LIEEVITCHE'S CONFIDENCE.

Mataura Ensign, Issue 1513, 15 July 1905, Page 2

LIEEVITCHE'S CONFIDENCE.

CERTAIN HE CAN DEFEAT JAPAN Tiie correspondent of an important American journal telegraphed as follows from the headquarters of the. Russian Army, Gunsliu Pass (Manchuria),'on June 0 : —Undismayed by Rozhdestvensky's defeat, and full of confidence as to the outcome of the approaching battle, General Linevitch is for war to the bitter end, and he believes that the Manchurian army is now strong enough to assume the aggressive. To a question put to him by a correspondent to whom he granted an interview to-day, as to whether he was for war or peace, the com-mander-in-chief replied firmly and without the slightest hesitation : '•'Most certainly I am for war. I am a soldier. The Emperor's will is naturally my law, but my voice now, as before, is for the continuance of the fight. With the destruction of our fleet vanishes, of course, the hopes of those who at the beginning of the war wished to make peace at Tokio, but our defeat at sea has not interfered with my plans—absolutely not on® whit. I consider myself strong enough not only to hold my ground, but even to advance. "I am no prophet and have no desire to be one, but J linnly believe that I can and will defeat the Japanese in Manchuria. I have asked the War Office to semi me reservists of the youngest class instead of older ones, not. because the latter make poor soldiers, but because wii.li plenty of young and vigorous reservists it would be unjust as well as inadvisable to call the older men from their more settled life."