Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 89, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 July 1904 — WAR DURING WEEK. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WAR DURING WEEK.

ACTIVITY OF COMBATANTB ON BEA AND LAND. Russian Vladivostok Fleet Sinks Japanese Transports, While Land Army Wins Victories In tbs Vicinity of Vafangow. When the Bogatyr, 6,750 tons, went on the rocks a month ago the Russian squadron In Vladivostok was reduced to three armored cruisers, the Rossla, 12,130 tons, 20 knots speed, with four 8-inch, sixteen 6-inch, twelve 8-Inch guns; the Gromoboi, 12,336 tons, 20 knots speed, carrying four 8-inch, sixteen 6-inch, six 4.7-inch, and twenty 8-lnch guns, and the Rurik, 10,923 tons, 18.7 knots, with a main battery of four 8-lnch, sixteen 6-inch, six 4.7-lnch rifles. The three made np a formidable aggregation of warships, combining they did speed, greater armored protection than any except flrstclass battleships, and large batteries of medium size guns. The three big ships crept out of Vladivostok, presumably at night, when they would be less liable to observation. By dawn they were 100 miles out to sea and heading south for the Korean straits, which all Japanese ships carrying stores for the armies In the held mast cross. Wednesday morning, June 15, at T a. m., off Iki Island, the Rossla and the Rurik came upon the transport Hitachi, carrying 700 soldiers. The

Russians signaled the transport to stop, which It did. At 10 o’clock, however, the Japs tried to run for it, but were fired upon by the two cruisers and sunk. Most of Its crew and human freight went down with it The survivors, numbering about 20 per cent by clinging to the wreckage, managed to reach some of the little Islands In the straits of Korea. Later on the same day the Russians came upon the transport Sado, which was also loaded with 700 men. After some parleying this boat too, was shelled and torpedoed, most of Its pas? sengers and crew being killed. The hull, however, remained afloat and finally grounded on the east coast of Oki (or Iki?) Island. It does not appear whether the Sado was sunk by the Gromoboi alone, which was not present during the attack on the Hitachi, or whether the whole fleet reunited and destroyed the Sado. Of the 1,400 Japanese soldiers on the two transports 900 were killed. Their raid having been successful, the Russians decided to return home again, but they evidently did not wish to risk the straight passage from Korean straits to Vladivostok, choosing Instead to make an easterly detour Along the coast line of Nippon. Doubtless the Russians hoped to fall In with a few stray merchantmen on their Journey. Campaign on Land. On land there was a considerable battle, which began in the neighborhood of Vafangow, on the railroad, sixty miles north of Kinchou and Nanshan hill. On the afternoon of Tuesday, June 14, at 1:40 o’clock, the fighting began and continued until dark, the Japanese pushing the Russians back for some miles. After the cessation of firing, under cover of darkness, a Japanese column occupied Fuchau, flanking the Russian right In the morning the fighting started again. The Russian general, Baron Btackelberg, tried to turn the Japanese right flank, but at the same time the brigade which had been sent to Fuchau during the night struck him on his right and crumpled him up. At the same time the main Japanese body, marching up the railroad, struck him In the center, and he was forced to retreat to the northward. The Japanese captured fourteen quick firing guns and 800 prisoners. The total Russian losses are about 2,000, while the Japs acknowledge only 1,000 casualties. As at the crossing of the Yalu and Nanshan hill, the fate of the day was largely determined by the wonderful Japanese artillery practice. In the Vafangow engagement the numbers engaged were about 35,000 Russians and 40,000 or 45,000 Japanese. The Japs engaged In this flghf were not a part of General Oku’s second army, which is concentrated around Port Arthur, but were attached to General Nodzu’s army, which landed some while ago at Takushan. When Stackelberg pushed south, menacing Oku’s rear, Nodzu moved westerly from Takushan and elberg In the flank, rolling him nortbprard. Some elephants have been knows 'to live two hundred years.

MAP SHOWING NAVAL MANEUVERS.