Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-06-28
KuRoPATkIN is PREPARING TO
FIGHT BOTH kuRokl AND
okU.
HE ASSUMES OFFENSIVE
For The First TImo Since tho Japs
Crossed the YaIu tho Cars Forces
Have Dropped the Defensive Plan Of
Fighting = AIexIeff Reports.

st. Petersburg, June 27. = A
dispatch received here from
Tatiepokiao Indicates that both
the Russian and Japanese armies
are moving Into contact for a
great battle which even now may
be In progress.
General kuropatkIn yesterday
assumed the offensive against
1oku, while kurokl from a POSI-
tion fourteen miles to the east.
ward was moving against the Rus
sian flank at Hal cheng.
Lao Yang, June 81. - The APP
parent cessation of the Japanese
advance in the northern part Of
Lao Tung peninsula Is attributed
here to the loss of two or three
transports carrying ammunition.
The reported naval battle off
Port Arthur caused an alteration
In the Japanese plans.
st. Petersburg, June 27. - The Jap,
anese have evacuated Senuchen appar.
emily with the object Of enticing Kuro.
patkin south. In the meanwhile Kuro'
ki is advancing on Hal Chen, ready to
attack the Russian left and is again
moving troops north from Feng Wang
Cheng.
Do Not Expect Battle.
The result Of recent developments
1t is believed by the general staff will
defer the prospects for a big battle
The Russians lost eighty-one men in
= recent fight northeast of Feng Wang
Cheng on the Mukden road.
sIoxieff Makes Report.
st. Petersburg, June 27.-Under
sate Of June 26, Wceroy Alexief tele-
sraphed the emperor as follows:
t"Our Port Arthur squadron, com
handed by Rear Admiral Without,
of six battleships, five
cruisers and ten torpedo boats, put to
sea at 3 o'clock on the morning of
June %.
According to reports received from
The signal stations on the Liao Tie
Shan promontory, the ships went out
without accident.
When our vessels reached open
water the enemy's fleet, consisting of
nine large ships, of which three were
oattleships, and twenty-five torpedo
boats, was sighted on the horizon.
S"Our squadron attacked the enemy
Up to the present have received no
news Of the result Of the fighting"
Japs Near kai Chou.
New Chwang, June 81. - An Associ
ated Press courier who has been out
three days has returned and reports
that Japanese scouts were seen ter
miles southwest of Kai Chou this
Information from private
Russian sources indicates that the
Russians have only few pieces OF
field artillery between Liao Yang and
Kai Chou.
Eyes Toward New Chwanq.
A Chinaman who is known to the
Associated Press correspondent as 8
Japanese agent, says that the Japan
ese plan to enter Kai Chou unopposed
and expect battle near Tia Shi X
Tao. If victorious they will place
troops in New Chwang Immediately.
Russians are pemoraIized.
lien ISln, June 27.- A correspond
snt of the Associated Press has seen a
translation of private letter from ar
officer high in command under General
Kuropatlin to his brother. The officer
takes a gloomy view Of the situation
for Russia and makes startling dis.
closures.
Officers Continually QuarreIing.
The letter said: "It is a shame to sec
the officers constantly quarreling, di
vided into cliques and fighting for their
own interests until Japan, the common
enemy, is forgotten. Every one, from
the viceroy and Kuropatkin to the in
subalterns, is quarreline
and unwilling to obey orders. In the
eyes of correspondents and foreign at.
taches we are disgraced and until the
whole system is changed we cannot
hope for victory. Jealousy and suspi-
cion are rampant throughout the
army"