Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-12-07
tA..ocia.ed Press correspondeueeJ

tAss0fiated Press tOrrespohufueeI
Tsing-Tau, Ostober 12.--Almost two
months have passed since Japan en-.
tered the war against Germany and
demanded the evacuation of this for
tress in North China. In that time
the warships of Japan and the allies
have successfully prevented Using
Tau harbar from being used as u
naval base. Japanese soldiers have
been landed Qnd brought With their
equipment and artillery to the bor-
.dcrs of the leased territory. and at
the present time they fill the ravines
and gulles back of range of HIS
hemming in the German positions
which lie across a peninsula from
l<iao-chow bay to the sea.
Facing the attacking forces across
u three and q half mile front is the
German garrison,---a mere handful OF
men in comparison with the forces OPP
posed to them but in a strongly pro-
tected position Behind the GremanI
infantry and light artillery are the
heavy guns of the fortress commands
ing the approaches by land and sea.
It took the Japanese three days al
ter they had brought up q division to
the borders of the leased territory to.
push the German advance detachment
of five companies, eight machine guns
and ten field pieces. back TO the pres
emf position just outside the city. me
Japanese advance began ON Septem-
Der 26. The engagement that Follow
cd was full Of exciting episodes ana
picturesque incident. For intance, on
The German right wing high up at the
the top of Prince Heinrich mountain,
in what is called the Eagles Nest. Sixty
German volunteers were stationed.
Japs Climb steep Slopes.
The position was valuable as an OBJ
servation point. So steep were the
paths that led to II that soap could pc
used to grease them and make the ac-
cess of the Japanese difficult. Inc
Japanese surrounded the mountains IN
force and climbed the steep slopes. q
heavy fight Of half q day took place,
many were Killed and wounded one
German sergeant and eleven men sue
ceeded in breaking through the JAP
anese lines The rest. about twenty
men, finally surrendered.
ON the German left wing where the
fighting was most severe, TWO 'hihchlhe
guns failed to get the order 10 retiie7
on the night of the 9th, ana on the
morning of the 2Sth found themselves
In the rear OF the Japanese; Ap-
prouching along the road to Litsung'
d Chinese town eight mites Hoii
Tsing-tau, was a column Oh Japanese
who were marching along with no iueu
that there were Germans IN tne Vicih.
ity. The Germans opened IRE anu
ralxed the column from the flank liz
surprised Japanese fell back Lew
rods and thereby exploded some ianu
,,...;.es. At this the Japanese retreat
ed, und the machine guns got paek ~
the German positions ATOMS the urs
course of the Litsung river
German Casualties Slight.
The German casualties during the
three DAYS fighting were only lu4a
dead wounded and missing The
small losses are attributed first Of all
Ia the very poor infantry fire OF the
Japanese and to the orders which the
carmans pot to retire without sacri-
flee of many men. The Japanese on
the other hand advanced along the
three reads through the territory to
T,sine- tau in massed columns iney
anhiected themselves to heavy fire
from the gunboat Jaguar and the AUS
frian cruiser Kaiserlne Elizabeth, the
aims pouring shrapnel into the coli
,unn advancing along the bay me
machine guns Of the Germans also
did great execution. The bullets OF
the Japanese are much smaller thall
those Of the Germans, and many OF
the Germans who. .have been WOUNDED
are again back in the lines.
since the 2Sth there has ben con-
slant artillery fire, mainly directed by
thn defenders, who huve heen seohr I
.inr The hills. and The slopes benihd'
.Iro,,t,lug shells even as far az Tue
tawn Of I.itsun, ten kiiometers dlstanfs
IN ardar to render the preparation q
artillery positions difficult for the
Japanese. ~.
on October gstwo companies OF tue
GARRISON made sortie to drive the
Ianauese from hill over mile away
from the inner works, The infantry
was supported by artillery. The Jap
u ese we're present In force, however,
md caught one OF the companies with
4 flanIing machine gun fire. inns
company retired leaving its captain
head and "A men missing. and the otil-
or company had small losses. The
sartie was made at night, and the
cracking OF nuskctry. the pumpinf
Of machine guns. and the bright