FIGHTING UNDERGROUND.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 275, 17 November 1904, Page 5

FIGHTING UNDERGROUND.

BATTLE CF THE TUfIMELS.

CZAR RECEIVES ALEXEIEFF.

'[PRELIMINARY INQUIRY.

DESPITE FIGHTING UNDERGROUND.

I AT THE SHA RIVER.

STRUGGLE IN THE TUNNELS. j STOESSEL STILL DETERMINED. JAPANESE STEADILY ADVANCING. m ■ r PROGRESS AT THE SHA RIVER. « ■ » [N.Z. Press Association. —Copyright.]

! RUSSIAN MOBILISATION. , (Received 7.29 a.m.) LONDON, November 16. "The StnndardV Moscow correspond- , ' ent sia es that the officers of ihe reserve. , who have been mobilised there are destined for duty in Transcaspia and Rus- • sian Turkestan. SAFEGUARDING THE CZAR. Extraordinary Precautions. (Received 8.50 a.m.) ST. PETERSBURG, November 16. On the occasion of the journey of the Czar to Grocino to inspect the troops, 20.000 sol Hers guarded the railwa\', and sentries wi h fixed bayonets were posted at every culvert and every peasant track.

A terrific fight is described at the sue- ] cessive casemates of the Jap ne c tunnel under Port Arthur. The Japanese are progressing slowly but surely in their work of undermining the Ru=s'an position. Stocssel, who is wounced in hospital, is again encouraging his men to desperate resistance. In some cases t'.e men fight under the revolvers of their own officers.

A TERRXTIC FIGHT. JAPANESE WINNING THEI3 "WAY. MINING ERLUNGDHAN. (Received 7.29 a.m.) LONDON, November Iβ. The war correspondent of the Daily Telegraph with General Nog! describee a terrific figlit on the 30th nit. at successive casemate* in the tunnels barring the Japanese progress. The bombardment on the 3Oth inst. altogether co»t the Japanese £40,000. On November 6th the Japanese were slowly winning their way nndergronnd to the vitals of the East Kckwaa Fort, and sinking shafts against Fort Erlungshan.

ST. PETERSBURG, November IC. The Czar accorded his first audience to . Admiral Alexe'.eff yesterday. The Ad--1 rairal is residing at one of the hotels, i

THE fIRST EVIDENCE. ' VICE-ADmRAL " IN THE BOX. BRILLIANT LIGHT ON TRAWLERS. EVEN NAMES COULD BE READ. RUSSIANS AND THEIR COURSE. (Received 8.45 ajn.) LONDON, November 16. Mr. Carr, " vice-admiral of tlio Gamecock trawling fleet, deposed, that tlxe lecond division of Russians commenced firing at 380 yards. He kept sending up green rockets, indicating that they -crcre fishermen. The Russian searchlights made the scone like daylight, enabling them to see everything on board the trawlers, and even the names and numbers of the vessels. The incident had ruined the trade. For a fortnight no strange vessels or foreigners wore seen except the Russians. Replying to the Russian Consul, Mr. Carr said that he iaw no signal to stop before firing. If British wai-ships had signalled to him to stop he would understand it. Captain Fredericks, a Board of Trade inspector, deposed that the Russians were many miles off either of their proper courses. He admitted the reply of the Russian representative to bs reasonable that they might be off tkeir course if they had reason to believe the presence of the enemy. THE INTERNATIONAL INQUIRY. A Russian Representative. LONDON, November Iβ. Russia is represenred at '.he Board of Trade's inquiry at Hull, now bein~ conduced by Admiral Bridge and' Mr. Aspinall. K.C. The name of this representative is not, however, stated.

STOESSEL IN HOSPITAL. ORDERS NO SURRENDER. LIMIT OF ENDURANCE REACHED. LONDON, November Iβ. Report* from General Wogi's headquarter* say that General Stoessel has had to enter the hospital on account of his wound, but ' that he refuses to relinquish the i command. He has ordered the garrison to die at their posts rather i than surrender. I Tho spirits of the troopo hare been lowered by continuous work, lack of supplies, and the hopelessness of the defence. ! Many of the men are kept at their posts by their officers threatening them with revolvers. ! The besiegers believe the men of the garrison have almost reached the limit of human endurance. Reuters representative at the headquarters of General Nogi says the general attack that ended about November 7 was tho least successful so far made. The North Kekwan galleries were I captured, however, after deseperate underground fighting. The Japanese on October 30 had 1500 casualties. The Kekwanshan forts, the cor- : respondent says, are in the shape of a crescent, and occupy the northeastern eornor of the inner line of defence, which encloses the town and inner harbour. The Japanese liold the northernmost of the East j Kekwan forte. ' : . I i —— j RUSSIAN DESTROYER'S ESCAPE. (Received 7.29 a.m.) LONDON, November 16. The "Daily Mail" stite<? that a Russian destro"or entered Cliifu in a blind 'ng ?nows:onn during he night of the Isth inst., and anchored a quarter of a mile from- the shore.

J DEE? IN EAETHWO3XS. ' (Received 7.29 a.m.) LONBGIJ, Uevcsibtir 10. Tho R-assians a=.S Japcircec at ilie SLa SliT?-ei« se ing -tiieittaelvea Into tliG exeuntl tiat tlia bis gtins fclozie are sasvieecl-la in lagte Impede tins work o£ fortifica- . ilea. '