WAR IN THE FAR EAST

Evening Post, Volume LXX, Issue 15, 18 July 1905, Page 5

WAR IN THE FAR EAST

LINEVITCH NOT AGGRESSIVE, STRENGTHENING HIS DEFENCES. MISTCHENKO FRUSTRATED. ' [rKESS ASSOCIATION.] (Received July 18, 8.51 a.m.) LONDON, 17lh July. General Linevitch has abandoned offensive operations, and is constructing strong defensive works along his front line. General Mistchenko's attempt to reach the Japanese rear through Mongolia has been defeated, and the Russian forces compelled to retire. TRYING CONDITIONS. LONDON, 17th July. The heat is overpowering in Manchuria, and torrential rains render the roads impracticable. THE INVASION OF SAGHALIEN. JAPANESE SUCCESSES. LONDON, '17th July. Japanese warships are now menacing the north of Saghalien Island. Since capturing VJadimirovka and Bri.jin, the Japanese have occupied the whole of the south of Saghalien Island. When defeated at Dalineys, the Russians fled to Mouka, abandoning five guns, and losing 80 prisoners. The Japanese casualties were 70. It cannot bo over-esimated how much the capture of Saghalien will mean to the Japanese. There was a. tune (says a writer in the Sydney Morning Herald) when Saghalien was part of Japan. It is necessary to merely glance at a map to note that Saghalion "should" be in the Island Empire. About 600 miles in length, bxit everywhere narrow, it is separated from the Japanese island of Yezo by the La Perouse Straits. The chief town, Korsakovsk, which is now in Japanese possession, is at Uie southern end of the island, and is about 500 "miles north of Vladivostock. Saghalien is a cold, bleak island, and a Russian convict settlement, but it is dear to every subject of the Mikado. That it was originally under the sway of a daimyo of the Matsumae clan is enough for the Japanese. It ie true that it was formally handed over to Russia by treaty, but there are certain treaties which rankle in memory, and the Gortchakoff-Euomoto compact of 1875 is one of that class. With a people who dwell so much on the past as the Japanese there is an intense desire that the lost jewel should be restored to the crown of the Mikado. The Japanese were in Sagh&lien in 1785, and in 1804 "a charitable Russian mission" ravaged the island. In 1859 the famous Count Muravieff went to Japan with a man-of-war, and demanded recognition of Saghalien at, Russian territory. In the words of a J; paneso historian, Muravieff "succeeded in carrying away with him nothing but his bad temper. ' After many negotiations Russia got baghalien, and in return agreed to recognise several of the Kurile Islands as the territory of Nippon. A cultured Japanese gentleman, who is weil known in American journalism, wroto 'lately. "In many a year it has been no secro't with us, the people of Nippon, that there is one wish somewhat dearer to the heart of His Majesty the Emperor than others. On the day when he received the dais from his Imperial father, the Empire of Nippon contained the island of Saghalien. On the day when he will vacate the dais in favour of his heir he would see on the map of Nippon at least every inch off the soil which had known the gracious rule of his august father. . . . And to-day a wish of His Majesty — I do not care how slight or remote it be — is nothing short of a passion with the people of Nippon." A TOTAL WRECK. LONDON, 17th July. It has been discovered that the Russian cruiser Izumrud, which was not accounted for after the Battle of Tsushima on 27th May, is a total wreck at the entrance to Vladimir Bay (an arm of the Sea of Japan, on the coast of the Maritime Province in Siberia). THE PEACE NEGOTIATIONS. LONDON, 17th July. The Moscow correspondent of The Times states that a, high official who is closely connected with the- negotiations in connection with the Washington Conference, regards the chances of peace as very remote since tho invasion of Saghalien Island. China has issued an extraordinary circular warning Korea against sanctioning any alteration to the status quo in the event of peace. THE POLICE CMBfiISSION. [by telegraph. — ranss association.] DUNEDIN This Day. Tho Police Commission this morning took tho evidence of Inspector Mitchell, who is in charge of the Southland district. The gist of his eyidence was the opinion that a constable should not know when to expect a visit from a. sergeant, and that sergeants in turn should, have surprise visits from a sub-inspector. Tho sub-in-spector, witness considered, should bo relieved of the duty of prosecuting in detective cases in court, the chief detective taking that work, and the detectives should be under the sub-inspector at night as well as under the inspector by day. In that way tho detectives and uniformed police would be check on each other,