JAPAN AND RUSSIA.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXII, Issue 13603, 24 November 1904, Page 7

JAPAN AND RUSSIA.

THE SIEGE OF PORT ARTHUR RECENT FIGHTING. United Press Association—By Elootrio Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, November 22. General Kuropatkin reports that four volunteers al-tackdd a Chinese building occupied by twenty-five Japanese and blew it up by means of hand grenades. Admiral Foelkershaft’s squadron is at Fort Said. It comprises the battleships Sissoiveliky and Navarin, the cruisers Svietlana, Zhemtchug and Almaz, six destroyers and nine transports. ■ The “Standard” states that the Government, becoming suspicious, vainly tried) to stop, the Caroline, which passed the Baltic Canal undetected. When outside Kiel the German guardship tried to stop the Caroline, which went at full speed ahead and escaped. THE SIEGE OF PORT ARTHUR. JAPANESE LOSSES. RUNNING THE BLOCKADE. LONDON, November 22. In their recent repulse at Lonely Hill the Japanese lost eighty men killed and two hundred wounded. Admiral Birileff affirms that a merchantman from Vladivostock conveyed forty cannon, with ammunition and provisions and 500 artillerymen, to Port Arthur. Another vessel with a similar cargo was chased, and returned to Vladivostock. ADMIRAL ALEXEIEFF. ST PETERSBURG, November 22. Admiarl Alexeieff has been made a member of the Council of the Empire and the Committee of 'Ministers. THE BALTIC FLEET. SUPPLEMENTARY SQUADRON. LONDON, November 23. The supplementary Baltic Fleet has been detained at The Skaw, owing to rough, weather and the necessity for slight repairs. DISEASE AT PORT ARTHUR. THE POSITION ON THE SHAHO. BOTH SIDES STRONGLY ENTRENCHED. (Received November 23, 10.30 p.m.) LONDON, November 23. A Chinese spy reports that the garrison at Port* Arthur is dying from dysentery at the rate of 70 per day. Three divisions of Russians have moved into positions and are able to check General Kuroki’s turning movement. Heavy guns are now able to cross the frozen Hunho. Both armies are so strongly fortified on the Shaho that they are disinclined to attack unless they have sufficient preponderance of numbers to make, a successful flanking movement. -Both have received equal reinforcements. A life boat landed a Russian officer at Weihaiwei, bearing General Stoessel’e despatch. The authorities detained the boat. HOW LIAOYANG FELL. STORY OF THE FIVE DAYS’ BATTLE. On-August 29 (says a Re-,iter message) General Nodzu hotly bombarded the Russian position, consisting of three hills- at Cliiaofangtua). ■ Meanwhile, General l Oku was woaking forward by means of rifle trenches and artillery fire, which the Russians were unable to locate, and slowly advanced along the railway in spite of the Russian fortifications on ail the eminences in the direction of Shusan. The character of th© Japanese advance apparently warned General Kuropatkin to make sure of his retreat, and his transport immediately began to cover the railway bridge on its way north. On August 30 the Japanese closed in upon the Russian mountain position at Chiaofangtun, cannon screening their advance, until iti was almost possible for the! opposing battery commanders to see each, other’s faces. At three o’clock in the afternoon the Japanese began to shell the- innermost Russian battery position on a> lull less- than three miles from Liaoyiang, bub it was soon apparent that the Russians were holding their own. INFANTRY RUSHES BEGIN. The Japanese now occupied l a. low range of/hills south-west and south of Shusan. At 9.45 on the morning of August 31 they began to shell the north end of. the Shusan position, the artillery attack being supported by the infantry rushes over the valley and low hills bordering the south road. The fighting began Ire-fore dawn, and again continued until evening, the Japanese officers urging on their fainting mein with the points of their sword/. During the night General Mischenko, who was on the extreme right with- a mixed- cavalry, infantry and artillery division', was detached and'se-nt north-east with a. view to moating General Kuroki’s movement in the direction of the railway. On the morning of September 1 all noncombatants were ordered to- leave Liaoyang, and the commissary of police sent an urgent order to the Liaoyang Magistrate that all Ohincbo i&ould leave the city within two days., The Japanese were, seen to' be in possession of Shusan. having discovered, General Staokelberg’s withdrawal the previous nigibt, and the Chinese in the city grew apprehensive, and began to make Japanese flags. It was now- known that General Kuroki was dashing for the railway fifteen miles north. Crossing the Taiteo on the night of August 30, he took the magnificent- defences at Pensihu without- a-n effort, and advanced steadily, turning the Russian left, a distance of fifteen miles, in three days, straightening out the Russian .line from'Liaoyang direct to the coal mines east of Yentai, and threatening to cut General Kuropatkin’b seven army corpp in two. SPLENDID JAPANESE ADVANCE. Meanwhile, the Japanese mounted additional guns on Shusan under a heavy Russian shrapnel fire. All this time the main body was in active retreat. At six o’clock in the evening shells were falling just outside the west wall and on the heliograph station in the north-west corner of the city, whence the Japanese could Ire seen moving regularly in open order under a deadly fire, advancing in splendid fashion over the southern hills, where the Russians had measured the distances, and their artillery wrought terrible destruction. The right flank of Nodzu’s army encircled the three peaks west of that place.. They came grandly over the Russian breastworks. One battalion lost every

