The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1905-10-18

SHIP AcSdICfALIA StAA0 bhC ~ A1oNA ~
kold were compelled to take refuge In
ports on the coast of China, where they
were informed. The cruiser NOvR es-
capped temporarily, but on attempting
to reach Vladivostok was met by the
Japanese cruisers ChitOse and Tsushi-
ma off the island of Sakhalin and driv-
en- ashore Admiral Without, In com
mand Of the Russian feet, was killed.
On Aug. IA a Japanese squadron I'M
der Admiral Kamimura met the VLadi-
vostok feet near the Tsu islands, in
the strait of Korea sunk the cruiser
Rurik and compelled the cruisers Gro
moboi and Rossia to return to their
home port in badly damaged state.
In October the Baltic sea feet on its
way to the far east mlstoOk a fleet or
English fishing boats in the North sea
for japanese torpedo boats and fired
on them, sinking one vessel and killing
| two men. The affair caused great
commOtion, but the matter was refer
red to The Hague arbitration tribunal,
which returned a verdict against the
Russians, who made the restitution
awarded by the members of the court.
The armed Russian vessel Lena ar
rived in San Francisco Sept. IL and
was informed until the close of the war.
In the course of the year the Japanese
lost the battleships Hatsuse and va
shima, both being sunk by mines, and
the cruiser Yoshino sunk in collision.
They also lost the gunboat Kaimon,
the dispatch boat Miyako, five trans
ports and number Of torpedo boats.
From Aug 26 to Sept. 4 occurred the
battle of Liaoyang, which up to that
time was by far the most important
engagement OF the war. Some 100000
men were engaged on each side, and
the combined loss in killed and wound
ed was about 10000. General Kuro-
patkin was forced to evacuate the town
and the series of forts he had construct
ed around it and retreat to the Sha
river a short distance south Of the
large walled city of Mukden.
Here from Oct. II to 10 took place
the second great land battle of the war.
Both armies had been REINFORCED by
about $4,000 men The Russians In
this case assumed the offensive, but
their advance was checked by the Jap
anese after a desperate struggle. Some
10000 men were killed or wounded, the
Russian losses being much the greater.
At the conclusion Of this battle the
Dcontending armies went into winter
quarters, and operations were confined
TO the vicinity of Port Arthur, where,
as has been told, fighting continued
almost without cessation until the open
ing of the new year
On Feb. "a 1905, the Japanese began
the second battle of the Sha river, also
known as the battle of Mukden. This
proved to be one of the greatest con-
tests, if not the greatest. in the annals Of
history in respect to the number Of men
engaged. time consumed, territory COW
cred and losses suffered. Field Mar
shall Oyama was in command of the
combined Japanese armies under Nogl,
Kuroki, Oku, NodZu and kawamura,
numbering all told about 100000 men.
The Russian forces under General ku-
ropatkin were estimated at 10000 less,
or 100000. so that a total of 100000
men were engaged. The line of bat
tie was 10 miles long. but the fiercest
fighting occurred in the immediate VI
cinity of Mukden. General Nogl with
his Port Arthur veterans rapidly en-
circled the Russians right and attack
ed from the vicinity of Sinmintin, while
Kawamura and KurOki assailed the
left and threatened the communlca-
tons with the north
kurOpatkin, after losing 100000 or
more men, gave the order for retreat.
The Japanese pursued him to Telling
and beyond and then both sides being
exhausted, the series of titanic COM
bats came to an end. kuropatkin was
recalled to ST. Petersburg in disgrace,
but was finally permitted to remain
with the army, the leadership OF which
was intrusted to General Lineyitcn.
The Russian headquarters were remov-
ed to Gunshu pass, on the railroad line
to Hardin. Skirmishing on small
scale took place during the ensuing
months. but the necessity of getting
new supplies of food and ammunition
and of recruits to fill up the depleted
ranks prevented battles Of Importance.
While matters on land were quies-
cent those on sea were shaping them
selves for tremendous climax. Rus
STA. having lost control of the eastern
waters. determined to regain them by
sending a powerful fleet from the Bal
tic to Vladivostok The first ships sail
ed from Libau Oct It,, 1904, and others
followed not long after Admiral Ro-
jestvensky was in charge of the first
division and of the whole feet when
the units had finally assembled. Voel-
kersam, Enquist and NebOgatoff were
the assisting admirals. Rojestvensky
arrived at Madagascar Jan. 2 and was
Joined there by Voelkersam. They
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