THE WAR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12697, 27 October 1904, Page 5

THE WAR.

MANCHURIAN CAMPAIGN.

RUSSIAN BATTLE LOSSES.

By Telegraph.— Association.—Copyright. London, October 25. After the battle of Shaho General Kuroki buried 5200 Russian dead; General Oka 5003, and General Nodzu 2530.

The total of the Russians made prisoners was 709. Renter's Agency reports .that while clearing a field near Shahopu, the Japanese found nine Russian guns that had been abandoned.

THE JAPANESE LOSSES.

(Received October iu, IG.2S p.m.)

London, October 28. Field-Marshal Oyama reports that the Japanese losses in the battle of Shaho were 15,879.

TSAR'S ORDER AGAIN.

PORT ARTHUR MUST BE

REACHED.

(■Received October CC, 10.20 p.m.)

London, October 20. The New York Herald reports that the Russians on the Sha River are making some headway to the southward.

Orders have been given from St. Petersburg that Port Arthur must be reached at any price.

The hospitals at Harbin are being cleared for the next battle.

JAPANESE STORES BURNED.

A HEAVY LOSS.

(KectiTed October 20, 10.26 p.m.)

London, October 20. Eight Japanese warehouses at Antung, on the Yalu River, containing clothing, rations, and ammunition, have been burned to the ground. Incendiarism is suspected.

Two officers who were in charge of the stores have committed suicide.

A JAPANESE LOAN.

EASILY RAISED

London, October 25.

The Japanese internal loan of £8,000,000 has been covered, a week before the date fixed for the opening of the list.

. NOTES ON THE WAR. Admiral Togo must, bo getting nervous. He will, doubt whether the Baltic fleet will ever get within reach of his guns. Those who know him say his one desire is to meet the Baltic fleet in battle. Even, now, and at a distance! of many thousands of miles, his Samurai spirit seems, to be keeping his foemen in abject fear. All the terrors of battle'are alreadyupon them. They see a torpedo-boat in every craft, and.a- submarine in every humping wave. If such is then condition in, the placid waters of the. Dogger Bank, what will it ,be when they get to* the Yellow Sea? The heroic Japanese sailors will begin to regard with, contempt such an enemy. The Dogger Bank tragedy has already robbed' them of half the glory of their coming victory.

While all the world is thinking of the Dogger Bank outrage, the armies of Manchuria have been getting ready for another battle. General Kuropatkin is again advancing. He has crossed the Shaho to the east, and is entrenching. In the meantime the Japanese appear to have been getting reinforcements. Another battle on a great »cale will be fought south of Mukden in a few days, and it should have the same result as that of a fortnight ago. The Russian advance can he made only in a spirit of desperation. Thin battle will be fought over a much wider front than .was the recent battle. It will be more prolonged, for the Russians, are advancing with great caution. All will appear to go well with the Russians until the Japanese strike back.

The Russian losses in the battle of S'liaho were certainly equal to the highest estimate made. Official Japanese reports say that of Russian dead General Kuroki buried 5200, General Oka, 5603 z and General Nodzu 2530. These bodies would be found on the Russians retreating, and this they did not begin to do until Thursday. All their killed from Monday until Thursday must have been removed by themselves ; and also many of tltose who fell in- the retreat. The fact that fewer were left to General Nodzu than to the other generate arises probably from the fact that he was operating on the railway. Many of the Russian dead who fell in the fighting with Nodzu must have been carried to the Shaho railway station. The 13,380 bodies buried by the Japanese cannot therefore bo at all near the total number of Russians killed. When the correct figures are published it will be found that the Russian casualties were not far short of 100,000. It is absolutely certain' that they must have exceeded 80,000.

We had accounts of heavy fighting and of, Russian bravery in . counter attacks. General Kuropatkin must have sent his men. to slaughter without counting the cost. In many parts of the battlefield the Russians must have been mown down." With such a loss,' how can General Kuropatkin hope to achieve success in a second advance'.' AL a moderate estimate a third of his army were among the killed and wounded, and he had lost mere than 100 of his guns. Since the battle ended lift is said to have received 20,000 free.li troops, but these would nob make up for "his losses. Instead of the 240,000 or 220,000 men, with whom, he set out, lie has now well under 200,000. The Japanese, on the other baud, had losses of fa" lees extent the official report is 15,879. They have » been getting reinforcements, and it in to be remembered that an army corps called to their aid can reach j Liao-ynng within a very few days.