Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1905-05-17
BATTLE IS NEAR
United Fleets Have Started North
ward, Says St. Petersburg.
OYAMA IS REINFORCED.
The Mikado's Army Ready to Strike
Another Blow in Upper
Manchuria.

| Singapore, Straits Settlement, May Is.
Thirteen Russian warships were sight
ed May y off Cape Varella, about fifty
miles north of Kanranh bay, by the
steamer Jason, which arrived here to-
| day.
Rojestvensky Re-enters Bay.
Toxic, May 15.-2 p. MT is definite
| ly known that Rear Admiral RoJest-
venskl, after temporarily leaving Hon
Kobe bay on May s, re-entered the bay
and continues at anchor there
United Fleets Go North.
st. Petersburg, May $3.50 p. NJ
A naval action within few days is re-
garded as likely to well-informed naval
circles. The Associated Press learns
that Admiral Rojestvensky and Rear
Admiral Nebogatoff joined forces May
TO- There is reason to believe the united
feet will proceed northward immediate
1 ly. No delay was necessary for the pmi-
pose Of coaling or cleaning NebogatoH
ships as his division made stop tor this
purpose before entering the straits OF
Malacca.
Upon the strength Of an untraceable
rumor an evening paper here got out an
extra announcing that a naval battle
| had commenced, but the admiralty has
no confirmation of the report and dis
credits it.
Oyama Prepared to Strike.
Gunshu Pass, Manchuria. May 10
Skirmishing continues IN the Olourla
mountain region on the Russian lett, but
| the fighting is not serious.
Calm continues on the right. The Chl-
| nese. however, report that Field Mar
shall Oyama is directing large masses OF
troops from Fakoman toward TounZla-
| kon, where q concentration is proceeding
| and the river is being brldged by pom
ICONS. The Lao river is full OF lunks
which bring up stores and provisions.
Many Jap Reinforcements.
About $4,000 japanese reinforcements
| have arrived at the front. The Japanese
cavalry in particular has been consider
ably strengthened.
| Prisoners say that the japanese armies
are ready to advance when the word Is
given.
During a recent terrible dust storm
which ragged three days the soldiers,
tents and entertainments suffered Sc
verely.
The Russian troops are being fitted
out with summer uniforms.
Japan's Report on Fleet.
Toxic. May 15.-Detailed confrmatory
Information concerning Vice Admiral Ro
iestvensky's use of Indo-China waters
has reached the japanese government
| from a variety of sources, both official
and private. A high japanese official to-
day sketched the important acts Of the
Russian feet since France was first
moved to preserve neutrality. lie SAID:
THE governor general of lndO-China
officially reported that the Russian fleet
| had entirely departed from hamranh
bay on April D. but on April % there
still remained in the bay one cruiser, one
| torpedo boat destroyer and fifteen trans
ports of the Russian fleet.
In Kamranh Bay Two Days.
"On April a the entire Russian fleet
Choir until April 26, when a majority of
the warships sailed, leaving behind four
| converted cruisers and one torpedo boat
destroyer. These latter vessels took sup
plies of coal and provisions. On April
26, toward evening. these vessels
stopped and examined the Ger
man steamer Loosok and the Norwegian
steamer Providence, which passed out
side of the bay. On April 81 more than
| thirty Russian vessels were anchored at
Honkohe, and at 5 o'clock in the after
noon they stopped and examined the
British steamer Stettin, which was pass
According to the French official re-
port Vice Admiral Rojestvensky prom
Used Admiral de Jonquieres that he would
leave Honkohe on May 3. 1t is evident,
however, that the Russians were anchor
ed at Honkohe on May 8.
Saigon as a Base.
''The latest kilograms from Indo-China
| indicate the presence at HOnkohe Oh
| May u of seven Russian battleships,
seven cruisers, two torpedo boat destroy
! ers, and four converted cruisers.
/ "Since the appearance of the Russian
fleet in the far east, Saigon has become
a base for the transportation of military
supplies for Vice Admiral Roiest-
furnishing supplies to the Russians is so
great that those which were anchored
at Saigon on May were countable by
tens
The first-class torpedo boat destroyer
Hatsashimo was successfully launched
at o'clock this morning at Yokosuka.
Mishap to Mikasa Possible.
Washington, D. c., May 15.-While
official confirmation of the report that
the battleship Mihasa, flagship of Al
miral Togo, was badly damaged off the
| Pescadores last week has not been re-
ceived in Washington, certain informa-
ton is in possession of the authorities
which indicates there may be truth in
| it. The current running by the Pesca-
dores is swift and it is easily conceiva-
BILE that a mine planted within the three
mile limit could have gotten loose and
fioated out to point where the Mikasa
was cruising. If this ship was damaged
| by a mine some weeks must elapse be-
fore it can be repaired
Japan Cuts Off Coal.
Toxic, May 15.-Noon.-The govern
| ment has prohibited the expectation of
coal to Saigon. The embargo is to con-
tinue SO long as the Russian fleet is in
| Indo-Chinese waters.
PRESIDENT SEES BOWEN.