The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-06-02

outnumbered theirs. This was not ALL The
Russian practice was fairly good. but that
OF the Japanese was immensely better.
The accuracy of the gunners on the ko-
rean size was awful Above one shot on
the conical rock. where the Russians We're
trying to work their guns, / counted their
puffs of white smoke, showing that ten
shrapnel had burst almost simultaneously.
Every one had found its mark. Not the
Stoutest heart can make human flesh and
blood stand that. No finer bravery can be
shown than that exhibited by the Russian
defenders of this position. but bravery
alone would not suffice.
RUSSIANS FAILURE TO PERFORM
PRELIMINARY WORK FATAL.
Now the failure to do the preliminary
work revealed itself The Russians had
not prepared themselves for any such
struggle. And strive as the bravest might,
they We're doomed TO defeat. Their fire
slackened and died away. The Japanese
were masters and they recognized it-mas+
ters In number of guns. masters in the
rapdfty of fire, and masters in its ac-
curacy.
As the Russians ceased TO fire, the Jap
anese guns slowed down and soon stopped
altogether BY noon the valley had ceased
TO rock and roar with the noise of con-
test, and lay again peaceful and smiling
in the sunlight. The men coming down
the hills on the Manchurian side stayed
their hurrying feet and sat down TO rest
and eat the rice from the little baskets
they carried on their backs. 1t was quite
as If there had never been a thought of
war.
There was not long TO rest The Rus
SLAMS Were not disposed to give up easily.
waited. Then the guns began again. Still
they sought their old work. The men on
the hills above them We're left to advance
as they pleased. while Kintetto and the
batteries along the shore Immediately
above and below WITH received new
scourge Of shells. But these batteries
were none the less ready than they had
been in the morning, and soon the angry
clamor of the guns was as loud and as
fierce as ever.
The Japanese shells searched ever cor
ner of the Russian position, and the shrap-
mel fell along the Muscovite line in hall
OF lead and steel AT last the Russians
gave up the effort to work their guns
there and the horses We're brought up TO
take them away. 1t was all plainly to be
seen from the japanese side and the guns
seemed inspired by new activity. Their
roar voiced an implacable hatred as they
drove to defeat the Russian intentions.
JAPANESE GUNS POUR
OUT A STREAM OF DEATH.
Now began a wonderful and deadly game
The Howitzers played along the crest of
the rock with their common shell, and the
field guns filled the air above it with
shrnpneL A haze Of smoke from the
bursting shells lowered above the rock
and through this haze could be seen Rus
slams struggling to get their guns away.
For fifty yards or more they had to go in
plain sight. and many a brave fellow met
his death in the gallant effort. No more
terrible fire was ever delivered by any
guns than the japanese poured upon that
spot. Men and horses were seen to fall,
and then a common shell struck the tim
ber OF one Of the guns. and the flash and
roar which followed showed plainly what
had happened.
The attempt TO save the day was over
and the battery was lost.
Next day when the victorious Japanese
climbed on the conical rock and along the
trench that led from It. they found the
ruins OF the guns. In their defeat the Rus,
SLAMS had saved what they could. and had
not neglected to destroy or throw away
the oreech blocks.
The destruction Of this battery was the
Inst burst of the angry artillery duel.
When II was over the fire soon ceased.
save that now and then Il shell somewhere
barked a hoarSe warning. The line of men
on the Manchurfan hills had crawled down
to position Immediately above AL River
and when increasing DARKNESS shut out
further sight of what was going on 1t was
all too evident that the Russian defense
of the Yalu was defeated. Their main gun
position had been shown to be untenable
under the intensity of the Japanese fire,
and their left was about to be enveloped
by a mass OF infantry and rolled up in 1t.
Plainly there was nothing left bot to get
away as well as possible, yet with the
amazing lack of foresight. precaution or
skill that they had shown all through,
they did not even do that
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