River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1904-09-22
PREPARING TO CUT OFF RE-
TREAT OF KURoPATKIN.
TELLING MAY BE IN PERIL
Indications of Revival of Struggle
for Possession of Port Arthur
Situation There Grows
More Desperate.

Off Gen. hurCpaCkIn retreat. Inc Jap
anese armies, the dispatch adds, are dis
posed in the same relative positions as
in the fighting before Liaoyang.
Closing in on Mukden.
Mukden, Sept. 19.-The Japanese are
reported to be advancing on both tanks,
from the east, southeast and southwest.
The outposts are closely engaged 20
miles southeastWard, there being almost
constant skirmishing. Indications point
to another great battle in the vicinity
of Mukden. Russian troops occupy all
the surrounding villages. Refugees are
fiocking into the city, Chinese among
them complain of severity on the part
of the Japanese.
A Cossack officer entered Gen. Nit
schenkos outposts Saturday after being
fortnight in the rear Of the Japanese
army. He was sent on a reconnoitering
mission before the battle of Liaoyang,
and being cut off had to march by night
and hide by day. He says the Japanese
army north of Liaoyang is merely de-
monstration. All the Japanese forces
and transports have gone east.
st. Petersburg Incredulous.
st. Petersburg, Sept. 19-The reports
that Gen. KurOki is pushing on north
east of Mukden are not borne out by Off
cial kilograms that have been received
here. According to the latest adyices
the japanese forces continue to increase
at Bianiupuza and Yentai. A decisive
advance in the direction Of Mukden is,
therefore, not expected to occur for some
DAYS. Meanwhile indications increase
of the probability of the Japanese meet
ing with resistance. The Russian forces
at Mukden undoubtedly are very large,
and every days delay enables the COM
mander-in-chief to perfect his defenses.
A private telegram from Mukden re
ports the arrival there of an immense
train filled with convalescents returning
to duty This may be regarded as good
evidence of a large concentration or
troops at Mukden.
Telling May Be in Peril.
st. Petersburg, Sept. 19.-The Jap
anese are deliberately developing
another extensive movement, their OBJ
iect being to reach Telling. This time
they are circling to the east, availing
themselves of Lao river, leaving an in
significant military force at Liaoyang,
but employing every available China
man to repair and still further fortify
the town.
The question whether big battle will
be fought in the vicinity Of Mukden is
considered here to depend chiefly upon
Gen. Kuropatkin, as it is not believed
that the Japanese will be able to force
him to fight at Mukden unless he so
elects. The general idea is that when
the advance really comes the Japanese
will simply outfank Mukden and go di-
rect against Tie Pass.
Port Arthur Center Of Interest.
AS faras the public is concerned, inter-
est seems again to be gravitating toward
Port Arthur, where the gallant fight Of
Lieut.. Gen. Stoessel's garrison is being
watched with intense interest The re-
port that the garrison has been forced
to fall back to the use of homemade
powder, which is proving defective, is
considered a discouraging factor. 1t
would be a national grief should the de-
Tense of the fortress fall through lack
of ammunition. More Importance, how
ever. is attached in military circles to
the reports that the Japanese have aban-
doned the idea of a direct assault, and
are tunneling the Notifications, and it is
believed possible that the end may come
as at Sevastopol, with a repetition of the
dreadful carnage at the Malakhoff tower.
A dispatch from Rome says that Gen.
Stoessel, commander of the garrison at
Port Arthur, has again refused to sur
render to the Japanese and has sent this
defy to the enemy: 1--WE are prepared
to resist to the death. If another such
demand is made the ENJOYS will be
hanged"
Massing Enormous Army.
From Toxic comes the information
that preparations for the winter cam
paign in northern Manchuria are being
hurried to completion The japanese
will put between 1000 and 100000
troops in the field, and Kuropatkin, it is
believed, will marshal force not much
If any smaller 1t is expected that at
least 100000 men all told will take part
in the operations.
The Situation at Port Arthur.
Chefoo, Sept 19.-Local students of
the military situation at Port Arthur,
basing their deductions upon recent de-
velopments there, are Of the opinion
that another grand assault is either oc-
curing at the present time or is immi-
nent This opinion is based on the very
heavy bombardment of the Russian
stronghold that occurred on September
Is, for such a bombardment forms the
usual prelude to an assault; on the ar
rival here of important messengers
from Port Arthur at a time when the
running Of the blockade is extremely
perilous; on a recent authoritative state
ment that the japanese siege works are
completed, and on reports from Jap
anese sources that at Port Dalny an as
sault was expected to take place in few
days. These reports we're received last
week.
Belligerents Are Merciless.
Chefoo, Sept. 19.-According to Prince
Radzivil, of the Russian army, who
reached here from Port Arthur bearing
dispatches from Lieut. Gen. Stoessel, COM
mander-in-chief of the forces of the Rus
sian stronghold, to Gen. Kuropatkin, the
temper of the belligerents at Port Arthur
has reached an absolutely merciless
stage. Prince Radziyil served with the
British in the Boer war and he says that