The Tomahawk., 1904-07-07
CAPTURE Three
OF OUTER FORTS
JAPANESE DRIVE RUSSIANS
FROM PART OF PORT AR
THUR DEFENSES.

HEAVY FIGHTING MAY
BE NOW IN PROGRESS
st. Petersburg Anxiously Awaiting
News from Seat of War-Another
/ Russian Disaster Rumored - Ad-
vance Of Mikado's Troops.
| Toxic, June 3O.-It is unoficially
reported that the Chikwanshan,
Chitanshan and Sochoshan forts,
southeast of and part of the Port
Arthur defenses, were captured on
Sunday after an all-day fight, begin
ming with an artillery duel, Socho-
shan, it is added, was first captured
and the other forts fell soon after
wards. The Russians retreated west,
leaving 40 dead. The number of
wounded had not been ascertained.
The Japanese force consisted of all
branches of the service. The jap
anese lost three officers and hun
dred men killed or wounded and cap
1
ammunition. The officials here do not
confirm the report.
Marquis Oyama, the commander in
chief of the Japanese forces in Man
churia, and Lieut.. Gen. Kodama. his
chief Of staff start for the front July
g. Their exact destination is with
held.
Declare Battle Is Certain.
st. Petersburg, June 30.-The whole
city is awaiting with breathless in
terest news from the opposing armies
in southern Manchuria, grappled in
the decisive battle OF the campaign.
But those fully appreciating the al
most impossible country through
which the Japanese columns are adj
vancing, and the difficulty Of moving
large bodies of troops into position,
! hardly expect the battle to begin in
earnest inside of several days, al
though admitting that heavy fighting
between the advance forces may now
be in progress. The papers, with the
exception of the army organ and the
Novoe Vremya, are unanimously of
the opinion that pitched battle is
now certain.
Another Russian Disaster.
St. Petersburg, June 30.-A report
has just reached here that the Rus
sian ironclad Netr bn Menia rammed
the Russian battleship Navarin at
Cronstadt Wednesday afternoon. The
circumstances and the extent Of the
damage have not yet been ascertained.
The Navarin is battleship of 1O,2O6
tons displacement and 5000 indicated
horse power, and carries crew of 63O
| men. She was completed in 1895 and
was last commissioned on Saturday.
| The warship has a belt of compound
armor 16 inches thick, IL inches of the
same armor above her belt, II inches
on her bulkheads and IL inches over her
| heavy gun positions. Her armament
consists of four 12-inch guns, eight six
inch guns, II quick-irers and four
smaller guns. The Netron Menia is
coast defense ironclad of 3,34O tons dis
placement. She is an old vessel, having
been completed in 1865, but was sup
piled with new boilers in 1897. The
armament of the Netron Menia consists
of IA six-inch guns and probably few
| smaller quick-firing guns. Her armored
belt is 3.5 to As inches in thickness and
she has the same thickness of armor
over her battery,
! Japs Continue Advance.
Haicheng, June 30.-The Japanese
are continuing to advance from Stu
yen and Fengwangcheng Gen. Oku
Is also moving north from Senuchen.
Gen. Samsonoff is contesting his prog
ress, but is not offering serious resist
ance. The Japanese force advancing
from the Molten pass is composed of
at least three regiments and ten bat
teries of artillery. A force of equal
strength is advancing from Fenshui
pass on the high road to Liaoyang.
The flank move on the latter is sup
ported by column marching from
Saimatsza. ""
It would appear that confusion has
arisen through the use of the words
''Motien pass" in Gen. Kuropatkin's
dispatch OF June q. The Molten pass,
known as the Gate of Mukden," is
easily located, but troops would not
be likely to advance from there on
Haicheng or Tatchekiao, as they
would have to move nearly 100 miles
southwest after getting through the
pass. On the other hand. there is a
Monotien pass nearly east of Hal
cheng and about 40 miles from that
town. It is possible that Monotien
pass has been meant when Molten
pass was mentioned. It also seems
probable that the reference to Ia pass
in Gen. Kuropatkin's dispatch meant
'Dalin pass" or "Daling,' otherwise
Da pass, which is about 25 miles
southwest of Tatchekiao.
1t was announced from Haicheng
| Tuesday night that heavy engage
ment was expected. Wednesday near
the village of Simoucheng@ Is miles
south-southeast of Haicheng and an