Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 136, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 December 1904 — PROGRESS OF THE WAR [ARTICLE]

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

The armies of Kuropntkin and Oyama are facing one another on the Sbaklie river, where they have been stationary for a month. There are occasional reports from Russian sources of Japanese setbacks and reptuses, at various points, but the Japanese are silent as to their doings and their intentions. All that is positively known Is that both armies are receiving re-enforce-ments. Since the completion of the missing link in the Siberian railroad around Lake Baikal tbe'Russians are able to send men to the front with greater rapidity and in larger numbers. Both armies are using the spade incessantly, and are protected now by systems of elaborate and seemingly impregnable works. It Is winter in northern Manchuria, and the difficulties in the way of a forward movement when the forces are so nearly equal as they are appear to be insuperable. Snow and frost are dangerous enemies to affront. It seems as if both armies had resolved to stay where they are during the winter. What their losses from disease and cold will be during the season may become known next spring. Spasmodic bombardment and persistent tunneling have been the characteristic features of the siege of Port Arthur during the week. Specific items of news have been in consequence few. The Japanese succeeded in occupying the counterscarp of Sungshu fort, one of the strong positions on what is called the northeastern ridge, and they made a similar gain at the Ehrlung fort. A snell blew up a magazine in the city and started a conflagration that lasted two days. A Russian counter attack in front of Bast Keekwan fort was a failure. There is also a story, though not a very definite one, of an attack by a Japanese company on a detachment of Russians in an outlying position in front of Etseshan. This last story is the only one that indicates activity In the neighborhood

of the western defenses of the fortress. Within the last month we have advanced from mere guesswork to definite knowledge of the progress of the siege, as the result of the trickling stream of dispatches which the Japanese staff has allowed to be published. We no longer talk of the possibility of Port Arthur falling any day, but rather of the probability that “tills or that one of the sixteen forts, or groups of forts, which make up the main defense of the city, will be taken. It is worth recalling that the Port Arthur forts can be divided In a general way Into five groups. There is first the exceedingly strong Liautieshun position, at the extreme end of the promontory, some twelve miles southwest of Port Arthur. This has not yet been under fire at all. Then there are the forts on the Tiger’s Tail peninsula. These also have been free from attack. Thirdly, there are the forts, of which Golden Hill and Electric Cliff are the best known, commanding the harbor entrance and strung along the shore to the east of the city. The guns of these forts have engaged Admiral Togo's fleet whenever they lmd a chance, hut they do not seem to he ipounted so that they onn he used against land attacks. A fourth group comprises the forts on the northeastern ridge, the Rungshu fort, the

Rihlung (Ehrlung) forts, the Keekwan forts ard the Kinkeeshan forts. The fifth group is to the west on the Chair hills, comprising the Etse, Antsz and Wangtai forts. Gen. Nogi seems to have decided definitely to enter Port Arthur over the ruins of the Keekwan, Ehilung and Shungshu forts. His men are lying in tunnels within a few hundred feet of the walls of these forts. The Russians are confined within the walls, and while their guns are still powerful to check any Japanese assault up the hills they can do nothing against the men tunneling beneath them. Almost any day we may learn that the Japanese have exploded itheir mines and burst out of the ground Into one of these forts, there to fight a hand-to-hand struggle to the death for possession. But even if the Russians are driven out of one fort and their cannon and ramparts destroyed, that will not mean Japanese occupation. Apparently all the forts in the group must be taken in this way before the Japanese can enter into occupation. And after this will come a further strategical problem to bring about the reduction of the Golden Hill and Chair Hill groups of forts. These tasks accomplished, Port Arthur will have fallen. But even then Stoessel, with the remnant of his men, may hold out longer, if he sees fit, on the Liautieshan promontory. With the fall of the Keekwan-Sung-shu forts the Russian fleet will pTobably be compelled to take its final choice of dooms, either self-destruction in the harbor or a rush into the waiting jaws of Togo’s keet The Japanese are confident that they can force this dilemma long before Admiral Rojestvensky’s squadron reaches eastern waters. It is easy to understand why the Japanese wish to settle the Port Arthur matter. In the first place its capture will release soldiers for service in northern Manchuria. In the next place the Russian fleet is moving eastward.

Late last week that section of the fleet which is taking the Red sea route began passing through the Suez canal. That route will also he followed by the division made up of cruisers and torpedo boat destroyers, which was the last to leave the Baltic. It will be in the North sea soon.

The battleships under the immediate command of Admiral Rojestvensky, which stopped ten days ago at Dakar, Cape Verde, to coal, are on their ,way down the African coast, and if they give the preference to French ports for coaling purposes the next report concerning them may come from Loango, in French Congo. Colliers are awaiting them at Madagascar, another French possession, and possibly will proceed there from Loango without stopping. It is rumored that Diego Suarez bay in Madagascar is where the different sections of the fleet will unite and prepare for the last stage of the journey. When Port Arthur falls Admiral Togo will be relieved from blockade duty, which cannot be abnndoned. It will he possible then for him to go out to meet the Russians—to go ns for as Formosa .perhaps. Until the siege ends be will be kept in Korea bay. The plan of the Japanese naval campaign hinges on the operations at Port Arthur.