PORT ARTHUR GARRISON STILL DEFIANT.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXVII, Issue 5372, 3 September 1904, Page 5

PORT ARTHUR GARRISON STILL DEFIANT.

TWO ATTACKS REPULSED. GREAT BATTLE IN MGHURii. KOUROPATKIN’S RETREAT THREATENED. DESPERATE FIGHTING REPORTED.

LOXDOX, September 1. Chcfoo advices with regard to Port Arthur state that two Japanese assaults at Palunchwang were repulsed. The inner forts at Port Arthur are protected by massive steel plates and Maxims. The Russians have reoccupied Itshan. The Japanese on Sunday, August 28th, after three hours’ fierce fighting, occupied, despite a cross fire, No. C fort, near their right flank. The other forts concentrated their fire thereon, expelling the Japanese.

There has been some desperate fighting of late at the fortifications on Itshan, a hill four miles north - west of the town. The place is protected by the converging fire of ■ two batteries on the north and south. On August 27th the Japanese captured a fort east of Itshan, but were expelled, presumably by the fire from that point. One band of Japanese, 500 strong, was annihilated. Then the besiegers seized the hill behind Itshan and nrtificially'raised its level by piling up sand-bags, whereon guns were placed. They apparently reduced the place by this means, but now word comes that_ tho Russians next day recccupied the position consequent on tho expulsion of the besiegers .from fort No. 6.

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