THE SIEGE OF PORT ARTHUR.

Mataura Ensign, Issue 1416, 26 November 1904, Page 6

THE SIEGE OF PORT ARTHUR.

Tin; JAPANESE OFFICIAL JUSTOKY. The following cable message lifts been received by tho acting ConsulGeneral for Japan in Sydney from the Japanese Minister of Foreign Allah's : The following is a resume of tho official report of the siege of I'ort Arthur from Ist August to lillth October which has just been published From 7th to 'Jth August the besieging army attacked Tuku Shan ami Shooko Shan, and occupied them. (In '.'th August our licet bomburded the town of Port Aithur. A shell hit the Kussian battleship Kctvisan, and anot/hcr sank a steamer of about 200U tons. fn a fierce battle on the I-Ith and 15th August our right column occupied two heights to tile west of SuiKhiin. On the H'th August u general attack was commenced, and the enemy's stubborn resistance wus defeut' ed on several occasions. Our line was steadily extended, and our .siege guns and heavy gtms from tile ships proved very effective. On li'Jml'August the ci'iLtrul column I took (ho cast ami wrst forts on l»anryji Slum, after u licrt-e struggle. SiiJ'v itm (lie i-iu-wy have made h;Vorul attacks to recover tho forts, hut wen; always defeated. 1 As a result of a decisive huitle from 19th to :20th August, the besieging army occupied J-'ort KouropalKin. to ihe north-east of Suishiin, as well as two other forts south-west of it. Sine, iJmli August our for«vs have bombarded th" enemy's ships in tile harbor with big guns and heavy naval guns, and have done a great <V'ul of damage to the ships, setting some on fire. The Poltava, Peresvjet, anil Kctvisan suffered most damage. I lie water reservoir near Fort KouropatUin was completely destroyed. Notwithstanding the enemy's endeavors to interfere with our besieging works, tihrowing explosives, and living all other possible means, our Works are progressing satisfactorily. On 11th October our forces ascertained that I'i shells from big gnns hud hit the Shooju Shan fort. On Kith October our central column attacked liuchimaki Sltan, a height soul li - east of Nii'iii .-ban. and occupied them after a dc-isive struggle. jn this battle one field gun , two machine guns, and other booty were captured. tin lilth October the town of I'ort Arthur was on fire, us a result of our bombardment. <l,i 2.") th Octoliei our naval guns sank a steamer of two funnels and three masts. On the -lith we bomburdwl Shoo.iu Shan. Nirin Shun, I'.ast Keikan Sliau, and the northern forts of Keikan Shan with lii'avy guns and naval and 'J.in hits were ascertained, as the result of which the Xirin Shan forts were greatly damaged. while at the Shooju Shan forts one |."j rvntimeire camion wus disnmnil.-d. „nd aiiothcr eannoa suli'ered great damage. At the northern lorts of East Keikan Slum uii' cannon was destroyed. On the sume day part of the right column marched to the trenches "of Shooju Shan, and part of the central column chaiged against the trenches on Nirin Shan, and in the southern part of llachimaki Shan. I'oth attacks wore successful, and the positions -were captured, with slight toss to us. 'I he result of our bombardment was that in the fori of Fust Keikan Shall one gun waggon \v a s destroyed, and seven guns of various kinds in tin- fort of Nirin Shan and Sho/.u Slinn. great damage living also done to the protective works. On the 2mli lis") shells of big gunhit their mark*, and the shells of the naval guns also j,r,,\vd very el?.-etive. and as a iv.oih ot,e i:.-!d gun in the foi t of Ka-t K.-ikan Slian was destroyed. and at. ammunition wan-house north of til" !ort wa> exploded. Jn Sho/u Shan our sh-!!- hit an enemy's gun. and in !t-u >h:>.>i a gun waggon was destroyed. while another wa.-i greatlv injured. There were great losses in the various forts and fortresses. and the old eitv of Port Arthur was set on lire. On the -J'.itli the enemy made a counter attack against- our army in Nirin Shan, but were repulsed witji heavy loss. At the same time another part of the enemy made „ vigorous attack upon our army at, Sho/u Shan, and our guards were obliged to give up part of the hill, hut afterwards, with the assistance of the, artillery, sueeeeded in recapturing it. Shells'.from the guns in Nirin Shan reaclntl to the outward shore and exploded -there, doing great damage to a casement in the _e a st corner of the north fort of Fast Keikan Shan. The effect of the bombardment .was most satisfactory, as :!.-)(I shells from big guns were fired with absolute accuracy. 'I he naval guns exploded the ammunition walehouse of West Taiyoko, and did great damage to three clearing'ships, .two of which were set on lire. Fighting was continued early in November. and srveral inner defences were captured. During the assaults about the .'lrd «n<l -Ith inst. it is estimated that the Japanese lost :!li,l«!U men. Tin l bombardment, according to the latest advices, is still continuing.