The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-07-20

sCOIS1OSEdU!y SOUtH u s1@loO J csbS.t L u1o
is an indication Of. general hanking
movements on Hal Cheng.
The japanese northern outposts are
falling back on Saimatsza, probably
due to pressure On the part of Gen.
RenenkaInpf.
RUSSIANS STILL HOPEFUL.
st. Petersburg. July Is, 2.15 a. m.
The people oflSt. Petersburg retired
last night in happy frame of mind.
The absence of a dispatch from Lieut..
Gen. Steessel, commander Of the mil
ltiary forces at Port Arthur, regarding
the reported disaster to the japanese
last Sunday night is generally attri-
buted to the delay in communicating
official news, owing to the absence OF
the emperor.
IS Private dispatches received in st.
Petersburg from Russian sources in
the far east confirm the reports from
Mukden and Chefoo. According to a
usually reliable source; the japanese
losses were $500 and the Russian
losses. l,ss00.
The city remains in fernient of ex-
citement and extras are eagerly bought
up in tho hope Of finding the long ex-
pected dispatch from Gen. Stoessel.
It was only late tonight that a dis
patch arrived which, had it become
generally known, would have tended
somewhat to danepen the enthusiasm.
This WIS a dispatch from Ia Tche
Kiao, communicating an undated dis
patch from Port Arthur, received July
l3. It cid not mention the assault or
the repullse, but it is quite possible
that the dispatch was sent from Port
Arthur earlier than July 10 SO that it
cannot he fairly regarded as contradic-
tory evidence.
tits quite certain up to this date
that there is no disposition in amy
quarter in st. Petersburg to question
the truth of the news. There is a
general conviction that if .Viceroy
Alexief' decided to communicate the
report TO the general staff, it must be
true.
The Associated Press learns that the
war Office had some hesitation in Civ
ing out the dispatch, owing to its am
biguous wording. 1t is contrary to
the custom of the war Office to publish
statements made with such reserve as
Vicero7 Alexief thought fit to adopt
There is now good reason to believe
that the report of japanese disaster
before Port Arthur came from the
Russian consul at Chefoo.
Arrangements have almost been
completed for the transmission of
wireless reports between the Liao Ii
shan rromontory, south of Port Ar
thur and Chefoo, whereby st. Peters
burg will be advised daily of the prog
ress Of events at Port Arthur. AS
heretofore pointed out in these dis
patches, the authorities here do not
regard this as violation of China's
neutrality.
RECEIVED FROM PORT ARTHUR.
Ia .rche Kiao, July 13.-(Delayed
in transmission. THE following was
received from Port Arthur today.
s'There is no change IN the position
of affairs.
"Fresh provisions arrive daily.
t'There are constant skirmishes in
which the enemy suffer the most
losses.
"We have NO wounded or seriously
i'll.
"On the surrounding hills the Chi
nese are constantly heliograpbing.
''The Japanese have issued orders
that instead Of attempting to make
prioners of the Russians they are to be
shot,
Tho foregoing is probably the un-
dated dispatch sent from Port Arthur
to Ts. Tche Kiao and from there to St.
Petersburg referred to in the Asso-
ciated Press dispatch from the latter
place reviewing the situation. It will
be noted that there is no direct COM
munication between Ia Tche Kioa
and Port Arthur and there is no ex-
planation az to how the message vas
sent.
TOOK SOME PRISONERS.
T.