The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1905-06-23


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through. while oku drove In the Rus
sian right.
The effect OF these preliminary n
gagements was to drive kuropatkin's
forces back to within Ave miles OF
Liaoyang. He was still south OF the
ETaitze river. however.
For two days the fortune Of the bat
tie swayed to neither army. Kuropat-
kin had made the level plain around
Ltaoyang a labyrinth of redoubts.
barbed wire entanglements. These the
Japanese were compelled to capture by
assault, at a fearful cost OF killed and
wounded.
On the night Of September ! Oyama
did a daring thing. He threw Kuroki's
the Taitze river, to turn the entire Rus
sian position. seize the railroad, and
cut OF the Russian retreat to Mukden.
Orion, n OF the commanders sent
to hold Kuroki in check, blundered
most frightfully. Disregarding his or
inforced by Stackelbergs corps, he
tried to attack Kuroki alone. AZ a re-
suit OrloH was crushed, and Stacked
berg ~ext:iceted his own corps with diff
hculty. Ia fact. Kuropatkin~ telegraphed
to st. Petersburg that 9tackelberg and
his army lad been cut of.
In spite OF Orloff's blunder. he held
KuroM In check until Kuropatkin, had
withdrawn his guns from the plains Of
LiaoyanG, burned his stores, blowed up
his arsenals, and moved his entire
army across the Taitze river and had 1t
well OF the road to Mukden.
s The Russian losses at the battle of
lost two generals, 256 officers, and 3D.
800 men. Oyama's loss was 1859 Of
ficers and men killed or wounded.
Gear Orders an Advance.
The question Of whether the next
fight would take place south Of Muk-
den or whether Kusapatkin, as had
been expected. would continue his re-
treat till he reached the strong posi-
ton OF Tiehling was settled by the
appearance, october 2, Of a remarkable
proclamation to his troops, in which
people thought-and still think. in
spite Of the viceroy's subsequent de-
nials-that they traced the hand of
Alexieff, or Of some rhetorician in the
war. Office at st. Petersburg. In 1t the
general declared that he now for the
first time had force enough to defeat
the Japanese and hat at last, t in
flexible will of the emperor thai the
foe should be vanquished would be in
flexibly fulfilled" The M%anchurian
army, he said, was now strong enough
to begin the forward movement; and
he appealed to his troops to win the
victory which should maintain the Dig
nifty and rights Of Russia and relieve
the Port Arthur garrison.
The Russian advance brought on
almost Immediately the battle Of the
Shakhe rive-. which continued day and
night for eleven days. 1t far exceeded
the battle Of Liaoyang in ferocity, in
g%eneralship, and in losses.
Over a o. Of twenty-three miles
the struggle ragged with varying for
tunes during Sunday, Monday and
Tuesday, October ell; on Wednesday
the japanese began their ounter at
sian right and center had been driven
back with enormous losses.
Kuropatkin's forward movement. had
failed, and his general orders to the army,
instead of bidding them to advance, now
them ito offer the most res
olute r~esistance.' This m they
manfully obeyed, and the honor of the
Russian arms was indicated by such Incl
dents as the fight at Lone Tree hill on Oc-
tober 16, which ended in q most desperate
encounter with the bayonet and in the
partial destruction of Brigad.er General
Yamada's corps, north OF Shahopau, by q
division of the enemy, who took fourteen
guns. This success, though only a small
set-on to the loss Of forty-five guns which
the Russians had left with other spoils in
the hands of the Japanese, raised the spir-
Its OF the Russians.
The losses of the Russians were appall-
ing. Over 5000 Russian dead were buried
by the victors. and it seems certain that
in these ten or eleven days OF terrible
A0htiv,O the RYiQ9ian9 Lost niI{to m NM md
probably 10000, in killed and wounded,
whilst the japanese losses amounted, ac-
cording to the official returns, to only 49,
879 killed and wounded.
Near War With England.
The battle of the Shakhe closed the land
campaign for the year and both armies
went into winter quarters. The siege of
Port Arthur, however, was prosecuted
with greater vigcr than ever.
In the meantime England and Russia
had been brought to the verge of war by
1.-The North sea affair" The Russian Bal
tic fleet, commanded by Vice dmiral Ro-
j~estvensky, sailed from Libau on October
is for the far east. The officers. from the
vice admiral down to the midshipmen, had.
been wrought up to a state OF high nerv.-
Gus tension. by rumors OF a mysterious
fleet Of japanese torpedoboats supposed to
be lurking in the North sea. As a result
of their fears the Russian officers opened
fire on every vessel that came within sight,
discharging shells at German, Danish, and
Norwegian steame and sailing vessels
Unfortunately.
On the night of October 21-22 the Baltic
feet, while passing over Doggers bank in
the North sea, encountered a feet OF Eng
lish fishing boats. n without waiting to
investigate began q furious cannonade.
The battleships turned their searchlights
on the fishing boats and for twenty min
utes poured in a storm Of shot and shell,
sinking one vessel, the Crane, killing Its
captain and mate, and w%ounding several
members Of its crew. Two or three other
fishing boats were badly damaged.
The news OF the outrage infiamed the
British nation, and England mad instant
preparation for war. An explanation was
demanded OF Russia and the fleets put IN
motion. Premier Balfour insisted h the
Baltic fleet be detained at a neutra port
pending an inquiry. Russia. pointed out
that this was impossible-and the feet
continued on Its way.
Then arose an angry oar from the Brit
ish people. n orders were given to inter-
cept the Russian feet at Gibraltar. The
Mediterranean neet sailed from Malta to
Gibraltar. and the channel fleet of eight
battlesh!ps, commanded by S.r. Charles
Beresford. was drawn up, decks cleared
for action. across the pathway OF Rotest-
vensky's squadron. ~ 4
After considerable delay the two povers