THE WAR.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 11944, 13 July 1904, Page 7

THE WAR.

THE SIEGE. VERY SEVERE FIGHTING. EARLY FALL EXPECTED. ABORTIVE SORTIE. JAPANESE ADVANCE. NEAR TASCHICHAO. APPROACHING LIAOYANG. CAPTURE OF KAIPING. United Preae Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. (Received July 13th, 1.11 a.m.) LONDON, July 12. Tine "Daily Express" Tokio correspondent states that between tlio 26th and 30th ult. very severe land fighting occurred near Port Arthur, both sides losing heavily. The Japanese occupied fortified heights at Cluikwan, Pitou, Tuchenchi, and Nsiohangtin. The Hussions destroyed their twelvoinch gnus before retiring. The Japanese captured two other important positions on tho east side, with eight guns. Attaches and correspondents have been notified that they will bo permitted to join the second army about the 20th inst. This is supposed to indicate the early fail of Port Arthur. •ABORTIVE SORTIE FROM PORT ARTHUR. RUSSIANS COMPELLED TO RETREAT. LONDON, July 12. Five cruisers, two gunboats, and eeven destroyers on Saturday made a sortie from Port Arthur, but encountered Japanese torpedo boats between Sensikaku and Lungwanten. They retreated into the harbour after an indecisive exchange of fire. Tli* Russian object waa to interfere ■with the land operation on Lttngwanten Mountain, but they did not succeed. ADVANCING ON TASCHICHAO. LONDON, July 12. General Oku is advancing on 'foschichao, where the Russians are concentrating. They are employing thousands of Chinese to dig entrenchments. The Japanese General, Koideumi, waa wounded in the thigh at Kaiping. Tho Vladivostok €ourt has confiscated the steamer Cheltenluun. JAPANESE APPROACHING LIAOYANG. J ABSENCE OF RUSSIAN PLANS. REMARKABLE JAPANESE STRATEGY. (Received July 12th, 10.36 p.m.) LONDON, July 12. General Kuroki's riglrt is steadily approaching Liaoyang by the main and northern roads. The Russians are offering no serious resistance, but are etrongly posted at Chosan, eight miles from Liaoyang. The Japanese will delay their attack until the forces on their fax left are drawn up level. The disconnected effoita of the Russians during tho post fortnight indicate an absence of preconceived plans, implying that Genera] Kuropatkin is not sufficiently strong to take* the initiative. The co-or-dination between the operations of the three Japanese armies is considered remarkable. SWISS ATTACHES RJ3CALLED. JAPANESE CAVALRY AMBUSHED. LONDON, July 12. The Swke military attaches have been recalled at Russia's rwjwst, owing to alleged offensive remarks at Liaoyang. General Sakharoff reports tliat a squadron of Cossacks ambushed a squadron of Japanese cavalry between Liaoyang and Saimatse, disabling twenty of them. THE CAPTURE OF KAIPING. DESPERATE RUSSIAN RESISTANCE. PASSES ABANDONED ONE BY ONE. LONDON, July 11. Over 30,000 Rus-sians were etrongly fortified on. the hills in a eemi-circle south of Kaiping. The Japanese on Wednesday routed 1600 of the first line of defence, and then occupied the position. By Thure- ' day tho entire army had forced its way, | uearing Kaiping, despite desperate resistance, the Russians abandoning the passes one by one Tlvey were largely reinforced duriDg the night by trains from the north. At daybreak on Friday, the Japanese opened a heavy bombardment from the captured heights. Tho Russians were driven to the last line of defences around the town, and gradually drew ofi. The Japanese occupied the town at noon, dtwpite heavy artillery fire from the northern heights. ROUND PORT ARTHUR. EXPOSING DUMMY GUNS. LONDON, July 11. It is reported at Cbwfoo that the Russians admit that a thousand wwe killed and seven hundred wounded around Port Arthur on Thursday f.nd Friday. Tlie "Daily TelegraphY , St. Petersburg correspondent states that the Ruseiaat complain that the Japanese are exposing , dummy guns, while the real batteries an tcreeaed from view.

CABLE NEWS. TOLSTOI IN JEOPABDY. ST. PETERSBURG, Joly 11. M. de Plehve suggested Count Tolstoi's banishment to Siberia on account of hi* war articles. Other Ministers consider the counre too dangerous. The matter is to be referred to the Czar. THE KAISER'S TELEGRAM. PRESS COMMENT. LONDON, July 12Tlie German newspapers insist that the Kniser'« telegram had no political significance. Other Continental newspapers do not concur with this view. [Tlie Kaiser, aa Honorary Colonel of ti» Wiborg Regiment, telegraphed his congratulations on that regitnenCs jirospiicte | of meeting the enemy. He siid hie sincere wishes accompanied it, and prayed that Uod might bl<*ss its standards. The U'lejrram has created a sensation in Russia, (said a cable itieKjuge yesterday), many believing that it heralds an curly 1 cessation of neutrality. Diplomatist \ associate tho telegram with the approaching . couuiicrcial ireaty negotiation*. It is : understood that Russia is prepa-red to gwnl. • concessions in exchange for benevolent I iK-utraUty and assistance with loiins, <md j tho continuance of Germauy* aid in keeping tlw enemies of Russia under poiiou surveillance.] . j