THE WAR.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXVI, Issue 5288, 28 May 1904, Page 5

THE WAR.

CABLE NEWS. UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION. BT ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH. —COPYRIGHT

RUSSIA’S STRUGGLE WITH. JAPAN. AN OFFICIAL RUSSIAN REPORT. MOVEMENTS OF JAPANESE FORCES. (Received May 27, 9.51 p.m.) LONDON, May 27. Lieutenant-General Sakharoff* reports to St. Petersburg as follows; — “ The Japanese are constructing fortifications around Feng-hwang-cheng, where' the number of troops is thirty thousand infantry and two thousand cavalry, with thirty-sis field pieces. Their advance guards are northwards of tho Aiho, facing Kwangtien. Many of their cavalry horses are reported to be exhausted. “ Our scouts on the Liaotung peninsula report three thousand, with five guns, are at Pulantion. Landing continues at Pitsiwo, and the Japanese are marching towards Kinchau, with covering detachments thrown west. “ It is reported that fifty thousand are landing at Takushan, and marching in the direction of Siuyon. “At Port Arthur a Russian reconnoitring party on tho 21st got behind throe hundred Japanese near the Tan-san-Chintoa road, and watched for 16 hours. They saw eighteen thousand Chinese and Korean coolies and two hundred carts pass. The Japanese discovering them, attacked, and the scouts’ horses were killed. Tho scouts returned afoot.” Genera! Sakharoff adds:—The Chinese report that in the battle at Kinchau on the 18th, the Japanese lost seven hundred and the Russians less. RENEWED FIGHTING AT KINCHAU LONDON, May 27. Unofficial Tokio despatches state that the Japanese entered Kinchau yesterday, and attacked tho Russians, who were posted on the heights south of the town. (Received May 27, midnight.) LONDON. May 27. Fragmentary telegrams from various centres state that an attack on Kinchau began on Wednesday. A number of heavy Russian guns well posted proved a serious obstacle to the advance, but the Japanese, skilfully securing an advantage after a severe ar tillory duel, stormed and captured the walled town. The Russians in withdrawing continued a stubborn resistance, and the Japanese prosecuted the attack with much spirit. JAPANESE NAVAL PRIZES. (Received May .27, midnight.) LONDON, May 27. A Prize Court, sitting at Sasebo, has dismissed all appeals for the restitution of neutral cargoes aboard captured Russian vessels. KUUOKI’S FORCE ON THE MOVE. LONDON, May 26. General Koaropatkin reports a forward movement of the Japanese. Some have occupied the Liaolin Pass, about nine miles south of Siuyen. Forty thousand are still at Feng-: hwang-cheng* and four regiments with fifty guns at Pienmin, westwards of Feng-hwang-cheng. Ifhe advance occurred at the crossing |of the Targan river. THE STRUGGLE AROUND PORT ARTHUR. LONDON, May 26. Despite stubborn resistance, the Japanese have reached Saushihps, north of Dalny. Other forces are south-west of Nagalien, tho second station on the Port Arthur line. FLOATING MINES. LONDON, May 26. When the Japanese early in May were accused of placing floating mines in the Port Arthur roadstead, Russia issued a circular protesting against such cul- i pablo thoughtlessness, adding that some; had already drifted two hundred miles. (Received May 27, 10.9 p.m.) LONDON, May 27. Admirals Vitgert and Grigorovitch re : port that Japanese gunboats bombarded Ingeutze Bay. ’ Next night they attempted to s block the roadstead of Port Arthur with mines. It is believed that some steam launches ahd two torpedoers were sunk. Tho Russians removed between the IBth and 21st inst, eleven mines that had been sown to bar the harbour. The merchant steamer Amur’s boaks and a dredger steam launch brought them to Dalny and Port Arthur.

ANOTHER CRIPPLED WARSHIP. LONDON, May 26. Tho Russian battleship Borodino, 13,600 tons, has been badly strained. She has been placed in dry dock at St. Petersburg.

CORRUPT OFFICIALS AT KRONSTADT. (Received May 27, 10.9 p.m.) LONDON, May 27.

Officials at Kronstadt, Jioping to conceal the non-existence of a large portion of ammunition, uniforms and other equipment, supposed, to be in their custody and ordered to be forwarded to the Far hast, fired a section of the artillery clothing depot. Investigation showed that petroleum was used. A high official subsequently attempted suicide and another fled.

A LETTER FROM PORT ARTHUR. BRISBANE, May 27. A letter received by a resident of Toowoomba from a friend occupying a high position in the medical administration at Port Arthur, dated 28th March, gives an interesting inside view of the bombardment to that data. He sums up as follows:

“We know for certain that the Japs, suffered comparatively more than we on the 9th February. They had mree warships severely damaged. On the 24th we sank three merchantmen, and a torpedo boat. They wasted ammunition worth over a million. The heavy fire has shaken their ships and fatigued their cannon, but the results are insignificant and limited. We have had a few dead and wounded, but not a nouse. and not a single important building is damaged, most of their shells falling either on the shore or in the sea. “We cannot understand Japanese tactics. Time after time they bombard the place, and sacrifice costly merchantmen but do us no harm. They always refuse battle, although their fleet is

much stronger than ours. We may be somewhat slow to strike, but when the time arrives Russia will strike both heavily anti surely.” Tho writer mentions that on the occasion of three bombardments the Russian fleet was prepared to give battle> but the Japanese turned tail and disappeared. At tiie time of his writing* ail who could afford it had sent their wives and iamiiies back to Russia.

SMART INFANTRY, BUT “VERY GREEN” CAVALRY.

Among the passengers from the East by the steamer Taiyuan, which reached Brisbane last week, was Mr J. 11. iveet, of Aberdeen, a gentleman wlv> is interested in the stock trade. He has been on a visit to Japan, where he spent some time in order to benefit his health. the course of an interview Hr Neet said that when he was at Japan the weather was very cold, though large bodies oi troops were moving, chiefly at night time. Business was proceeding quietly, and much enthusiasm was manifested by the p>pulace on receipt of the news of the victories. The people appeared to realise the immensity of their task, but were confident as to the ultimate result. The people of Japan were beginning to growl about the state of business, which was not as good this season as in the past. The absence of largo numbers of visitors was being ’ severely felt, principally by hotel and shopkeepers, whose business had fallen off in consequence. _ From what he saw, Mr Root did not think the war would affect the Japanese so far as Australia was concerned to any extent one vray or another, but Australia might gain some benefit if the people took advantage of tho opportunity. However, he thought America would bo the chief market where the Japanese wou'd purchase horses. Some horses had been shipped from Port Darwin to Japan, out owing to the cold weather which prevailed at the time they were landed in very poor condition, and did not well as (hey should have done. Mr Iveet saw some of the Japanese cavalry, and to him they appeared very green, but the infantry were- very smart. The Japanese appeared to have realised that the war would not finish as so;>n as they had at first imagined, but they placed Tie utmost faith in their men. and were confident as to the outcome of the struggle.