BATTLESHIP “RETVIZAN,” TORPEDOED IN THE FIRST WEEK AND BEACHED ] RUSSIAN SHIPS AT PORT ARTHUR BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF THE JAPANESE [Illustration: UNARMORED CRUISER “ASKOLD,” SISTER SHIP OF THE “VARIAG” ] [Illustration: RUSSIAN CRUISER “BOYARIN,” SUNK ON FEBRUARY 12 ] [Illustration: BATTLESHIP “POBIEDA,” DISABLED BY A MINE ON APRIL 13 ] [Illustration: THE ARMORED CRUISER “BAYAN,” ONE OF THE LAST TO YIELD ] PART OF RUSSIA’S FIGHTING FLEET AT PORT ARTHUR [Illustration: THE FLAGSHIP OF THE SQUADRON, THE “MIKASA” ] [Illustration: ADMIRAL TOGO ON THE QUARTER-DECK OF THE “MIKASA” ] [Illustration: DECK VIEW OF THE “MIKASA” FROM THE FIGHTING TOPS ] THE MAN WHO BOTTLED UP PORT ARTHUR, AND THE FLAGSHIP OF HIS FLEET CHAPTER VIII EARLY CAMPAIGNING BEFORE THE BATTLE OF LIAO-YANG With Port Arthur cut off from the north, the three Japanese armies pushed rapidly northward in a general closing-in movement on Liao-Yang. General Nodzu’s army on June 26 captured Fengshuiling, on the main road northward from Takushan to Newchwang, and the Russian forces began to fall steadily back. At the same time, Kuroki, on the north, was capturing two passes of even greater importance, Motienling and Taling, and Oku, to the southward, was driving the Russians back with similar success. On July 17 the Russians, under General Count Keller, did make a desperate effort to retake Motienling, but were repulsed with heavy loss. Keller made another attempt to force the Japanese back a fortnight later, but it was equally disastrous and the general himself was killed. Meanwhile, on July 22 and 23, General Oku, on the extreme south and west of the long Japanese front, closed in upon Tashichao, and, with the assistance of Nodzu’s army, which had pushed up from Fengshuiling, captured the town and compelled the 40,000 Russians there to retreat. This, together with the unsuccessful battle in which Keller was killed, was practically the last of the Russians’ attempts to make a forward movement. General Kuropatkin devoted himself to preparing for a decisive battle at Liao-Yang, meanwhile keeping up all along the line just enough resistance to delay and hamper the Japanese advance.