THE WAR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12930, 28 July 1905, Page 5

THE WAR.

MANCHURIAN CAMPAIGN.

TUMEN RIVER OPERATIONS.

JAPANESE CAPTURE

POSITIONS.

London, July 26. The Japanese have dislodged the Russians from ICui-ho and Khoriong, places near the Tumen River, and have occupied a line of posts to the west of the river.

Kui-lco, or Kiu-clmi, is oil the western bank of the Tumen River, and Kho-riong on' the eastern bank. The Japanese apparently are marching on both banks in the direction of Vladivostok. The river runs parallel with the coast from Corea, and then turns at right angles and Hows to the sea. The Russian main positions are along the river from the right angle to the sea. The Japanese are following its course from Corea. The points captured are about 40 or 50 miles from where the river forms its angle and turns towards the sea. It will be observed that by following the left bank of the river the Japanese would bo able to turn the Russian, positions between Onsing (at the angle), and the mouth of the Tumen.

VLADIVOSTOK.

A LIGHTHOUSE SEIZED.

(Received July 27, 9.40 p.m.)

London, July '27.

Two Japanese destroyers 'have landed men at Point De Casteur, near Vladivostok, and captured the lighthouse there.;', • ( ADMIRAL ROSHDESTVENSKI UNDERGOES AN OPERATION. London, July 26. Admiral Roshdestvenski has been transferred from the hospital at Sasebo and is now at Tokio. He has undergone an operation for the removal of a piece of bone from the head. The operation was successful. Since his arrival in Japan, Admiral Roshdestvenski has been attended constantly by Russian naval surgeons. His most serious wound is in the forehead. BATTLE OF TSUSHIMA. RUSSIAN CAPTAIN'S ACCOUNT JAPANESE DECOY FLEET. TRAP LAID BY ADMIRAL TOGO. ~ Sydney, July 27. . The files of the Singapore Free Press, just to hand, contain, the following vivid account of Tsushima by Captain Pernitz of the . salvage vessel Rusk, which was lost in the battle of Tsushima. He spent a few hours in Singapore on his way home. Captain Pernitz expressed his opinions freely, and shouts out his contempt for all Grand Dukes and most of the admirals. He snorts with disgust when told of Admiral Togo's " triumph," and laughs in his beard when he recounts his own adventures in the battle.

The battle, from the Russian point of view, was not worthy of the name of battle. - " Call it," he said, " a wild scramble for safety and shelter anywhere. /'Admiral Roshdestvenski was taken by, surprise, and was completely surrounded and bewildered by the devilish cunning of the Japanese.

"They had a huge dummy fleet of wooden ships lying off the Pescadores. They were marvellous imitations of the real article, with guns, fighting tops, and all. Of this supposed squadron our admiral had information. Having passed the ,Pescadores without hurt, we imagined there was not sufficient weight behind the remainder of Admiral. Togo's fleet to prevent the greater portion of our armada making Vladivostok.

"Then we were trapped, surrounded in reality, and defeated before the fight had begun. "Admiral Roshdestvenski was the only fighting man .of any value among the leaders of Russia's forlorn hope. Niebogatoff and the others were little better than traitors, and they have been disgraced for ever. '

" Scarcely one of the Russian warships gave battle, in the true sense of the word, and the whole fleet seemed dazed by the suddenness of the attack and the overwhelming force of the enemy. There seems to have been no proper understanding between the various commanders as to whether they were all to cut and run, or stand and fight. Some did the former, and a few adopted the latter, and the result was demoralisation, complete and pitiable."