THE WAR IN THE ORIENT

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · May 25, 1904

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 30, No. 21.

THE WAR IN THE ORIENT.

WHILE no great battle has occurred during the week, the Japanese are pressing on toward the concentrated forces of Russia. The latter continue to withdraw toward their base, and the scouting parties of both powers are in constant touch. Small skirmishes are frequent.

The Russians have blown up the principal structures in the city of Dalny, in order to impede the landing of the Japanese at that place, and because Dalny would have made an excellent base for the Japanese in their operations against Port Arthur. The great docks and wharves and public buildings there were among the structures destroyed. They were erected by the government at a cost of many millions of dollars. Dalny was really built by the Russian Government after securing from the Chinese the lease of the Liao Tung peninsula, and was designed to be the chief terminal of the great Russian railroad.

While the Japanese were dragging the harbor for torpedoes and mines, a mechanical mine placed by the Russians was exploded, sinking a Japanese torpedo boat, and causing the death of seven men. This is the first war vessel lost by Japan since the war began.

The Japanese continue to land on both sides of the Liao Tung peninsula. They have destroyed seventeen miles of the Port Arthur railroad, so that that port is now completely cut off from railway and telegraph communication with the Russian army and government.

The abandonment of Nienchwang by the Russians is now practically complete, and other governments are reported to be sending war-ships to that port to preserve order during the time intervening between Russian abandonment and Japanese occupation.

Organized bands of Chinese bandits are threatening the city. The latter have attacked the Russians at different places, and there is grave fear that the Chinese will take the offensive against both Russians and Christians. China is doing her utmost to preserve neutrality, but she seems unable to control these wandering organized bands. The Chinese seem much more favorable to the Japanese, while the Koreans are showing more sympathy with the Russians, and in some cases are impeding the operations of the Japanese.