officer, and a corporal took command. Thi« battalion finally entrenched itself in the vicinity of General Ivanoff’s headquarters of the day before. At eight in the morning of September 2, General Kuropatkin’s train proceeded north, two-thirds of the distance to Yentai, five miles from which place a battle had begun at daybreak. An incessantrain of shells covered the entire line. The critical importance of Kuroki’e dash for Kuropatkin’s'rear, and the force with which he was pressing it, were now evident, and had tire effect of dislodging Kuropat-kin’s hitherto concealed movements. The Russians lost, won and lost again an important hill position. They already showed signs of discouragement. CRITICAL POSITION. The position was indeed extremely critical, and an immediate precipitate retreat of the entire Liaoyang army Was only prevented by the recapture of another hill east of Yentai. It was soon lost again, but the rend was achieved. Kuroki relaxed his efforts, and General Mischenko Was sent west of the railway to make a demonstration in the Kaoliang and cover the retreat. Tire cannonading closed at sundown, but was renewed fitfully at intervals through the night. The morning found Kuroki’a object still Unattairied, but he had gained an unmistakable victory. After furious fusillades throughout the night of September 2 outside Liaoyang, and a series of- desperate nervous demonstrations on the part of the Russians, ■who were now' fully convinced that the Japanese were steadily, slowly, terribly creeping in on them, cannonading broke out at dawn on September 3. A cloud of smoke slowly ascending from the burning warehouses in the Russian settlement was visible for ten nules. At noon the Japanese rifle fire swept through the city and beyond it to the farther bank of th© Taitse. The infantryholding the southern approaches retired immediately to a position in front of the south wall; The scenes at Liaoyang before the battle wero oppressive in the extrema. Even when the Japanese were successful in their attack on the entire Hire at Anshan j chan, Kaofengshie and Kuchiatzu on August 26, and were swiftly marching on Liaoyang and the inner defences, the officers, flinging aside their responsibilities in the field, immediately they arrived at Liaoyang plunged into dissipation. The Pagoda Garden presented a gay scene. From the officers’ quarters could be heard the clink of glasses and the tinkle of musical boxes. The privileged Port Arthur cafe chantant women remained until the battle was half finished or their retreat assured, v At the beginning of the five days’ fight the eoldiers and officers who were left in the city hotel and resorts were ordered to rejoin their regimented Few were unable to do so, yet on the morning of the great Japanese victory many were found in unworthy places. . The brave Russian army appears to have lost its battles through demoralisation and dissipation, and also because the enemy was persistently under-estimated. With a few exceptions, the Japanese troops displayed quietness, temperance and moderation when occupying Liaoyang.