Jasper County Democrat, Volume 6, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 March 1904 — ARMIES LINE FIGHT [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

ARMIES LINE FIGHT

Japan Has 120,000 Troops North of Seoul, Facing the Yalu, Ready for Battle. RUSSIANS IN FORCE OPPOSITE Jap Foroes Have Advanced from Seuol and Chemuplo— Rush Work on Russian Fleets. Paris, March 3.—lnforation reaching here from official shows the Japanese concentration of troops is going on extensively In the neighborhood of Ping-Yang, Korea. Large forces are debarking from transports at nearby ports, from which It is assumed that an extensive land engagement is imminent in northern Korea. London, March 3.—Japan has 120,000 troops north of Seoul, facing the Yalu. The Russians are in force on the north bank of that river and cavalry scouts are working south of it. It is believed that the Japanese army’s

first move will be to drive the Russians back from the Y’alu. Seoul adviees report that 1,100 Russians are at Chongju, 500 at Kusong, and 50 at Anju. These forces probably are only feelers, sent out to locate the position of the Japanese. Calvary Driven Back. Reports Issued by the Japanese war office state that the Russian cavalry has been defeated near Anju and Pingyang, and that consequently residents of that part of Korea are working as usual. The army is eager to meet the enemy. The severest punishment now inflicted in the Japanese army for breaches of discipline is leaving the offenders in Japan. This punishment is held to be so disgraceful by the soldiers and is so much feared that ordinary offsenses have disappeared among the troops. Land at Hwangju. For two weeks transports have been landing troops in large numbers at Hwangju, 100 miles up the Korean coast, above Chemulpo. Hwangju is only thirty miles from Pingyang and 100 miles from Wiju. Pingyang is easily reached through level country. It is believed that a. strong Japanese force also has been landed at Kasan, half way between Chinnampo and Wlju.

Troops at the Front. One brief, pithy telegram from a Daily Mail correspondent at Chefoo, dated Monday, discloses something of what is happening. It says: “I returned In my dispatch boat from Chemulpo, where there is a lull in Japanese activity. The same is the case at Seoul All troops have left for the front, leaving only details to protect stores. Transports continue to arrive at the rate of one a day with troops and provisions on board. These are now being landed near Hwangju, nine-ty-four miles northwest of Chemulpo, and only a short distance from Pingyang, and where a large force of Japanese Infantry has.been collected. Horse* Are Useless. “A serious defect has been discovered now that the Japanese have landed, as it is feared that most of their horees will be unserviceable. The Japanese squadron it Chemulpo has been strengthened and a fleet of twelve battleships and cruisers has been stationed permanently at Prince Jerome gulf, between Chebido and the Asan anchorage. Tuesday 1 saw a cruiser of the Mltaka type beached at the entrance of Manyang creek. 1 went near enough to note that It was deserted except for a Japanese guard.”

WORKING NIGHT AND DAY. Rnssis Hurrying Work on Baltic and Black Bea Fleets. St Petersburg, March 3.—Although it is denied that the present plans of the admiralty contemplate the dispatch of either the Black Sea or Baltic fleets to the far east it is beyond question that both are being prepared with the greatest haste to meet any emergency that may arise. General Altvater, the artillery specialist, and Admiral Verkhosky have been inspecting the ships and crews of the Black Sea fleet. Work on the warships is being pushed night aDd day. The battleship Borodino, the battleship Orel, and tbe transport Kamtchatka are nearing completion at tbe admiralty dock yards here. In tbe dead of night tbe leebound Neva Is like an arctic landscape lighted for half a mite by tbe flare

