THE WAR.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12868, 21 September 1904, Page 2

THE WAR.

The more we hear of the fighting m the neighbourhood of Liaoyang the more satisfactory does it appear to be from the Japanese point of view. The very largo captures of stores and ammunition prove that the Russians were taken by surprise. Either the advance of the onemy was more rapid than they had anticipated, or they were prevented from availing themselves of the railway for the removal of their stores. Perhaps both causes operated, hut it is certain that the loss of fodder, food and ammunition must have been a pretty serious one for the Russian army. The orderly retreat now comes to look very much like a hurried (light, in which no time was given lor the removal of the most necessary munitions of war. The rapidity with which the Japanese have recovered from Die fatigue of that battle is very remarkable. The battle now in progress close to Mukden will probably he a much less strenuous one, for the fortifications of that city are said to he much less strong than those of Liaoyang, and the Japanese array has received extensive reinforcements.

Affairs at Port Arthur are probably proceeding more rapidly than we imagine. We cannot help admiring the dogged tenacity of General Stoessel, although we think that lie can no longer do any good by holding out and submitting his men to the hardships and horrors of a siege. As long as General Kuropatkin had a chance of holding his own at Liaoyang, there was doubtless good reason for maintaining the defence of Port Arthur. That reason no longer exists. General Kuropatkin is retreating slowly on Harbin, apparently trying with indifferent success to harass the onemy on the way. The garrison at Port Arthur can render no possible assistance to him. They cannot even hold a sufficient body of Japanese troops to hamper the movements of the main Japanese army. The failure of the Baltic squadron to show itself seaworthy renders it unimportant, whether thejapanese fleet is tied to the neighbourhood of the port or not. Probably the only service General Stoessel can effect is to delay the attack on Vladivostock and Saghalien, and it seems to us at least doubtful whether ho could manage even that much for a moment after the Japanese are ready to make the step. We are afraid that there will he considerably more slaughter at Port Arthur, but the Czar could, if he liked, give the word of surrender and save the lives of thousands of brave men, whose death will do small service for their country.