The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-06-09
Fall of Port Arthur; the Battle
of Mukden.
Togo's Victory Over Cars Ad-
miraI; History.
[FRoM CHICAGO RECoRD-HERALp. !

of Roiestvensky and Togo was declared
Feb. 10, 1904, when the Japanese en-
peror announced to the world that he
had begun conflict to stop Muscovite
aggression in the far east. For ten
years the ear had been encroaching on
China, securing footholds that threat
ened the integrity of Manchuria and
Korea The situation had become tense
when the japanese approached the Rus
sian government July %, 1908, with a
view to securing definition of the
rights of the two countries in the region
in dispute. Russia suggested that Korea
should be divided as a sphere of in
fiuence, and said nothing of Manchuria.
Japan refused the compromise and de-
manded that the independence of all
China should be respected. The car
hesitated and was lost, for the mikado
went to war.
For years the japanese had been pre-
pairing for the struggle Their fleet sail
ed westward across the Yellow Sea Feb.
6, 1904, and two days later encounter
ed the Russion cruiser Variag and the
The first shot of the war was fired by
Admiral Togo, and the Russians put
back into Chemulpo.
Car Loses Four Ships.
The same night japanese torpedo
boats invaded the harbor entrance of
Port Arthur and destroyed four of the
cars battle ships. Meanwhile Togo
was keeping the Variag and Korietz
bottled up at Cnemulpo. The two
8, and within an hour were riddled
wrecks. Putting back into harbor, they
were blown up by the Russians them
selves.
Lightning blows had gained the sea
fights at Chemulpo and Port Arthur,
and the japanese fastened to invade
Manchuria. They landed forces at Fu-
san and Chemulpo, and pushed into the
interior, capturing Seoul, the Korean
capital, Feb. ii. The mikado's men then
turned their faces northward and the
Russians dispatched soldiers toward the
Yalu.
The japanese advance guard pushed
the foe back, and won Cheng-ju, Korea
March %, and Wiju April 6. On April
80, after a tremendous bombardment
the japanese crossed the Yalu and de-
feated the Russians at Chiuliencheng
the next day.
Five days later Kuroki came up with
the retreating Russians and dislodged
them from Fengwangcheng, and the
Muscovites began the retreat toward
Laio- Yang. Additional souldiers of the
mikado had been landed at Takusen by
this time, and at Pitsewo and Kinchow,
on the Kwangtung Peninsula. Under
Nodzu, Oku and Nogi the forces moved
westward, capturing Kinchow May 26.
The combats were most sanguinary, but
the japanese, by their victories, had cut
off Port Arthur from aid from the
north.
Port Arthur Attacked.
The Japanese army then divided,
Nogi pressing toward Port Arthur on
the south, while Oku engaged the Rus
slams to the north. General Stackelberg
tried to cut through Oku's army to re-
lieve the threatened fortress of Port
Arthur, but was repulsed in series of
bloody battles that ended with crush
ing disaster at Telissu, June Ia and Is.
The Russians lost 10000 men and were
pursued by Oku, who drove the msuc-
cessively from Kaiping, July 8, Haicn-
eng, Aug. 3, and Newchwang Aug. 8.
This move deprived Russia of its last
base on the Chinese coast.
To the east Kuroki and Nodzu kept
the Russians on the jump. Tragic de-
feats were met by the Muscovites at
Fenshui, Motein and Tia passes June
80 An attempt was made by the Rus
slams to retake Moteinling July II, but
it failed. Yantze Pass and Pushulin
then were lost by the Russians, who
were forced to retire toward Lao Yang.
They now were forced into concen-
trated area, the front extending TWEEN
ty-fve miles between Anping and An
sanchan
Lao Yang Is Taken.
The fight for possession of Lao Yang
began Aug. 26, the japanese army num-
bering 100000 men, with 500 guns,
while the Russians had $l5O,OO0 men,
with 400 guns. Kuroki turned the Rus
sian left; Oku broke through the
right, and Kouropatkin retreated with
great skill. Lao Yang was occupied by