PROGRESS OF THE WAR.

Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 136, 6 December 1904, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR.

The Japanese appear to have a firm grip of Metre Hill, and have secured another apparently commanding hill 300 yards to tbe southward. Heavy guns have been mounted, which, we are told, "sweep the harbour and enfilade Erlungshan." We have heard on more than one occasion previously of this "sweeping of the harbour," md circumstantial accounts of the sinking of Russian battleships, yet to-day comes word that the Russians are diligently clearing the harbour and are expected to make a naval sortie. Truly, it is impossible to believe anything coming from the seat of war beyond the most obvious facto. A naval sortie means effective ships, so that it would seem that they are not all sunk or burnt or otherwise crippled. Many of the dead in the Metre Hill fort were said lo be sailors, and if many of these have gone down in the fighting line the ships, even if otherwise effective, ca'mot be efficiently manned. The truth probably is that Admiral Wirenius has some ships in fair fighting trim, and he prefers to take his chance of going down fighting Togo on the open sea, rather than submit to the inglorious destruction of bis remaining ships at anchor in the harbour. Meanwhile, Togo is said to have refitted his fleet and to be ready for any emergency. Time and repeated carnage seem but to whet the appetite of the combatants for more desperate endeavour, and the accounts which appear to-day of the fights for possession of Metre Hill disclose an unflinching contempt of death without parallel in modern history. The story of Mr. Archibald, of Collier's WeekIv, which comes from Honolulu via Brisbane to-day, is extremely interesting reading, and not the less so because of ite pro-Russian tone, for it has been plain for long that English accounts are biassed in favour of the ally of Britain. Mr. Archibald is of opinion that Russia will win in the end by weight of numbers, but he appears to overlook, or ignores, the question of communication. The crux of the difficulty is not putting the men in the field, but maintaining them. He does not believe that the Japanese will ever take Port Arthur, and his opinion is shared by a United States naval officer who has just come out from thence; but surely the garrison must soon be" reduced to a nullity by the mere force of attrition. There is nothing of moment from Manchuria.