The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-06-05

GERS across the two bridges below WiJu
Island. There were both field guns and
howitzers in these new positions.
One regiment of infantry was also SEM
along the south bank of the Yaiu near
nka one battery being only a short
distance from the wall of Wiju.'
THEIR GUNS CONCEALED.
The Major did not say so. but 1t is n
fact nevertheless that the Japanese had
very successfully concealed from the Rus
slams up to that time the strength of thSr
artillery. They had steadily refused 10
respond to the continued though desuitory
fire of the Russian guns, and thus dis.
close their own positions, and there had
been no possible indication to the Rus
slams of the number of their guns. :.
Each division of the japanese Army had
regularly six batteries of six guns each;
The Guards n Second Division had field
guns the Twelfth had only mountain guns.
But in addition to these. the First Army
had an extra regiment OF artillery, COM
posed of men from the fortresses about
Toxic and S~himenoseki. This regiment
was equipped entirely with finch W
zers. and the presence OF these guns was
entirely concealed from the Russians until
the time came to use them.
During the last days OF the preparation
for the battle most of the japanese guns
were withdrawn from the positions that
had been made for them along the river
bank and packed the valley Of WIN. On
the afternoon of the 18th several batteries
we're moved out, and the others followed
that night, so that on the morning OF the
30th every gun was ready for action.
The. infantry OF the Guards and Second
Division was concentrated on the AFTER
noon of the 18th, and held near Win
ready for whatever use might become
necessary. They. were practically in the
cente of the position and could be thrown
either way as desired. The men were in
full Kit and ready to march at once.
This closed the Majors part of the lee
ture for the time being and the chief OF
staff himself took up the story. He
had come row to the description of the
action. General Fuiii told % on the
morning of the 3oth the Twelfth Division
had moved forward over the hills or the
north bank. This was the movement
which the correspondents had seen from
dertook to shell this advance from their
battery near by. and the japanese opened
with their guns east of Wtju to silence
the tire and to protect this fanking move
ment. The Russians were also using their
guns on Conical Rock, and on the hill
just to the west of it.
Z MIST-HIDDEN CAMP.
There is a hill on the north side. south
west Of WIFI, from the top of which the
Japanese could see the Russian camp in
the valley to the north Of Chu-Liang-
Cheng. But that morning there was a
heavy mist, which hung on for some time
after sunrise. so that they could not fire
at this camp until about 10 o'clock. At
that time the force on Kinteito was at
tempting to the position from
its own front. and a man was sent to try
to get across the main stream of the
Yalu to Ching-Ping Island. He took a
boat and was seen by the Russians on
Conicai Rock. who fired at hin with the
and field guns on Kinteito opened on the
Conical Rock with a heavy fire.
IT was Just twenty-five minutes past 10
ociock when his fire began. the General
Glln Enr ynvyr ,.-AI
minutes to II. It continued. and then
the enemy's fire was observed to slacken
rapidly. The japanese continued their
nLs LOT thirteen minutes more. during
winch time the Russian fire grew weaker
and much WORSE In aim. At the end Of
me thirteen minutes the Russians ceased
hiring altogether.
The tactical expert. commenting upon
this recital. said that most Of the artillery
OF the Japanese had been concentrated
upon this Russian battery.
,,.t ae.icisns say he continued. that
and the result Of this action proved that
they were right"
The howitzers had been used to search
direct fire at a high angle. This fire, the
Major said, did great damage to the Rus
SLAMS and caused no little CONSERVATION
among them. as he had been informed by
by the howitzers had been especially ef-
fective. It was a question among tao
dcians whether .howitzers would be Of
service in the field or not. but here 1t has
been proven that they were Of great use.
LESSONS OF CANNON FIRE.
The testimony Of all modern armies
throughout the world was to use more
shrapnel than cannon shell, but this ac-
ton had demonstrates that the shells
were OF more use than %shrapnel. The guns
on Conical Rock were in such a position
that they could impede the movement
c0nrRYnnI0f0H Hns Mr."
they must be silenced on the afternoon OF
April 30. The Japanese expended sixty
common shell that afternoon, using no
plished. When they Inspected the ground
around the position Of this battery. after
the fight Of the next day. it looked like
Sy i1 H. OK ,d oeeniyes , So torn up had 1t been
Here Is another place where the dress
ing OF salt must be used. The how1tzers
may. have employed only common shell on
f nSa'e there 1so Was tn ma Indication Hhss as = at mater anx f,n OF
that the howftzers fired anything but COM
mon shell. But while they were doing that
field guns by the score were mailing
shrapnel down on the rock. At one time
In the morning OF April 80, when the FIRE
upon Conical Rock was heaviest, there
were ten puffs of white smoke hanging
ing where ten shrapnel had burst stimuli
taneously. Moreover, the ground that
looked like beehives was not Inspected by
INC JdpdueS0 Until the afternoon Oh the
next day: the morning of which the Rus
slams had given a conspicuous example of
the gallantry In the trench. the right end
of which rested on Conical Rock. They
most terrible shell fire from the Japanese
field guns and howitzers that could be de-
nvered, and certainly a fair share of the
beehiying at least was the result Of the
ing Into VIII from the s~orrespondence
camp at Konanlo. 1 saw 1,5oo empty sheil
cases in one pile. n near by another
pile almost as large. The officers in
charge Of the park Of reserve ammuni;
ton told me then that the Japanese had
one fired by the Russians. The artillery
fire Of the Japanese was at all times
superb in rapidity, accuracy and direction.
Il III, was co yery s1rp pbeIIs b &c nf been 'n aseS only !
saw several u~nexploded common shells
on Conical Rock afterward, with many
that had merely split into two pieces
upon exploding, instead of being shat
tered INTO small fragments, as would have
been the case If they had functioned
properly.
Yalu practically on April 30 by demon
strating to the Russians that they could
not hold their positions In the face of the
Japanese artillery fire.
RANGE TOO GREAT.
The Major closed the second part OF his
lecture by saying that the Russians had
had the battery Of eight guns posted east
of Makan. and that the Japenese could
not silence them because the range was
too great.
General Pull took up the story again
at this POINT. On the night VI April y
pontoons were formed near Genkado n
drawn up stream to the places selected
for bringing the main channel. Two
bridges were to be constructed, the first
800 meters long and the other 240 meters.
Both were to lead from Kurito Island,
the logger one to a small. sandy island
east of Tiger Hill and north of Osekito
Island. the shorter to the mainland under