of blazing stacks, the silence broken by the din of drumming hammers. The battleship Borodino must be taken to Cronstadt to receive her armor, and it is reported that the ice breaker Ernok will be brought from Reval to cut a channel to the arsenal there. The battleship Alexander 111, at Cronstadt, is ready and the Russian fleet, recently at Jlbutil, French Samallland is returning so that when the spring opens Russia will have an imposing naval array in the Baltic. About 800 volunteer workmen have left here to work at the dockyards of Port Arthur and Vladivostok. NO FIGHTING AT FORT ARTHUR. Recent Report* False, It Seems-Cossacks Chase a Japanese Patrol. St. Petersburg, March 3.—ln a dispatch to the czar, Viceroy Alexieflf says: “Admiral Stark, telegraphing from Port Arthur March 2, says the enemy did not appear off Port Arthur on either Feb. 28, 20 or March 1. Reconnaissances made by cruisers and torpedo boats over a radius of sixty miles from Port Arthur also failed to discover the enemy’s vessels.” Major General Pflug, Viceroy Aiexieff's chief of staff, sends in the following telegram, dated March 2: “According toadditional information wbicb has reached me our patrols having passed the night twelve versts (eight miles) from I’ing Yang approached that town on the morning of Feb. 29. They were closely pressing a Japanese patrol of seven officers. Lieutenant Lonchakoff attacked this patrol with three Cossacks, forcing it to retreat at a gallop towards the gates of the town. “The presence of our patrols near Ping Yang caused great alarm, and soon the enemy’s sharpshooters manned the wall and towers and opened fire, expecting an attack. According to the report our patrols approached within 700 paces of the town, which they found to be surrounded by both old and new ramparts. These, however, were not yet occupied by the tneniy, and it is supposed that the Japanese have not more than 1,000 men ,jn Ping Y’ong.” CABLE WILL UK CONTRABAND That Proposed Retween Guam and Japan —Chemulpo Incident CTomml. St. Petersburg, March I.—ls an attempt is made to lay a cable from the island of Guam to Japan during the continuance of hostilities it will-be regarded as contraband of war under the proclamation promulgated Sunday. As pointed out to the Associated Press correspondent the proclamation is specific on this question,, and it is not believed here that the United States will undertake or authorize such a cable now, as it would constitute a breach of neutrality according to the Russian view. The statement of the commander of the United States gunboat Vicksburg regarding the Chemulpo affair was communicated to the foreign office by the Associated Press correspondent. and was received as a complete and satisfactory explanation. Regrets were expressed that the incident had created so much feeling here. When the government receives an official report of the aid rendered by the Vicksburg to the Russian wounded it will express to tlie United States its formal thanks as in the case of the British, French and Italian warships.

CANNOT PASS DARDANELLES. Turk Resolved to Fight If Russian Fleet Attempts Passage. Constantinople, March 3. —The Turkish government hafe resolved to forcibly prevent the Russian Black Sea fleet from passing through the Dardanelles, and a fight will probably occur should 6uch an attempt be made. The defenses along the straits have been strengthened, and mines have been laid. Officers have also been appointed especially to supervise these measures. The reason for Turkey’s Itokl action, it is learned, is that strong representations have been made by the other powers against such a broach of Russia’s treaties as the passing would involve. England lias informed the sultan that should the Russian vessels pass through the straits, n British fleet would do likewise, and would make a demonstration before the windows of Yoldiz Kiosk itself.

THE VICKSBURG INCIDENT. St. Petersburg Papers Print Commander’s Report. Without Commenting. St. Petersburg, March 2.—A1l the papers here print prominently, but without eomihent, Commander Marshall’s report of the Vicksburg incident off Chemulpo, Kotea, and the reasons assigned iti the United States for his not uniting In the protest of the other naval commanders against the action of the Japanese. These statements will doubtless clear up the misapprehension existing here concerning the affair. Coming simultaneously with the announcement that the state department had decided to countermand the orders that Edwin V. Morgan, appointed United States consul »at Port Dalny, proceed to his post. Commander Mareball's report should have good effect in allaying the anti-America n irritation. Railway Completed Aeroee the Lake. Irkutsk, Siberia, March 2. —Tbe first complete train traversed Lake Baikal on tbe ice railroad at 11 o’clock Tues day morning. It consisted of twentyfive cars. Prince Khilkoff, tbe minister of public works and railroads, was present when tbe train started. Takes Up Dreyfus Appeal. Parte, March B.—The court of cassation began at noon Thursday tbe consideration of tbe appeal of Alfrad Dreyfus, for a revision of bit trial.

GENERAL KUROPATKIN. [Commander-in-Chief of the Czar’s Army in the Far East.]