THE RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2661, 15 March 1905, Page 53

THE RUSSO- JAPANESE WAR.

I " LONDON, March 6. I The lines captured at Chan-tau extend 12 miles eastward. The Russians retieatedi ! in disorder on their heavy defences to the j south of Mukden. General Nogi, following ' along the Liao northwards, intercepted and drove four sotnias of Cossacks, with 26 guns, into Tie-ling. The Russian wounded were, abandoned, j It is reported in Mukden that a strong ! force of Japanese at Fa-ku-men moved ! to the south-east, towards Tie-ling. I General Kourapatkin states that the ' Japanese advance guard, when surrounding his right flank, approached within eight versts (about five- and a-half miles) of Mukden railway station. j In thr.ee days General Nogi has transformed the entire position. It is apparent that the Japanese made a ' feint to the east, thus attracting the bulk of Eourapatkin's reserv.es. \ Meanwhile Nogi crossed the Sun-ho to ' the southward of the Russian position, and seized Sin-min ting, operating on the plains to the westward of Mukden, where there is no neutral line of defence. I Owing to the Sin-min-ting raid, the Russian outposts at various stations were recalled to strengthen the Mukden army. Some of th.ese on Friday encountered the Japanese at Lao-pi-en. The Japanese, in the face of a diriving dust storm, fired shrapnel from 30 guns at close range. The Russians became demoralised, and fired wildly from their high ground and good cover, and were routed by a machine gun stationed near a clump of willows. It is reported that five Russian officers and 200 men were killed. Their comrades, abandoning the wounded, retreated to Tieling. Reuter's Mukden correspondent says that ' turning the Russian rights at a complete right angle hinging on the Lin-shin-pu is considered to be the most remarkable strategic movement of the war. j The Japanese infantry brilliantly crossed i the Sha-ho on Thursday night, winning the Russian front, which was two miles across, by crawling up bare, stony hills like ieech,?s. | The Japanese advanced left captured the ' hills four miles to the south of Mukden. The Russian movements lack co-ordina-tion and co-operation. Field-marshal Oyama reports that westward of the railway the Japanese are continuing their fierce attacks, and have occupied Fu-chin-ying, five mil.es west of Sha-ho-pu and Lai-shen-pau or Li-an-shan-pu, three mites north-west of Fu-chin-ying, j thence to Su-hu-pau. IFive miles further to j the north-west the enemy were dislodged ' at Fa-min-tun. General Kuroki, after a fierce fight, captured the second line of defences, bur the Russians still maintain the main defences . eastwards of the railway along the Sha-ho. A battta is now proceeding with Nogi, who is west-north-west of Mukden. The Russian troops have not tasted food for two days. Reuter's agent with General Kuroki's army reports a victory beyond the Hun River over two Russion divisions. Th,3 latter belonged to the 16th Corps. j Reuter's Agency reports that 200 Russian scouts were sent eastward of Niu-chwong, moving north. It is reported at Niu-chwang that the Russians are burning Mukden station and their stores, preparatory to a retreat. The right flank is represented as panic-stricken. Two Japanese squadrons were reported 100 miles south-east of Hongkong, steaming rapidly. March 7. There is every indication that ihc enveloping movement is a success. It is reported that General Kuroki's scouts are advancing from northward *of Fushan, and have communicated with General Nogi's from the west. The Japanese outstretched wings and converging columns are threatening the Tie-ting railwa^. , A large Japanese force is marching ; over the mountains to cut off the Rns- ', sian retreat on the Mukden-Harbin road. The Japanese are only two kilometres from Chao-ling, General Kourapatkin's , headquarters. i People on the roofs at Mukden aie watching shrapnel bursting in the swamps south of the Imperial Tombs. Generals Nogi and Oku are closing in. An exceptionally dogged resistance wjj> shown at Ma-chia-pu. The Japanese were two days desperately trying to capture the place. Field-marshal Oyama reports that the Su-chia-tun Railway Station is burning. Fierce fighting continues in the Kao-t tiling Pass. It is stated at St. Petersburg that if General Kourapatkin finds, as reported, that the Japanese used all their reserves, he will to-day hurl his entire force south and sou* h- west in an effort to smash Field-marshal Oyama. The Russian casualties in the recent fighting are estimated at Tokio at 40,000. The jsps have captured redoubts along the high lands north-east of Ha-sung-mu-pau-tse. The Swedish steamer Vegga and the British collier Easby Abbey, bound for Vladivostock, have been captured.