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THE WAR IN THE ORIENT

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Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jun 8, 1904

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 30, No. 23.

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THE WAR IN THE ORIENT.

The latest news from the scene of hostilities in the East shows that there has been a great battle fought on the Liao Tung peninsula, in which the Japanese succeeded in driving the Russians from every position. The country in this vicinity was mountainous, and every point of vantage was fortified by the Russians, while the infantry were protected by extensive rifle-pits. In the first assaults by the Japanese, every man in the attacking force was shot down before reaching the rifle-pits, in front of which barbed-wire entanglements had been placed by the Russians. The Japanese finally carried the heights and captured seventy Russian cannons, but in doing so, lost 3,500 men in killed and wounded. The Russian casualties are placed at 2,000. The victors followed the retreating Russians far on the road toward Port Arthur. The energy of the Japanese will now be concentrated on the last-named place, which they expect to capture early in June. The second reverse to Russian arms has had a depressing influence upon the Russian people, who are now beginning to realize that Port Arthur itself must soon fall.
The first Japanese army is still in close touch with the Russian force in the vicinity of Liao Yang. There is constant skirmishing between small Russian and Japanese outposts, ambushments of patrols, etc., but neither of the chief commanders seems quite ready to risk the great battle for which the world has been looking. In the meantime Japan is mobilizing her third army at Hiroshima. When this lands in Manchuria, there will be stirring developments. The great victory of the Japanese on the Liao Tung peninsula has virtually given them the Russian port of Dalny, which will be used as a base of operations against Port Arthur. Russian officials are now blaming Great Britain and America for Russia’s embarrassments in the East.
The French Chamber of Deputies, after a spirited discussion on the matter of the withdrawal of the French ambassador from the Vatican, decided, by a vote of 427 to 95, to sanction the government’s course in recalling the ambassador. Several measures of a more drastic nature were proposed by the more radical element, but the foreign minister and the premier counselled against them, and they were voted down. The premier made the following statement regarding the ambassador’s recall: “The recall of M. Nisard means that we will not allow the Papacy to intermeddle in our international relations, and that we intend to have done, once for all with the superannuated fiction of temporal power, which disappeared thirty-four years ago. We will not withdraw the whole staff accredited to the Vatican, as we are bound by the concordat to maintain at the Vatican an agent of our government for the carrying on of business. We can not suppress the embassy and concordat by our own authority, for that right belongs to the chambers.” The speech of the premier and foreign minister clearly showed that it was the intention of the government gradually to work toward the denouncing of the concordat and completely separating the church and state.
The report of the British Royal Commission on the volunteer and militia forces practically recommends conscription as the only means of providing a home defense army adequate for the protection of the country in the absence or partial absence of the regular troops. The commissioners are of the opinion that the principles adopted by all the other European states must be largely adopted by Great Britain. The British nation has long opposed any move of this kind; but, in view of the preparations which the other nations are making for war, England feels unsafe without a mighty reserve army.
The Turkish force of 12,000 regulars and 16,000 Kurds continues its devastating work in the mountains of Armenia. Reliable information from the district in which this force has been operating shows that forty-three villages have been burned and their inhabitants murdered. The male Armenians are said to have offered a desperate resistance on the summit of Mount Antok. These depredations are to be made a matter of inquiry in the French Chamber of Deputies.
The government has taken the first steps toward assuming control of all wireless telegraph stations on the coast of the United States. This move is considered necessary to the safety of the country in time of war, as it is feared that stations might be set up by private parties which would communicate with vessels of an enemy off the coast.
A delegation of 43 of the most prominent men of the Philippines arrived in San Francisco on May 27 on their way to the World’s Fair at St. Louis, Mo. They constitute the Philippine Commission to the fair. All are holding high positions in the civil, legal, and commercial service in the islands.
The forces of the San Domingan Government at Esperanza have met defeat at the hands of the rebels. All the ammunition and supplies of the government forces fell into the hands of the insurgents. The latter are preparing to attack another government force.
The British expedition in Tibet is now isolated, its line of communications having been broken by the natives. The expedition is awaiting re-enforcements, which are being hurried forward. When they arrive the British force will push on to Lhasa, the capital.
Venezuela, a Catholic country, has just expelled twelve Spanish monks who came there from the Philippines. The action of the government was taken on the ground that the policy of the monks was incompatible with the tendency of modern society.
Mount Pelee, the great Martinique volcano, which destroyed 30,000 lives on May 8, 1902, is reported to have been in active operation again on May 8 of this year. Seismic disturbances were observed in other islands of the group on the same day.
The famous political leader of Pennsylvania, Matthew Stanley Quay, known for years as a “boss” in state and national politics, died at his home in Beaver, Penn., on May 28.
The Presbyterian General Convention at Buffalo has decided to raise $12,000,000 with which to endow Presbyterian colleges, especially the weaker ones in the West.
Yazoo City, Miss., has suffered the visitation of a fire which resulted in the loss of property valued at $2,000,000. Martial law has been proclaimed there.
The revolutionists of Uruguay have met defeat at the hands of the government troops, the former losing 80 men killed and 200 wounded.