UNSUCCESSFUL MINING OPERATIONS.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4594, 4 May 1904, Page 2

UNSUCCESSFUL MINING OPERATIONS.

London, May 3. — Japanese warships early on April 28th, using a screen of blazing rafts, laid mines near the spot where the battleship Petropavlovsk sank, near the entrance to Port Arthur. Russian searchlights revealed what the Japanese were doing. The Japanese launch carrying the mines retired and the mines were destroyed by the Russians. The Japanese for several nights sent ethergrams, which they intended should fall into Russian hands, purporting to arrange with the Japanese army for a simultaneous land and sea assault upon Port Arthur. GUN AND STORES FOR THE • RUSSIAN ARMY. Guns and stores necessary for the re-armament of the Russian army have been despatched. RUSSIAN VOLUNTEERS. The first contingent of volunteers have left St. Petersburg for the East. Intense patriotism was displayed by the people present at the departure of the contingent. EUROPEAN OPINIONS OF THE RECENT BATTLE. Military critics in Europe refer to the seriousness for Russia of the rapid defeat, on Sunday, of i 30,000 men, holding a position' which they had spent several months in strengthening. Berlin newspapers are seeking to minimise the importance of the Japanese victory on the Yalu. They allege that General Kuropatkin did not intend to defend the Yalu. The newspapers of Paris express alarm as to Russia's prospect in the war. THE RECENT FIGHT. The Russian army on tho Yalu made a second stand at Yoshoro, on being driven from Kinlien - cheng. They took up a position on the hills to the north-west of Kinliencheng, but retreated at two o'clock in the afternoon. By six o'clock the Japanese held the line extending from Antung, north-westerly to Languru, thence moving northwesterly to Lishukan, at Hamatan. The Japanese Imperial Guards enveloped the Russians on three sides and after sharp lighting, at close raage, captured three guns and much ammunition. A captured Russian officer states that the effect of the Japanese artillery .fire on Saturday was tremendous. Generals Sasulitch and Kashlalinski were wounded with shells. FOGS PREVENT SEA OPERATIONS. Admiral Kimitnura, who is in command of the Japanese squadron of ten cruisers and six torpedo boats that lately cruised off Vladivostock, says that he has twice passed, near to the Russian cruisers, between Vladivostock and Gensan, without either being aware or the other's proximity, owing to the fogs. The Admiral says he rescued three of the boats that carried [some of the men who escaped j from* the transport Kinshu Maru I that was sunk by the Russians. It has been impossible, he adds, to renew the attack on VJadivoßj tock, as since Thursday there I have been impenetrable fogs on the coast. -».. MINES DESTROYED. The protected cruiser Naniwa, of 3727 tons, discovered and destroyed a number of mines laid by the Russians along the coast. FEARS FOR JAPANESE TRANSPORT. The Japanese transport, Haginovro Maru, is ovprdue at Gensan and it is feared that, like the Kinshu Maru, she has been sunk by the Russians.