The daily silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1903-1907, 1904-08-24
SLOWLY BUT SURELY
ADVANCING
Japanese Capture Port Ar
thur Oefenses After a
Fierce Attack

London, Aug. 23.-The evening News
this afternoon published a dispatch from
Che Foo under today's date announcing
that the Japanese captured "Chain Four
of the Port Arthur defenses yesterday,
after a tremendous attack.
The evening" News dispatch from Che
Foo is simply repetition of the an
nouncement of the capture of Itshan, or
Etzshan, known as ''Chain Fort"
1t was announced from Che Foo Mon
day that the Japanese had swent the
Russians from Pidgeon bay and had cap
tured the northermost fort of the west
ern line of inner defenses, though Antzz-
shan fort, about mile northeast OF
Etzshan fort, might also be classed as
the northern.st fort of the western
line of inner defenses at Port Arthur.
st. Petersburg. Aug. 23.-Despite the
popular feeling that Port Arthur is
doomed, the success with which Lieuten-
ant General Stoessel has been beating of
the Japanese aSSdultS anu the HcdNS
losses suffered Ly the besiegers offe,
considerable encouragement to the wal
office.
There is limit beyond which troops
cannot go. no matter how gallant" sale
an officer of the general staff this morn
ing. "A fifth of the army before Por-
Arthur is small estimate of the enemy's
losses uo to date. If the stormne
preparation, which we understand is nov
progressing. fails to give them a foot.
hold in the ring of inner defenses. the
Japanese will be compelled by sheer ex
haustion to stop and recuperate, Whit
awaiting additional reinforcements. and
personally, together with some of my
colleagues. believe they will abandon tn,
idea of general assault and settle dowr
to regular siege operations. Storvinp
out the garrison is less brilliant but l.
is lust as effective a way of reducing
fortress.
1.-THE Japanese purpose In rushing
matters had doubtless been to release
section of the southern army and enable
1T to cooperate with the armies In Man
churia'
The naval critic of the viedomost
boldly expresses the opinion that tn.
Port Arthur squadron would commit ar
act of folly If 1t went out now. He
adds:
although a portion of Admiral OuK-
tomsky's ships are in fighting trim. In
cludng at least the Peresviet, Poltava.
Sebastopol and Pallada, 1t would be ru
tile to attempt to break through Admirai
Togo's strong Ines. The squadron woui-
be lost without profit to Port Arthur.
Ouktomsky would do better to dismanle
his guns and send the men ashore. This
would reinforce General Stoessel to the
extent of nearly seven heavy and fouI
hundred light guns and 5000 men. Then
IL the worst comes, the ships could be
sunk"
A semi-otficiai journal. while paying
tribute TO the heroic defenders OF Por
Arthur, does not withhold praise for .ne
extraordinary valor of the Japanese be-
siegers. 1t says:
Neither a rain of cannon shells. walls
of bayonets nor earth strewn with putri
flying corpses can arrest their stubborn
assaults
There are a number of yelled intima-
tions In both the newspaper dispatches
from Lao Yang and at headquarters
here that General kuropatKin is prepar-
ing a diversion against General Kur XII.
to prevent the dispatch of re.nforcements
to aid the attackers of Port Arthur.