Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-08-04
Is the Only Thing St.
Petersburg Will Say.
Reports from The Front in Far
East Must Be Very Bad.
Show That the Japanese Are Whip.
ping the Cars Men in Every En-
counter.

st. Petersburg, Aug. 4.-(31S A. M
There has been complete and ominous
silence regarding events at the front
since the receipt of Gen. Kuropatkin's
brief dispatch of August 2 Even this
meagre official Information was anti
cipated by earlier advices by The AS
SOciated Press.
There are no other official order press
dispatches. late tonight. to indicate the
progress Of the fighting around Lao
Yang. where il is felt that d most seri-
Gus situation must exist 1T is thought
possible that there may be a temporary
hull. The terrible fight alone would be
enough to iemorali2e the armies and Il
would not be surprising, IL, coupled
with the several days severe fighting.
it forced both sides to halt and recu-
perate.
There is the gravest anxiety here to
learn whether Gen. Kuropatkin is seri-
ously giving battle or is determinedly
screening the withdrawal Of his main
force. There is a persistent story afloat
that the Russian army has been NOV
ing north for some days, but this can
not be confirmed
Nothing can be obtained, tonight, re-
garding the reported sinking of the
japanese armored cruiser Kasuga.
st. Petersburg, Aug. 3.-1.25 p. M
The first Russian report OF the storm
ing operations at Port Arthur has tusr
| been received from the consul OF Rus
STA at Che Foo, dated Wednesday. II
says general attack began, Saturday.
with the japanese in immense force
There were two days of a lombard
ment of Unprecedented violence. The
Japanese at the time of sending this
dispatch, the consul adds, had every-
where been repulsed with great loss.
The Japanese casualties possibly
reached 10000. but the Russian losses
We're insignificant
The consul further reports that. the
Russians nave an abundance OF am
inunition The telegram does not men
ton naval operations but II Is here
considered probable that the Russian
warships participated in Smelling the
besiegers from the sea.
The exact date of the events report
"a IN ms telegram are not clear as the
method Of Transmission is not discl ased
IL IS possible that it was by wireless
rl"ssag" reporting events which hav,
ot CURED since last Saturday. On the
other nand the message may have gone
by Junk to Che Foo. i'm which case 4,
refers to events of week ago and
practically covers the reports mem
toned in The Associated Press dis
patches from Che Foo In either cas-,
the reports have been received with
con Si1nr1 hIa Itnt
mistic rumors spread abroad from for
eish sources. last week. 1t seems APP
parent that the Japanese advance
against Gen. kurOpatkin was timed to
occur simultaneously with the assault
upon Port Arthur
ST Petersburg. Aug. 3.-In dis
patch to the Emperor dated Aug. 2.
Gen. Kuropatkin says:
our troops have retired from Hal
cheng along the road toward Anshan-
shan. The movement was ACCOMPLISHED
In perfect order and the enemy did M,
disturb us.
The terrible heat has caused MANY
sunstrokes and measures have been
taken to diminish the equipment the
troops have hitherto been Obliged to
carry by transporting II In supply
carts.
There is no serious news from the
eastern front"
st. Petersburg. Aug. 3.-Gen Kuro-
patkin's armies are now concentrating
upon Lao Yang. falling back respec
lively upon Anshanshan, Liandiansiah.
and Anping as predicted In the dis
patches of The Associated Press. These
three points from ring of closely knit
defcnces around Lao Yang and enable
Gen. Kuropatkin to risk general en-
gagement The only cause for anxiety
Is Anping. and Gen. Kuropatkin's
words that he hoped the troops would
hold that place Indicate a nispiuinu