THE WAR IN THE ORIENT

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jul 6, 1904

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 30, No. 27.

THE WAR IN THE ORIENT.

Gradually the great armies in southern Manchuria are aligning their forces. The Japanese advance is slow, about six miles a day, and the two ponderous armies will soon be in touch all along their front. Small engagements are taking place daily between outposts, with losses on both sides. There is reported to be a Russian movement, southward, of a portion of their forces, as a feint, to prevent the junction of the two Japanese armies. One despatch states that on June 21 a force of 8,000 Russians, while traversing the ravine of Wafungko, was surprised by masked Japanese artillery which opened upon them with accurate fire and destructive effect. The Russian casualties are placed at 1,200. The Russian general extricated his men with considerable difficulty. On June 23, three Russian regiments and one battery of artillery, attacked the Japanese position near Saimak, but were defeated, and retired with considerable loss.

The Japanese forces in the vicinity of Port Arthur are gradually drawing nearer to the great stronghold, and have begun active operations against it, with long-range guns. In these bombardments the fleet also takes part from time to time. On June 23, the Russian war-ships at Port Arthur came out of the harbor, and an engagement followed, in which one large Russian battle-ship, the Peresviet, was sunk with her commander and 750 men. The battle-ship Sevastapol was disabled, and the cruiser Diana was so damaged that she had to be towed back to port. Several torpedo-boats are reported sunk with all on board. No loss is reported in the Japanese fleet.