Fergus County Democrat

AT A TERRIBLE COST.

How the Japs Captured 203-Metre Hill Last Week.

Tokio, Dec. 4.--The diary of the fighting around 203-Metre hill, which is published in the Japanese papers describes the terrible losses involved in the storming of the Russian position from dawn of November 28, till 11 o'clock in the forenoon of that day. A Russian counter-attack begun at dawn on November 29, and was so furiously pushed that the Japanese were compelled to retire into the valley. The attack was renewed the morning of November 30, "when all the Japanese reserves came up" from the southeastern corner. The assailants only advanced 30 metres by 5 o'clock, so stubborn was the resistance, and the Japanese suffered severe losses. Then, being reinforced, the Japanese maintained the struggle with terrible earnestness. Furious charges were repeatedly made and the Russians were compelled gradually to retire. The southwestern summit of the hill was not occupied until 7 o'clock in the evening, and the northwestern summit not until 8 o'clock. During the night six Russian counter-attacks were repulsed. One, which was launched at 4 o'clock in the morning, was characterized by several bayonet attacks and was persisted in until noon on December 1. When the hopelessness of the attempts became evident, the Russians retired.