Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1905-02-28
HEAVY FIGHTING
IN THE FAR EAST
A DESPERATE ENGAGEMENT RE
PORTED AT rs1NKHETcHEN.
RESULT is NOT YET KNOWN
Japanese Force Russians to Aban-
don Their Base at Beresnef
Hill-Activiky at
Vladivostok.

st. Petersburg, Feb. 25.-A dispatch
from sachetun, dated Feb. "a, says:
The Japanese In superior numbers
forced the Russian detachment al
Tstnkhetchin to abandon their base al
Bsresneff hill. The battle has been
desperate on both sides. The result ia
not yet known"
Heavy Fighting.
Tsinkhetchen, Feb %, via Mukden
Feb. 25.-There was fighting along the
whole line in this district today. The
Japanese. continuing their persistent
and systematic advance, drove in the
Russian vanguard posts and came In
touch with Russian fortified positions.
stubborn combat is expected, the
Japanese apparently intending to at
tempt to drive out the Russians and
capture their redoubts The Japanese
are circling eastward.
st. Petersburg, Feb. 25-Oficial dis.
patches dispose of the rumor of Gen.
Kuropatkin's retirement from the
Shake river, but, taken in connection
with the Tsinkhetchen dispatch, show
that operations of an important ma
ture are in progress in the mountain
region to the eastward. The move.
ment was precipitated by the Russians,
who last week sent out two divisions
and occupied well advanced positions.
The japanese attacked these positions
In force. The Russians retired slowly,
fighting, and Thursday evening were
driven within their fortified line. The
latest dispatches prophesied heavy
fighting.
General Battle Imminent.
Shenking. Manchuria. Feb. rs, via
Mukden.-It is reported here that the
Japanese are closing in on the Rus
sian east flank. AS result of this
movement it is possible that there will
be either general engagement or at
least counter movement by the Rus
slams along some part of the line, es.
pecially II, as is thought, the Japan
ese have returned to their original
tactics of making flanking movements
from the mountains. The early ad-
vent of spring now makes possible
operations in and from the mountain
GUS districts. For the past three weeks
the Russians have suffered no mate.
rial disturbance, with the exception OF
comparatively unimportant damage to
the railroad and to bridge near
Kuanchit pass as the result Of Japan.
ese raids, aided, 1t is alleged, by Chi
nese bandits.
Activity at vladivostok.
Reports of activity at vladivostok,
in anticipation Of an attack on that
place by the Japanese, are confirmed,
but the town continues in Its accus-
toned gayety, in which the civil and
military elements participate. The
channels of business continue there in
their normal condition, notwithstand-
ing the fact that the stringent patrol
by the Japanese Of the straits between
the island Of Sakhalin and the coast
Of Japan has completely interrupted
the movements of shipping. Supplies
at vladivostok. it is reported, are plen-
tiful, though prices are high. The
naval attaches of foreign governments
are leaving Vladivostok, by request of
the Russian authorities.
Ships or for vladivostok.
st. Petersburg, Feb. 25.-Gen. Ku-
ropatkin in dispatch dated Febru-
airy % sends a report that 20 Japanese
torpedo boats and large warship
are on their way to yladivostok.