ serve at Irkutsk and Omsk.
According to official information re-
ceived by the War Office the Japanese
began their advance toward Liaoyang
June %, one column moving along the
main and the other over the direct
road, the former reaching Ouhfang-
kou, ten miles beyond Fenshui Pass,
and the latter reaching Liaokhol Pass,
twelve miles northwest of the Molten
Pass. They halted at these points un-
til July 3, the Russians falling back to
Langtse Pass, thirty miles from Lao
yang. The Japanese advance guard,
consisting of 1900 men, was only two
! miles east of the Russian position. The
next day occurred Keller's reconnais-
sance in force, when the Japanese were
discovered to be trying a flank move
ment in the direction of Liandiansian.
This is the last fighting reported north
ward. but still farther north a Japan
ese column is continuing to hold an
| other Fenshui Pass, twelve miles
northwest of Saimatsza, on the road
leading to Liaoyang and Mukden and
| S57 miles east Of the latter place. At
this time the Japanese main forces are
on the Siuyen-Haicheng and Kaichou-
| Tatchekiao roads, at Vandiapudze and
| Ahiaheouya, respectively, thirty-seyen
miles from Haicheng and fifty miles
! from Tatchekiao and Kaichou