Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-10-21
PORT ARTHUR'S FATE
Japanese Gain Position Close
 to Main Fortress.
SURPRISE FOR RUSSIAN GARRISON

War Tn Far East Brings Forth Many
 Deeds of vaIor by Jap and Rus- sian--Ol<u Lost 5,1OO Men
 mt Shakhe.
 LONDON, Oct. 21.--A Mukden dis patch says that at Poutiloff hill the Nineteenth regiment went into the heart of the Japanese position with out firing shot. They had the river to cross under heavy fire. besides two ravines and five rows of trenches, be- hind which was covered redoubt. The gallant Nineteenth never paused, but pushed home the attack A bat tery of quick fire guns lay in their path. The gunners, refusing to sur render, died to a man among their smoking guns, and the regiment swept on, routing the Japanese from behind l stone wall, from whence they lied in confusion. Meantime the Third bat talion surrounded a native village, which threatened the rear attacking column.
 There was hand to hand fight in the streets before the village was clear ed of Japanese, and the battalion sur- rounded and burned second village, taking a number of prisoners, where there was again an example of Japa- nese bravery. An officer, his revolver empty, stood alone, sword in hand, to receive the rush of the column and went down fighting.
 The Japanese used small hand gren- ades in defending some of their posi- tions and wrought havoc with the at tacking forces.
 | A Mukden dispatch says that Gener- al Kuropatkin is in condition to as- sume strong offensive as soon as the rain stops. He is confident he can } throw off the Japanese to the west ward, leaving the way open to Port Ar l thur, which, it is calculated, he can reach In three weeks.
 l A Chefu report says that the most l important recent events at Port Ar thur include the capture by the Japa- 1 nese of further minor positions near ] Rihlung mountain and the severe dam- age of. Japanese torpedo boat de l stroyer by striking floating mine l 1t Is asserted that the Russian force at Port Arthur now numbers 5000 men, excluding the militia, which is not engaged in the lighting, but patrols the streets.
 l According to Chinese advices which ] have reached here the Japanese made 1 assaults on the remaining outer works of Rihlung mountain at dawn and were repulsed. The following day the Russians made an attack on the Japa- I nese trenches, and they in turn. were driven back.
 The Japanese immediately followed with another assault, resulting in the capture of an iron railroad bridge, l which is 500 yards from the main for l tress. The importance of these cap ], lures lies in the fact that they curtail l the Russian fire in harassing Japanese I who may attempt to advance on the l trenches located on the slope of Rih- ! lung mountain.
 This attack seems to have been g surprise for the Russians, the Japa- nese asserting that they lost only fifty men. Since the capture of the points mentioned the Japanese assert that they have successfully resisted numer- } ous attempts to recapture them. s Seven Russian torpedo boat destroy CTS emerged from the harbor of Port Arthur, and later they were followed by two more destroyers. This squad ron proceeded to Shaopingtau and bombarded the Japanese left flank.
 Four Japanese torpedo boat destroy CTS hurried to the scene, and the Rus 1 sians retired to the harbor, followed by the Japanese. The pursuit ceased upon entering the mined area. One sJapanese destroyer while returning hit a mechanical mine and was severely damaged, but she managed to reach Port Dalny and is now being repaired.
 Tokyo reports estimate the losses of the Japanese left army General Oku's) during the recent battle of Shakhe at or about 5000. Additional casualties of the center army just reported are twelve officers killed and thirty wound 4 ed.
 A report from the Russian position at the village of Huansian, ten miles
 south of Mukden, says that all has
 been quiet on the western front. There | was a sudden attack by the Japanese
 yesterday upon the Russian advanced
 position southwest of Mukden, held
 by the, Thirty fifth rifles, belonging to General Kondratovitch's division. Colo
 nel Musnitsky promptly sent out three
 companies to make a counter attack,
 and the Japanese quickly fell back,
 having sustained severe losses. The 2 Japanese were pressed so hard that they were obliged to abandon gun I bearing the number 3S3, but before abandoning the gun the breech block was removed, The Timber contained forty weight rounds of ammunition
 Thanks to the dense fog prevailing al
 the time, the Russians were able to re
 move the gun without the loss of 8
 single man.
 l A Shaken Denmark report says that l portion of the Baltic fleet sailed in
 the direction of the North sea at ( I o,el0aIy lacf uiUht