Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 91, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 July 1904 — PROGRESS OF THE WAR [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

After the battle of Telissu It became apparent to the Russians In Port Arthur that,they qpuld not hope for relief. When the place should fall the fchlps then in the harbor must either be surrendered or destroyed. Accordingly the Muscovite admiral determined to make a run for It and either idle fighting or escape. Even If he died fighting he probably would Injure the Japanese ships. Togo’s patrol, which doesn’t seem to have let many of the Russian movements escape it, reported that on Tuesday last a large part of the Russian fleet had moved into the other entrance of Port Arthur. Togo at once guessed kliat a sortie would be attempted after nightfall. Then the Japanese commander moved more quickly than the (Russian. Darkness fell, but before Uie Russian squadron was under way the Japanese torpedo boats had rushed in, sunk the Peresviet, and disabled the Sevastopol. The Peresviet was one of the finest Russian modern warships, having a displacement of 12*674 tons, a speed of 18 knots; and an armament of four 10 Inch, eleven 0 inch, and sixteen B Inch guns. The Sevastopol has a tonnage of 10,960 tons, a speed of 17.3 (knots, and a battery of four 12 Inch and twelve 5.9 inch rifles. Up to date Togo has lost one Battleship, the Hatsuse, and one cruiser, the Yoshino. To offset these losses he has Inflicted the following injuries upon ithe Russians: Two days after the war Jbegan his torpedo boat 9 severely injured the battleships Czarevitch and Retvisan and the cruiser Pallada. The following day the Russian fleet went but to battle, but was compelled to return with water line holes in the battleship Poltava and the cruisers Diana, lAskold and Novlk. The same day the gunboat Korietz land the cruiser Variag were destroyed at Chemulpo by Admiral Uriu, one of {Togo's chief lieutenants. On April 12 Togo sowed the waters

Outside Port Arthur with mines and on the 13th he left an unprotected cruiser as a bait to draw the Russians out. The Russians fell Into the trap •end came out, but when the full Japanese squadron compelled them to retreat they struck the hidden mines. The battleship Petropavlovsk was sunk with nearly all on board and the Pobleda severely injured. Early In May Togo succeeded In hla third Hobson attempt Nine merchant ships laden with stone were suuk In the entrance to the harbor, preventing the ships from within from coming out 'As soon as these obstacles were placed, the second and third Japanese armies rushed upon their transports and were landed, one at Pltsewo above Port Arthur, and the other at Takushan. Later the Russians managed to blow out the obstacles, but their fleet had been neutralized at the critical moment when the transports were on the seas. Future history recording these exploits will enroll the Japanese name of Togo as high as the highest on her short list of great naval captalnß. In the beginning of the war observers made the mistake of believing that Togo was a Japanese admiral. He Is toot He la a military genius of the sort which but seldom in the annuls of any one country blazes across the pages of history. Japan has only one .Togo, If she had two the Vladivostok squadron would be about three-fourths destroyed by this time The map shows what the Russians fcnow of the Japanese position on land. The Japanese outposts are within a few miles of Kalcliou. Behind them somewhere or other lies on army iwhlch apparently consists of the forces rwhich den. Nodzu landed st Takushan, united with a part of the force jwhlch Gen. Oku landed above Port [Arthur. Most of Oku’s army roust sdll Ibo resting In the' environs of Port [Arthur. Otherwise the Russians could •merge from that plans and rstaks [Nansban bill.

The fact that the reports of the battle of Telissu were signed by Oku does not indicate that that general had withdrawn his force from its objective —t’ort Arthur. It more likely means that the Japanese staff wants to make the Russians think that this has been dona Probably Gen. Nodzu was in command at the battle of Telissu. Nodzu ranks first among the four Japanese generals, Oku being second, and Kurokl third. Above these three generals are the two field marshals, Yamagata first and Oynma second. It is now announced that Oyama has been sent to take command in person in the field. While Nodzu’s forces are In the neighborhood of Kaichou, Kurokl’* outposts are advancing over three roads to Kaichou, Tatchekiao, and Baieheng respectively. These outposts form a screen. The Russians don’t know and the world doesn’t know whether behind this screen Kuroki’s army is advancing In three equal parts over these three roads or whether his main strength is being directed In along but one of them. The seeming tendency of the last week has been for Kurokl to edge further southward, getting nearer the Takushan position vacated by Nodzu. For some time the Japanese have been endeavoring to convey the impression that Kurokl Intends to swing around to the north. Therefore it is probable that be never at any time entertained such an Intention.