p. 9 | IN THE ORIENT

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Apr 13, 1904

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 30, No. 15.

IN THE ORIENT.

THE Japanese fleet continues to bombard Port Arthur at intervals. On March 21 the bombardment lasted several hours, and about two hundred shells fell in the town, killing and wounding a number of persons. The fleet also made another attempt to block the entrance to the harbor, sinking four stone-laden merchant vessels. The Russians resisted the attempt vigorously with their torpedo flotilla, and state that through their defensive operations the entrance to the harbor is still open.

The Japanese continue to advance their forces in Korea toward the Yalu River, where the Russians are concentrating their army. They have brought many soldiers south from Vladivostok, and, since the declaration of war, have transported more than 100,000 men and 6,000 horses across Siberia, with several hundred cannon. The fact that the large number of newspaper correspondents who have been held in Tokio have now been permitted to proceed to the scene of expected hostilities would seem to indicate that the most serious business of the war will soon begin. The Japanese Government has not permitted these correspondents to go to the front while its plans were being laid, lest information concerning the movements of the troops should leak out, and be taken advantage of by the Russians. The Japanese field marshal has expressed the belief that Japan would have to fight Russia at odds of two to one, and yet she was confident of being able to hold her own with the stronger power.

One engagement has already taken place in which both sides claim the victory. There was considerable loss of life on both sides, just how great is not known. The Russian force retired from the position which it occupied, and the Japanese have advanced beyond the scene of the conflict. The coming weeks may be expected to bring news of heavy fighting.