The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1905-06-23
STORY OF THE RUSSO.JAPANESE
WAR NOW PRACTICALLY AT AN END

Out W tHe naTOOT. OF SaseDO-anQ the
war with Russia was IN.
Japan, silent. inscrutable, kept the
secret. Not a wore OF the news flashed
owe telegraph wires and on under seq
cables.
For weeks the feet had been ready to
sail. and for days army transports
loaded with men and artillery, had beer
swinging at anchor. But OF this Rus
eta knew nothing; the world knew
nothing.
All through January the question OF
peace or war had wavered in the bal
ance, Japan's final demands were
presented to Count Lamsdorff at st
points were these:
Chinese sovereignty over Manchuria.
Second-The recognition Of the full
commercial rights OF other nations In
Manchurta, as established by theil
treaties with China.
Third--The admission of japan.
paramount interest in Korea.
In return Japan declared that she
did not wish to interfere with Russia'e
special interests in Manchuria, or to
deny her right to protect them.
Practically. these were the same
terms that had been submitted to Rus
STA 80 a back as August ~, 1908
and, as regards Russia's relations to
Manchuria, the note hardly went be-
yond the declarations frequently and
spontaneously made OF Russia herself.
But when definitely asked to put her
promises Into execution Russia o NO
s, the Official Messenger Of st. Peters
bul s announced that the Japanese
minister had broken off negotiations
and had left the Russian capial.
Japan in Command Of Sea.
The first object OF Japan was to LAND
her army on the Korean coast, INC to
DO this she mad to secure her trans
ports a course uninterrupted by the
Russian ships. The main body OF the
Russian fleet, under Admiral Starck.
was lying outside Port Arthur under
the guns OF the fortress; but so little
did h admiral or viceroy. who was
also at Port Arthur and in supreme
command, anticipate immediate action
on the part of his enemy that he had
Chemulpo, the most probable japanese
landing place, and had taken no steps
whatever to stop the passage of the
transports.
Detaching a squadron under Admiral
Uriu to protect the transports, Admiral
steamed straight for Port Arthur. AS
night fell, he sent forward his torpedo
1otilla, steaming at t%wenty-one knots,
with instructions to sink the enemy's
feet. They reached their objective a
little before midnight and divided into
two lines. 80 as to envelop the wedge
shaped feet, they, without any warn.
Ing, discharged their torpedoes and
hurried back under a storm of shot and
shell. They were scarcely touched, but
the damage to the Russian feet was
only imperfectly described by the mes
sage ~telegraphed next morning by ADD
miral Alexief to the czar.
"1ananeso fo~rne60hoafn do1{vovod q
sudden mine attack on the squadron
lying in the Chinese roads at Port Ar
thur, the battleships Retvizan and
ing holed."
The wounded ships crept back into
the harbor, where during the weeks
that followed their injuries were more
Or less perfectly repaired.
Admiral Uru easily disposed OF the
cruiser Valtag and the gunboat Korietz,
which had been lett in the harbor at
Chemulpo, destined victims of the first
that way. 1t appears to have been the
korietz that fired the first shot of the
war, on the evening of February s.
Next day both ships came out of the
narbor and were sunk, the main part of
their crews being rescued by II. NJ.
s. Talbot and the French cruiser, Pas
cal.
Tie naval actions at Port Arthur and
Chemulpo on February s and 9 gave
Japan, for several weeks, at least, COM
mand OF the seas and an opportunity
to transport her army across the
molestation.
Marching to the Yaiu..
All during the months of February
and March transports carried troops.
artillery and supplies to the west coast
Of Korea-first to Chemulpo and Their
farther up the coast to Chinalnpo, and
thus avoiding the long, laborious march
along the length Of the Korean penin-
sula.
General Kuroki was in command of
the army that landed in Korea, des-
tined to force.a crossing OF the Yalu
and to invade Manchuria- Kuroki
Joined the army at Chemulpo in March,
n the march to the Yalu began.
Advancing over frozen roads, and in
contact was made with the enemy at
Pingyang. where scouting parties of
the Russian and Japanese forces ex-
changed shots. From that moment the
Japanese soldiers of the first army
never lost touch with the Russians in
front of them.
AS soon as h ice melted in the
estuary Of the Pingyang river General
Kuroki moved his base from Chemulpo
to Chinampo. The greater portion of
his artillery, including the heavy six
inch howitzers, which rendered such
splendid service at the battle Of the
Yalu, was landed at Chinampo, and
the first striking force was prepared
for its advance towards the Yalu.
The Russians retired steadily before
Kuroki. until they crossed the Yalu at
Wiju o. April 2. There they halted,
and took up q position on the opposite
bank Of the river, n prepared to con-
test the crossing.
Russia's Disasters 1t Sea.
While Kuroki was laboriously NOV
ing his army the alternately
frozen and sooded roads OF northern
Korea stormy events were taking place
at Port Arthur. where Togo was en-
deavoring daily to lure the Russian feet
Into battle IN the open sea, away from
the heavy guns Of the land batteries
on Golden and Electric hills.
The naval events at Port Arthur had
been uniformly disastrous for Russia.
On February II the mine transport
Yenisei wac blown up by one Of its
own mines and 100 officers and men
sent to their death.
Then on April 13 came Russia's great
disaster-the loss of the battleshil
Pe~tropsylovsk. one of the finest war
ships in the world.
Some weeks previously the incompe.
ent Admiral Starck had been recalled
in disgrace for permitting his feet to