Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-08

days. after desperate fighting Kuropatkin
had lost all his advanced positions and was
dfiven in toward Liaoyang. His plan must
have been to hold Liaoyang, which he had
fortified most deliberately. Estimates of
his strength varied from 10000 to 200 600
men, and from 600 to 1000 guns, many of
them emplaced.
After five days cannonading and fierce
lighting. much of it with the bayonet, ku-
ropatkin, on September 8, began the retreat
from Liaoyang across the Taitse river. Of
hcially the Russian casualties were about
1900 the Japanese, 1859. War CORE
spondents estimated the total losses at
from $4,000 to 10000.
On September % General Gripenberg was
appointed commander of the second army in
Manchuria. On October Kuropatkin an
nounced that he was strong enough to be-
gin at once an aggressive campaign, which
probably had been ordered by the emperor.
Meantime General Nogi was slowly. very
slowly, drawing the ring tighter around
doomed Port Arthur. From Octover % to
November the fighting almost coutin-
uous. the japanese gaining little ground.
and suffering losses which General Stoessel
estimated at 10000. Then more sapping
and mining. while the great guns bonn
harded the town and harboF On November
% the assault was renewed against the
Sungchu forts, when the Japanese lost 1000
men in an hour. Here the Russians held
their positions during five days desperate
fighting. but on November 30 the japanese
took and held 2O3- Meter HILL the key to the
operations the japanese lost nearly %, 900
men.
The fighting became demoniac in the at
temptS to retake 203- Meter Hill. 1t lasted
until December 6. The hills ran with
blood, no quarter was asked given. From
203-Meter Hill the japanese commanded. a
sweep of the harbor, in which lay the bat
tie ships Retvizan, Pobieda, Paltava Sevas-
topol and PereSviet, the cruisers Bayan and
Pallada and a number of smaller wal
ships. Heavy guns were emplaced be-
hind the HILL and by December 10 all the
larger Russian warships were wrecks, the
Sevastopol excepted This battle ship took
refuge outside the harbor, under the guns
of Golden Hill. where on the nights of De-
cember IA and Is she was attacked and dis
abled by Togo's torpedo boats
Beginning Of the End.
Late in December the japanese, charging
after the explosion of several mines cap
tured the fort on Sungshushan, across the
gorge from the Rhlung forts, and followed
this by taking the ridge in the rear of
Sungshushan. At the same time, by at
lacks by the center and right, they occu-
pied H fort and a new fort on Panlung-
shan, and advanced their position on their
extreme right. The Russian resistance to
these latest attacks noticea bly, weaker |
and their losses were comparatively heavy |
1t was the beginning of the end of the |
eleven months siege On the first day of
the new year Gen. StoesseI capituIated and
the hrSt phase of the war was concluded. |
Gen. kuropa tkin crossed the Hun river in |
Manehurfa on January % last and attacked !
This conflict. which Marshal Oyama Off
cially calls the battle of Hefkoutni, was
fought furiously for five DAYS most of the
time in driving snowstorm and in a tenn
perature much below zero. After five DAYS
Inc russians were beaten back over the |
Hun river, but kuropatkin returned to the |
attack with undiminished ardor. and tne |
battle was still going yesterday uninter-
mittently.
he ref fiua
nents had more cannon than in any ba tile
IN history and during those days the Rus
slams admit they lost 1900 men, the jap
anese 1900
An International tempest was raises
by the attack by a part of the Russian |
Baltic squadron on the Hull fishing feet
Inc WarshipsIseven battle ships and four |
cruisers. with destroyers, torpedo boats |
and transports-sailed from Iibau for the
far east on October Is. The torpedo d. |
vision preceded the heavier vessels. which |
early on the morning of October % while
some thirty miles out of their course fell
In with the fleet of trawlers on the Doseer
Bank in the North Sea. According to the |
nshermens reports the Russians turned |
Searcnughts On them and opened fire with
out warning, killing two men, woundinp
several and sinking trawler.
The unhappy incident greatly excited
Great Britain; her Home, Channel and
Mediterranean fleets were quickly mohI-
lized and British warships appeared Off
Vtgo Spain, soon after Rojestvensky's fleet
dTriVed there On OCTOBER 70.
Dispute Was Arbitrated.
Largely by the kind and pacific services
of France, Great Britain and Russia agreed
to submit the misunderstanding to arbitra-
ton On October % they decided to ap-
point international commission under
the terms Of The Hague convention, to fix |
the responsibility and determine the ques- |
ton of damages. This tribunal is COM
France; Admiral Sir Lewis Beaumont
(Engiand). Admiral Dubassor Russia) |
Rear Admiral Davis Omitted States), and |
Admiral Spause (Austria). 1t held its first
public sitting on January 10 in Paris Cap
tain Clado and one other Russian officer
have declared on honor that they saw tor
pedo boats in the North sea, which they be-
lieved to be the Japanese they had been
warned against and fired on them. The
British trawlers have been able only to
swear that they saw no torpedo boats but |
Russian.
Admiral Rojestvensky's entire squadron
has reunited in Madagascar waters. On |
January II it was announced that he would |
not proceed Immediately to the far east |
Perhaps he will await another division of |
the Baltic fleet, four battle ships and three |
cruisers, under Admiral Nebogatoff, which, |
1t is announced. viii sail from Libau next
Tuesday Admiral Togo left Tokyo on |
ministers the emperor presiding having |
approved his plan for Japan's future naval |
defense against force so much stronger |
on paper.
Estimated Losses Great on Both Sides. |
The sanguinary character of this tremen-
dous conflict Is best shown BY the number |
of casualties In it's greatest battles Some |
Of these figures are official others are care
full estimates made by men on the spot:
Russian japanese.
May 12-Battle Of the Yalu.... $500 1000
June I4-16-BattIe of Telessu-.. 5000 1000
May 58--Battle Of Nanshan Hill. coo :. $500
August 3o-September 3-Battle
OF Ltaoy4ug. 2c,O06 SSs00O
October 5-2e-Battis Of the Sha
.
january 1870 t1005}-Battle OF
HeikoufEt (aun rfyerl $4,000 1000
| ..
Tfana figures leave entirely out OF ac- l