PROGRESS OF THE WAR.

Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 128, 26 November 1904, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR.

Yesterday week there came a story over tho wire of a despatch from Stoessel to the Tsar wherein he asked if he should hold on to Port Arthur or surrender advantageously. The next day Reuter reported that the General had telegraphed to his master that he was "able to hold Port Arthur for several months." To this the Daily Mail correspondent added, as from Stoessel, "if supplied with munitions and stores." To-day we are told that his despatch brought to Chefoo by the Ratstoropny warns the Tsar that the garrison is being starved out. These varying statements within a week are thus presented to show their unreliability. It will be noted that the prisoners taken by the besiegers, as reported to-day, state that only ono-third of the garrison are provided with winter clothing; they make no mention of short rations. Then, on the authority of these same prisoners, the effective present strength of the garrison is 8000; while yesterday, on the authority of Russian deserters arrived at Chefoo, the efficients were stated at ! 2000. For the reasons set out in our notes of yesterday, we think the higher lmmbor more likely to be correct. True, the Japanese press deprecates further immediate assault, "since it is certain that the fortress must soon fall," but it is admitted at the same timo that the besiegers have suffered 14,400 casualties "during assaults" made from itiui August to last Thursday. As we have previously pointed out, they may well be chary of further assaults if they are certain that their artillery fire will reduce the forts. It is evidently setting fire to buildings in the town and otherwise pounding it, but that i 3 a minor matter compared with possession of the permanent forts. It is slated to-day that all these, excepting two at Palichwang, are still held by the Russians. The Japanese hold advance -vyorks at six points of vantage, where we may assume heavy guns are mounted, hut the great chain of fortifications from Golden Hill to Liaotishan; and thence round to the end of the Tiger's Tail at the entrance to the harbour, 1 opposite our point of commencement, still hold out against Nogi and his host, and Togo and his fleet. The line of country we describe is sixteen miles in length, along which there are 29 fort.fied positions. Could the Baltic fleet throw men, munitions, and stores in the place, it would be impregnable ; but Togo will see to that, and at best it looks as though Stoessel can only hold out to the last ration and final shell, and then must end the finest defence in modern history. In Manchuria there is a new and reI mnrkable development. According to the New York Herald's St. Peteisburg correspondent, usually i\ ell infoimed,,, the absence of fuel and water will compel Kuropatkin to suspend hostilities until the spxung, the difficulty ol hewing ice from ths frozen streams and melting it by means of the roots of last season's crops, dug from the frozen ground, being enormous. Of the three coal mines in Manchuria, two are now in possession of the Japanese, and the added transport of coal over the Trans-Siberian will have further taxed the powers of the already over-buidened single line of communication. The desperate fight-* iug around the Yentai coal mines will be remembered, and the value of their possession to the Japanese now comes out in strong relief. But if Kuropatkin cannot, so to speak, water his army, though camped on a good river — a most extraordinary situation — how is the opposing host supplied? Or does it mean that while the with difficulty get enough to drink where they are, they cannot supply their wants outside the preseni camp, and so are unable to take the offensive? Or, again, does it mean that Kuropatkin fears to attack, and offers a reason to Russia, other, than the real one, for sitting tight? Obviously if he cannot assume the aggressive for lack of watef, he cannot retreat, so that until a thaw comes he must remain where he is, secure, he may believe; behind his entrenchments. That being so, Oyama, must also play a waiting game, or assail a strongly fortified camp with attendant costly frontal attacks. If Fukushima ihould come in from the north-west, and get astride the railway, there might come a crisis, but that little warrior and his alleged army seem to have disappeared into space. MeanwhHe as to the railway, the Chunchuaes seem to have settled down to , their appointed work of road-wrecking, it being to-day reported that they are constantly destroying the railway, blowing up with melinite cartridges six places in a single night. The Chunchuses would seem to have been well trained in their new industry. The commanders of the Baltic fleet are, it xppears, already apprehensive of danger near at hand ; they will be keeping an anxious look out by the time they reach the Indian Ocean. Discontent in Russia still smoulders, and unless watered by the Tsar with liberal concessions may soon burst into flame. The war in the Far East is making for fieedom in Russia. A Pr«s Association telegram from Wanganui states that the monthly meeting of the Wellington Land Board, which was to have been held on the Ist December, has been postponed till the 15th December.