SIEGE OF PORT ARTHUR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12708, 10 November 1904, Page 5

SIEGE OF PORT ARTHUR.

THE GARRISON MUTINOUS. JAPANESE NEGOTIATION FOR \ SURRENDER. . r '■■■■- ■'.'■ '; •-■ (Received November 9, 9.58 p.m.) \t ■ .'.:■'■.'"- '. .'.■■■'.' London", November 9. E Reuter's correspondent at Cuifu 5 reports that a Russian taken prisoner at Port Arthur reported to the i Japanese that the men of the garrii son were dispirited and not disposed . to prolong the resistance to the besiegers. I General Nogi thereupon sent hjrn back to the fortress with a letter describing the victories of Field-Mar-shal Oyama, the position of the Baltic fleet, and the' resistless advance of the Japanese trenches towards Port Arthur's remaining forts. He also .offered - humane treatment to men who surrendered; - The Russian returned to.the Japanese lines on Friday night and stated , that his comrades would reply within a few days. Although they were , mutinous they disliked the idea of an unofficial surrender. The company to which the prisoner belonged originally numbered 800, but only 30 are left. SLOW BUT SATISFACTORY PROGRESS. - ; (Recelrad Norembftr 9, 10.89 p.m.) ■■ ■ • | London, November 9. J If; has been reported' at Chifu that the attack on Port Arthur bus lessened in intensity, and that the cross ] fire df the Russians has made it impossible for the Japanese to hold all the gun positions they have captured recently. An unofficial report published at Tolrio says the siege operations ate proceeding slowly, but satisfactorily; AT CLOSE QUARTERS.' London, November 8. Some trenches made by the Japanese at Port Arthur have collapsed into a gallery made by the Russians. The Russians in the gallery fled. JAPANESE! REINFORCEMENTS, TO REPAIR HEAVY LOSSES. ■ (»ecelT«d November 9 f J. 0.39 p.m.) \ London, November 0. Forty thousand infantry sailed from Japan on Saturday-last to reinforce General Nogi's army : at Port Arthur and to repair the losses suffered in the assaults on the Mikado's birthday. These * losses are ;■ estimated at 20,000. BARBAROUS RUSSIAN CONDUCT, KILLING THE WOUNDED. London, November 8. It is officially reported at Tokio that the Russians .at Port Arthur sent men wearing the Red Cross into the Japanese lines, ostensibly to seek their wounded, but really to reconnoitre., , , A Japanese soldier, i who was wounded near 'East Kekwan fort lay : for six days and simulated death. He says he saw Russians bayonet and shoot some of his wounded comrades.. , . t ' ', ' - He also says that a Japanese hospital orderly, who lay. wounded, was deprived of his badge and killed. JAPANESE CRUISER SUNK. 'A TARDY ADMISSION. London, November 8. • Though the statement was contradicted at the time, it is now admitted by the Japanese that their cruiser Yoshino, 4225 tons, struck a mine at Dalny in June and sank. BLOCKADE-RUNNING; AMERICANS AND GERMANS OPERATING. London, November 8. Tempted by the vast profits offered, three American and two German firms have established themselves at Chifu and at Kiao-chau for. blockade-running. They continue to get food, and occasionally ammunition, into Port Arthur, though many of their junks have been captured and sunk* It is said. that the blockade is not . | strict owing to the Japanese fleet j being stale with l J l oi^V^ftt^agi ; v^::-' ; '' ;