The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-03
A MILITARY SPECTACLE.
Assault of Japs on Kin Chou Forts
 Magnificent in its Bravery.

| ASBuuu OI Jups on nt0 OnOu FOENr Magnificent in its Bravery. l London, June 3.-The Times's steam CT returned to Chefoo, June 2 from g cruise in Kin Chou Bay. The corre- | srondent aboard learned from Port Ar l thur refugees that the native and civ ilian population only get such food as arrives by Junk from Chinese ports, or what they have themselves secreted The military authorities have requis- itioned all available food. On half ra- tions 1t is estimated that the garrison has enough for five months.
 The five damaged warships moored at the Port Arthur Jetties. The Times correspondent learns, have been de- nuded of everything movable. Lieu- tenant General Stossel retains a large number of junks in the roadstead. The object of this measure can only be conjectured. The correspondent says:
 Eye witnesses of the battle of Kin Chou describe 1t as an unprecedented military spectacle. Forty thousand Japanese were massed behind the west err. spur of Mount Sampson, under such small cover as afforded by the twin peaks. The troops were within 2,000 yards of the Russian works. There was so little room to deploy for at tacks that batallions of Japanese troops were obliged to stand in the sea wait ing for the moment of attack, exposed to a veritable inferno of fire from the Russian batteries. The shells plowed into their serried masses.
 Meantime battery after battery of Japanese guns went into action upon the Chih Chwang and the Kauchia Tan flats. and sustained gunboat fire played upon the Russian works Their lines were frfnged with bursting pro- jectiles. About midday the energy of the Russian defenders in the works in front of Mauchiaying village seemed exhausted by the gunboat fire. Two Japanese battalions appeared over the saddle between the twin peaks and made desperate effort to carry the nearest Russian works. At first the struggling walls of Mauchiaying gave them some cover and a moment s breathing space.
 Then the gallant little infantry crept on again up the slopes towards f the Russian position. It was an impos- sible task. As yet the defenders had not been sufficiently shaken. An ava- lanche of concentrated fire from It's infantry in the trenches, machine guns in the Russian works and quick firing field artillery in the supporting de- lenses struck the Japanese. They melt ed away from the glacis-like soldier before the fl anne of a blowpipe A few "AAO oNNAASN NO hdNG llNGS struggled on until they reached the wire entanglements.
 Tt was In vain. Heroic zefrort was wasted. Within fifteen minutes these two battalions ceased to exist except as trail of mutilated bodies at l.le foot of the Russian glacis.
 Seeing the failure of this attack, the gunboats and supporting artillery concentrated the whole of their fire upon the point where General Oku had determined to drive home his wedge, and by evening the works were prac- ticable for an assault by a general who had such infantry as the Japa- nese, and who was prepared to take the responsibility of such fearful losses. It would seem as if the actual carrying of the works had been an- other Alma. The word was given for bayonet attack. Then the whole Japanese front surged forward and 1Ie moral balance went over to the siue of the Japanese, the Russians retir- ing before them"