THE WAR IN THE EAST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12555, 22 April 1904, Page 5

THE WAR IN THE EAST.

THE LOSS OF THE PETROPAVLOVSK.

SEVERE COMMENTS BY THE TSAR,

CRIMINAL LACK OF VIGILANCE.

THE OPERATIONS ON LAND.

ALEXEIEFF WISHES TO RESIGN-

.Admiral Alexeieff appears to have fallen into disfavour, and as far as the war is concerned he is practically ignored by the Russian Government. He is desirous of resigning his position as Viceroy of the Far East. The Tsar his shown his displeasure in connection with the loss of the battleship retropavlovsk in a telegram to Admiral Alcxeieff, in which he says the disaster would not have occurred if the officers had not shown a criminal lack of vigilance. Admiral Skrydloff says he will reserve the Russian fleet for somo great occasion. Having suffered so severely on the sea, the Russians now declare that the conflict is to be a land war. There are now 311,000 Russian troops at the front, and the shortage of supplies hinders the'sending of more men. The Japanese forces in the vicinity of the Yalu arc increasing.

Ej Teles'-nph'—Press Association.—Copyright.

PETROPAVLOVSK DISASTER.

THE RUSSIAN FLEET.

THE TSAR DISPLEASED.

OCCASION.

(Received April 23, 12.55 a.m.)

GRAND DUKE CYRIL'S STORY.

London, April 21.

MUCH STILL UNTOLD.

(Received April 22, 12.53 a.m.)

London, April 21.

St. Petersburg telegrams published in the Berlin newspapers state that the Tsar telegraphed to Admiral Alexeieff that the Petropavlovsk disaster would have been impossible

ADMIRAL ALEXEIEFF.

if the officers had not shown a criminal lack of vigilance.

WANTS TO RESIGN.

London, April 20.

London, April 20.

The Daily Mail states that Grand Duke Cyril, on being interviewed at Harbin, says while on the bridge of the battleship Petropavlovsk with Admiral Makaroff a deafening explosion occurred and the vessel began to settle down by the head. Though scorched, blinded, choked and stunned, he contrived to get aft and dive overboard. When he came to the surface the vessel had disappeared. He heard that only 100 seconds elapsed between the explosion and the disappearance of the vessel.

MINES ADRIFT.

London, April 20.

The newspapers Grashdanin and Novoe Vreroya protest against the piecemeal communication of information regarding the Petropavlovsk disaster. It is feared that much is still untold.

JAPANESE SUBMARINES.

The captain of the Mandjuv, the gunboat which took refuge at Shanghai, was drowned in the Petropavlovsk catastrophe. A LAND WAR. RUSSIAN PRESS VIEWS. THE OPPOSING FORCES. London, April 20. The Russian newspapers emphasise that this is really a land war, and declare that success is certain. (Received April 2D, 12.55 a.m.)

JAPANESE TRANSPORTS.

(Received April 22, 1.3 a.m.)

London, April 21.

London, April 21.

The Russian War Office officials assert that there are 311,000 men at the front. It is not intended to send more at present owing to the shortage of supplies.

(Received .April 22, 1.8 a.m.)

London, April 21. All is quiet at the Yalu, though the Japanese force is increasing.

Writing in the London Express, on February 27, Dr. T. Miller Maguire stated: — For a great military organisation, however i brilliantly handled, to crush an insular Power which has secured command of the sea is impossible. It is not feasible, therefore, that Japan should be reduced to extremity by Russia. She can go on with her trade, annex islands, boom over all the coasts of Eastern Asia, and blockade or harass towns like Port Arthur and Vladivostok, and perhaps isolate them, and at the same time maintain field armies. I believe that the Japanese can isolate Port Arthur, or even ignore it. As for the Russians forcing their way into Corea, now that the Japanese are on the Yalu, General Kuropatkin's men will be far better men than were Marshal Soult's if they can do anything of the sort. The Russians have no chance, even if there be neither raids nor guerilla warfare in Manchuria, of regaining Corea, and this is as serious a matter for their future strategic position as the British occupation of Portugal and Spain was for Napoleon. If the Japanese stand on the defensive, Russia, unless content to lose prestige to a yellow race, will make desperate efforts year after year to recover Corea. Will Russia- be able to drive the Japanese out of Corea? Certainly not, unless the Japanese are false to themselves and get tired, or forget strategy. No matter what the numbers of the hostile infantry orJiow many Cossacks are hovering about, Corea should be invincible. Peninsulas are fatal to Russia; she cannot, without breaking her elbows, stretch out. her arms so far from her centre as the apex ot the peninsula. This is the keynote of Japan's strategy. I postpone until I make this point clear anv consideration of the possible offensive policy of Japan from the bases of the Yalu and'W inviolate sea. I see no necessity for the Japanese passing the Yalu at all. But the Japanese are not likely to be content with a passive, defensive. This would give the Russians time to reorganise their resources, and we may be well assured of their dogged obstinacy Let not my readers attach much credence to stories of Cossack adventure; these troopers, whether from the Don or the Caucasus, arc of little avail against any infantry. Their Hetman and all his chivalry in 1812 never broke a French battalion. They are admirable for raids and partisan work; but even in Turkey thev did little; and, when unsupported by "infantry, Kriloffs cavalry to the west of Plevna could not prevent Chei'ket Pasha sending in convoys of provisions to Osman.

TO BE RESERVED FOR A GREAT

Admiral Skrydloff, the successor of Admiral Makaroff, on being interviewed, said he intended jealously to reserve the fleet for a great occasion. He is chiefly surrounding himself with young officers.

A Renter message states that Admiral Alexeiex is being ignored except in matters of civil administration. He was not consulted when Admiral Strydloff was appointed to succeed Admiral Makaroff. He has asked permission to resign his position as Viceroy of the Far East.

The Japanese destroyed three con tact mines adrift 40 miles off Shantuny promontory.

London, April 20. The Japanese are constructing four submarines.

General Kuropatkin reports that Japanese transports have anchored in the Gulf of Chingtaitozo. There are 25 vessels west of Talungan and others near Souchon.