Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1905-01-02
FALL OF RIHLUNG FORT BAD FOR
RUSSIANS.
TAKEN AT AWFUL COST
Army of Besiegers Suffers 1000 casu-
aIties in Capture of Important Po-
sltion-ThriIIing Hand to Hand
Fighting Follows Dynamite ExpIo-
sion Which Destroys Walls.

London, Dec. 30.-Baron Hayashi,
the Japanese minister to Great Britain,
has received telegram from Toxic
giving thrilling details of the capture
by the Port Arthur besieging army on
Wednesday night of Fort Erlungshan,
the only fortress on Rihlung noun
tain.
A dispatch from Nogi's headquarters
says his losses were 1000 in killed and
wounded.
The capture of the fort is regarded
in naval and military circles here as
of the highest Importance and it will
hasten materially the fall Of the city.
The report received by Baron Haya-
shi is as follows:
"The Port Arthur besieging army re
ports having left the center army at
10 a. m. Wednesday, They blew up
the parapet in front of Fort Erlung-
shan, then occupying the parapet by
assault. They constructed defensive
works under cover of heavy guns and
field guns, despite the fire of the
enemy.
After the placing in position OF
heavy guns the army proceeded to the
gorge of the FORT whence the enemy
was eventually dislodged after stout
resistance The whole fort fell into
cur hands at 7.3O in the evening.
Previous advices from Toxic stated
that the Japanese carried the Rihlung
heights by an assault unparalleled for
severity in the siege~&of Port Arthur.
The Russians yielded the important
vantage point at 7:3O o'clock Wednes-
day night and the Mikado,s troops
are in complete possession
Commanding full sweep of both the
old and new towns of Port Arthur, the
harbor and dockyards and the forts on
Electric and Golden hills, the. Japan
csc will be able to batter every posi-
ton still left in the hands Of the Rus
slams Rihlung mountain is almost
due north of the old town of Port Ar
thur and is just west Of the fort cap
tured on Keekwan mountain last week.
Big Dynamite Explosion.
The fort was first destroyed by an
explosion of several tons of dynamite,
which opened breaches in the walls
An infantry attack followed, as a re-
suit of which the dead were piled in
windrows over which the triumphant
japanese advanced.
The two strong forts on Banjusan
mountain, between Rfhlung and the
railroad, are now the object of Japan
csc sapping and mining. operations. Il
is believed their capture is only mat
ter of few days.
Russia Gets Big Loan.
st. Petersburg, Dec 30.-Arrange
ments for the issue of a AZ per cent
loan of $115, 100000 have been definite
ly concluded with a group of finan
ciers, including Berlin, st. Petersburg
and Moscow houses. There will be nc
drawing of bonds i. for compulsory re
demption or conversion for II years.
Heat Trenches5With Charcoal.
Mukden, Dec. 30.-The japanese
heat their shelters at the advanced pc
sitions in the trenches with charcoal
fires concealed in small braziers, so as
to show no light. One of these recent
ly was DAoken and the fire exposed the
position of Japanese picket. The
whole party was Immediately wipet
out by furious Russian fire.
There was sharp skirmish Decem
Der % at SSinchinpu. A concealed NOR
tar battery inside the Russian lines
opened on Japanese position, driving
out number of Japanese, who sough
refuge among trees and bushes. 4
shell exploded Japanese mine il
front of the trenches, infiicting consid
cradle damage. -.
The Russian batteries are connected
by telephone and report the results 0
each others fire. Recently a field bat
terry posted on the heights caught de
tachment of Japanese and drove then
all out of their trenches in the imme
date front.
Looks Like Confirmation.
st. Petersburg, Dee. 3O.-Vice Al
miral Doubassoff was given an audi
ence with the emperor just before his
majesty's departures for the. south
This is regarded as confirmation of the
report that Doubassoff is TO replace
Kasnakoff on the North sea commits
sion.
.arraz--D