The Oskaloosa herald., 1905-03-02
JAPANESE SECURE
MORE C0NTRABAND
CAPTURE A GERMAN VESSEL
BOUND FOR vLADIvosToK.
FIGHTING AT TsINKHETcHEU
Japanese Force Russians to Abandon
Their Base at B%eresneff Hill
Great Activity at vladl-
vostok.

Toxic, Feb. 25.-The Japanese to
day captured the German collier
"Severus," bound for V~iadivostok
carrying coal and munitions Of war.
Russian Fleet Near Dover.
London, Feb. 25.--One Russian bat
tleship, accompanied by four cruisers
and several Golfers, presumably q
part of the Russian third Baltic fleet,
passed Dover this morning. going
west.
Russians Are Routed.
st. Petersburg, Feb. ga dis
patch from Sachetun says: "The
Japanese in superior numbers forced
the Russian detachment at Tsink.
hetchen to abandon their base al
Beresneff hill. The battle has been
desperate on both sides. The result
is not yet known"
Heavy Fighting.
Tsinkhetchen, Feb. %, via Mukden
Feb. 25.-There was fighting along the
whole line in this district to-day. The
Japanese, continuing their persistent
and systematic advance, drove in the
Russian vanguard posts and came in
touch with russian fortified positions
A stubborn combat is expected, the
Japanese apparently intending to at
tempt to drive out the Russians and
capture their redoubts The Japanese
are circling eastward.
st. Petersburg, Feb. 25.-Oficial dis.
patches dispose of the rumor of Gen
Kuropatkin's retirement from the
Shake river, but. taken in connection
with the Tsinkhetchen dispatch, show
that operations of an important ma
ture are in progress in the mountain
region 10 the eastward. The move.
ment was precipitated by the Russians
who last week sent out two divisions
and occupied well advanced positions
The Japanese attacked these positions
in force. The Russians retired slowly
lighting, and Thursday evening were
driven within their fortified line. The
latest dispatches prophesied heavy
fighting.
General Battle Imminent.
Shenking, Manchuria, Feb. %, via
Mukden.-it is reported here that the
Japanese are closing in on the Rus
sian east flank. AS a result of this
movement 1t is possible that there will
be either a general engagement or al
least a counter movement by the Rus
SLAMS along some part of the line, es.
pecially if, as is thought, the Japan.
csc have returned to their original
tactics of making fianking movements
from the mountains. The early adj
vent of spring now makes possible
operations in and from the mountain
Gus districts. For the past three weeks
the Russians have suffered no mate,
rial disturbance, with the exception Of
comparatively unimportant damage tc
the railroad and to a bridge near
Kuanchit pass as the result of Japan
ese raids, aided, it is alleged. by Chi
nese bandits.
Activity at VladiVostok.
Reports of activity at Vladivostok
in anticipation of an attack on that
place by the Japanese, are confirmed,
but the town continues in its accus,
toned gayety, in which the civil and
military elements participate. The
channels of business continue there in
their normal condition, notwithstand-
ing the fact that the stringent patrol
by the Japanese of the straits between
the island of Sakhalin and the coast
of Japan has completely interrupted
the movements Of shipping. Supplies
at Vladivostok, it is reported, are plen-
tiful, though prices are high. The
naval attaches of foreign governments
are leaving V~ladivostok, by request of
the Russian authorities.