The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1905-03-01
JAPS TAKE
DA PASS
Capture Opens Road East
of Mukden
MUKDEN IS THREATENED
Kuropatkin May Be Obliged to
y Retreat into Mountains
Near The Pass.
MUKDEN IS THREATENED

LONDON, March Especial advlces
from st. Petersburg say that fighting
on a large scale is in progress between
the Russian and japanese armies In
Manchuria. General Kuropatiin, after
meeting the initiative OF the Japanese
In the eastern part G the Shakhe valley,
has assumed the aggressive in the west
ern portion under cover of heavy ar
tillery fire from Putiloff hill and Nov
gorod hill and succeeded in driving the
Japanese from a position In the out
skirts of Sandiapu. simultaneously the
Russians attacked and captured Il rail-
road bridge on the japanese centre.
Much more serious Is the japanese
operations against the Russian left
wing, which threatens unless quickly
checked TO oblige General Kuropatkin
TO abandon the positions on the Hun
river which he has occupied and forti-
fled during the winter There is no con-
firmatiOn of the report that the Russian
commander in chief has notified the
emperor that retreat nOrtbward has
been imperative.
Mulden reports say that fighting is
In progress along the line. the Japanese
attacking the enemy everywhere. All
attacks have been beaten back, the
Russians making counter attacks at
many places. On the right flank The
Russians occupied the village of Ba-
otatzsi, which is close TO Sandiapu, and
from that position hurled hand gre
nades across the intervening ravine in
to the japanese trenches in Sandiapu
causing heavy loss and great disorder.
The Russians have seized the head OF
the bridge across the Shakhe river in
the centre of the Japanese lines, assist
ed by artillery firing of particular
energy from Putiloff hill and Novgorod
hill.
Ten determined attacks opposite Yam
sintung and west Of Vanupudzl were
all repulsed with heavy loss.
AS the japanese are pressing the
whole Russian line such an operation
must almost inevitably end In dis
aster of the first magnitude.
Huan mountain (Manchurial dis
patches say that the Japanese attack
was renewed at dawn along the whole
eastern front, and Da pass was taken
after fighting of the most stubborn
character. An engagement simultane-
ously was in progress on the front,
almost twenty miles from the extreme
left, eastward of Kandolesan, where
the Japanese opened heavy artillery
fire, TO the district of LaolinZan, where
the japanese advanced in great force.
meeting with stubborn resistance.
The capture of Da pass opens the
road to Fuchau, east of Mukden. and
| Tie pass. but the Russians are gather
ing a strong force to meet the threat
ened attack on their line of communica-
tons. The Japanese attack was sup
ported by strong park OF artillery,
reserve Of seven batteries being dis
yet silent
The Japanese army now holds line
from Syaboehe, opposite Dzhantan,
through Shahopao along the Shakhe
river to Vanupudzi. and thence to Da
pass and Toumadzi southeastward
The Japanese effected a crossing OF
the Shakhe river at Vanupudzi and at
tackled the Russian centre under cover
the darkness. driving back the Russian
advance posts and capturing the posi-
ton
Mukden dispatches say that the seiz-
ure of the railroad bridge across the
Shakhe river was the occasion Of a
sharp combat The Russians succeed
ed in surprising the Japanese bridge
guards and. REINFORCED, beat off all
attempts Of the Japanese to regain
possession of It,
The Japanese are using heavy siege
artillery In the bombardment Of Putt
loft hill and Novgorod hill, and this Is
believed to be preliminary to an at
tempt to storm them. The loss to the
defending force Is Insignificant. The
roar of artillery firing is echoing I'M
ceasingly from the mountains to the
| eastward to the low flats OF the Hun
river valley, the scene Of General Grip
enberg's repulse.
The fight appears TO be developing
in intensity along the whole line.