JAPANESE DESIGN ON PORT ARTHUR.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4593, 2 May 1904, Page 2

JAPANESE DESIGN ON PORT ARTHUR.

London, April 28.— A Russian General Staff officer, alluding to the Japanese attempts to close the river Yalu, declares that these apparent efforts are merely feints. The real Japanese objective, he maintains, is the capture of Port Arthur. A RUSSIAN MOVEMENT. Telegrams received in Paris from the seat of war declare that General Kuropatkin has recalled all his troops off the Yalu to the Manchurian side of the river. THE SINKING OF THE JAPANESE TRANSPORT. It has been ascertained that a number of Russian torpedo boats sank the Japanese transport Kinshu Maru, together with a landing party which refused to surrender. The Russian Admiral Jezzen cables an official report of this incident. He states that on the night of the 26th inst. two torpedo boats, while out at sea, encountered an armed transport of 4,000 tons, laden with coal, military stores and transports, the latter being intended to act as a landing party. Seventeen officers, 20 privates, 83 coolies and 65 of the crew surrendered. The rest obstinately refused to submit or go on board the Russian cruiser, and they were accordingly sunk with the transport. JAPANESE MOBILISATION. The Japanese had by the 20th inst. mobilised three additional divisions of troops — viz., the sth, the 10 th and 11th, which together constitute the third army of the Empire. The total number of further troops thus raised is 75,000.