NOTES ON THE WAR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12609, 25 June 1904, Page 5

NOTES ON THE WAR.

The news to hand to-day is of * fragmentary character. , It is evident that both sides hare shut down upon the efforts of the correspondents to get news through. "We are" not told of the fate of Stakleberg and his men, nor anything about the battle between Kuropatkin and Kurokl. Big things must be taking place, and until they are over we cannot atpect to get details. ' All we hear is that the Japanese hold Siung-yue-cheng and the passes to the east of there and that they are making a fortified post half-way between Siung-yue-cheng and Suiyen. They have therefore established a complete military fence right across the head of the peninsular Where Genera! Stakleberg Is south of that fence we are not told. The only significant bit Of hews relates to activity in the direction.of Samachi. The Russians are doubtless afraid of an advance of the Japanese in, that direction.

The cablegrams this morning refer largely to the Japanese fortifying numerous place!. They are apparently establishing fortified posts from Suiyen to Siung-yue-cheng, on the western coast of the peninsula. They Would thus have a chain of forts across the head of the peninsula and right away to Samachi. The object of these works is to m&>« all safe for the advance upon Liao-yatig aiid Mukden. The Japanese want to provide against. Russian forces slipping past them and raiding on their lines of communication. One of the reports speaks of fortifications 25 miles tb the north-east of Samachi. This can hardly be correct, seeing that the Russians are in force right down in the Samachi district. In fact, they made ah assault upon Palyang, to the. south-west of Samachi, and we're repulsed. '

Before General Stakleberg left Kaipirijj for the south, his Commander-in-Chief said that Unless the Japanese were ptomptly settled the Russians would not be able to return id their homes. If General Kuropatkin is not a great general, he is certainly a prophet. Of the brave men he sent to the south S3 per cent. were killed or wounded at Wa-fang-kau, and the rest nave had to undergo great hardships in their effort to escape from the enemy. t Reports front Chifu, on the other side of the Pe-chi-li Straits, say the attack on Port Arthur has begun. ; The place Was assailed by sea and land. This» of course, means .the artillery attack only. It is probable that the bombardment will continue for some days before there is an assault. The troops that are entrusted with the reduction of Port Arthur have been well Selected for they are mostly the Same officers and Men aS captured the place from the Chinese in 1894. They were chosen for the work because they are familiar with the ground. ,