THE RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2663, 29 March 1905, Page 29

THE RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR.

THE JAPANESE ADVANCE.

THE RAILWAY REOPENED.

THE RUSSIAN RETREAT.

SOLE SURVIVORS OF A REGIMENT.

PEACE NEGOTIATIONS

A SUGGESTION TO THE CZAR

ST. PETERSBURG, March 25

There was a spontaneous peace demonstration at the Nevisky Prospect, St. Petersburg, 500 shouting "Stop the war."

March 27.

The Novoe Vremya states that a Japanese flanking column is 80 miles east of Kai-yuan, on the Kirin road, where the Russians intend to contest its advance.

The Russ states that a party of General Kainimura's army is inarching from. Korea towards Kirin unopposed.

It is reported at St. Petersburg that Field-marshal Oyama informed the Chinese Governor of Kirin that the Japanese would enter the city on April 10.

Private reports from St Petersburg allege that General Linevitch is still retreating, and that the army is suffering great privations The general staff denies this.

A majority of the Council of Ministers are agreed regarding the opportuneness oi initiating peace negotiations. The decision will be communicated to the Czar.

LONDON, March 21

It is reported that Kamimura is approaching Kirin, whence lie might threaten Chang-chun or Kun-tu-leng, and intercept the retreaters.

The Russian rearguard) is now 25 miles north of Tie-ling.

The Russians r.eport that the pursuit is weakening, and that Chinese spies are deserting to the Japanese.

A Norwegian trader accompanying the Russian retreat says that the Cossacks looted Tie-ling. They sold champagne at a rouble (2s) a bottle, and burned and smashed everything they were unable to sell. The authorities siiot some of them.

The Japanese captured the. British collier Harbarton, bound for Viadivostock.

The announcement of an internal loan caused a slump on the St. Petersburg Bourse. Russian 4's fell to 87, the lowest figure during the currency of the war.

The German banks are co-operating in the issue of the new Japanese loan.

The Russian press violently attacks France for refusing to lendi more mone3*.

The Morning Post's St. Petersburg correspondent says that Russia is prolonging the war in the hope that th.? Powers will intervene to obtain better terms than will be conceded m a straight deal between Japan and Russia.

The Milan n-ewspaper II Secolo has collected thousands of signatures to a petition to the Government to offer mediation, with a view to the termination of the war in the Far East.

March 22. Damaged bi-idiges impede the Japanese pursuit.

There are indications that the Russians are concentrating and constructing defences at Chang-chun.

Parts of guns have been recovered from wells in the vicinity of Mukden.

A Tokio official estimate of the Russian losses from the beginning of the Mukden battle to the end of the Tie-ling battle, including prisoners, is 175,000.

A battery of artilleiy on the Japanese extreme left, attacking Mukden, fought with exceptional distinction. The guns were galloped in close pioximity to the enemy. Though man after man was riddled! with bullets the service of the guns was not interrupted. Opportune reinforcements averted a disaster parallel to that which marked the battle of Colenso iv the Boer war. Colonel Ujida, commander of the battery, and a brilliant artillery expert, was killed and 12 officers seriously and two slightly wounded

Eight non-commissioned officers were wounded!. A few men survived.

It is ioported that poition of the Vladi vo&tock gciuison has been removed to Hai bin

The Russians admit that a force of iriegulius, under Colonel Mad'ridoft", wei.--driven to the mountains east of Tie-lmg, and tli.it they die s-tiugghng to leach

The Russians evacuated Chang-tu-fu on the 19th.

The Times states that the Czai at first refused General Kourapatkin's petition to remain at the front in command of a corps, and consented only Avhen General Linevitch endorsed the application.

General Kourapatkin, ad"iiessmg the Fiist Army Corps, expressed the hope that he would soon be able to retrieve his disasters. In ordn- to give the troops a d'lj-'s rest he was sending reinforcements from Harbin to relievo the exhausted rearguard.

Admiral DiebogatofFs squadron (which was to join the Baltic fleet) has gone to Port Said.

The new Japanese battleship Kashima was launched at the Elswick yards.

The Drdly Telegraph's Tokio correspondent it ports that the Chinese Governor of Liao-yang and 32 relatives admitted that they had acted as Russian spies since the outbreak of the war.

March 23.

The Russians are following three main roads towards Kirin and Chang-chun. The rearguard on Tuesday was 20 miles north of Kai-yuen. closely pursued.

General Linevitch, from Chang-chun, reports that the Japanese outposts ar.e at Man-ehen-tsu, south-west of Chang-chun.

The R-ussians wounded in the retreat include many doctors and sisters of charity. Eight of the latter were killed.

Russian advices from Si-ping-hai, /0 miles north of Tie-ling, state that the First Army, retreating, did not lose guns. It was driven from none of its positions. It captured seven machine guns nnd 400 prisoners.

Prince Ukhtomsky declares that peace is imperative, as the army is without bread, since all the grain formerly in Harbin had been sent to Mukden.

The Japanes? entered Chang-tu-fu on Tuesday.

Large bodies of Russians are retreating in disorder north-eastwards along the railway.

The Russian cavalry halted three kilometres north of Chang-tu-fu.

The -Limes' St. Petersburg correspondent reports that official circles are confident that the Russian armies will contest every foot of tb.?> wav to Harbin.

Yuan Shih Kai, Governor of the Province of Chi-li, is proceeding to Mukden. March 24. Women have been ordered to leave Viadivostock.

Unconfirmed" French advices state that a Japanese torpedoer, preceding a Japanese squadron, passed Colombo, bound west.

(Received) March 24, at midnight.)

It is surmised that portion of Admiral Rozhdistvensky's fleet sailed as cabled on the 10th, and the remainder later.

Keuter"s Agency states that a steamer from Colombo reports at Port Louis that she met on the night of the 16th. Russian torp.?doers, followed at a distance by a fleet, nationality unknown.

The Russians are concentrating between Chang-chung and Kirin. They are also erecting formidable defences on the l'ailway east and south of Toi-tsia-bar.

The women and children are leaving Harbin. Some of the business houses are closing.

The Grand Duke Sergius Mika'oviteh declares that only two siege guns were lost at Mukden.

Admiral DiebogatofFs squadron is at Port Said. Numerous German colliers are at Jibuti!.

The Standard says that, notwithstanding the rumours that the next Japanese loan will be raised in Germany, airangements are virtually concluded for a, loan of 30 millions sterling in London and New York.

Reuter's Agency reports that a 30 million sterling 4A per cent. Japanese loan will be shortly simultaneously issued at £90 in London and New York. It will be secured on the tobacco monopoly.

The prospect of the extension of the Anglo- Japanese Alliance has induced the Russian newspapers to deploie Russia's reiusals to meet the friendly advances of Great Britain and Japan.

Tlie Times sa3*s that the extension of the alliance is not directed against Russia. It is simply meant to preserve the status quo in Asia as it may be arranged after the war.

The Times bespeaks tlie full and cordial sympathy of other countries for the Kaiser's declarations in favour of peace, but commends the remark of the Radical Deutsche Freie Piesse to the effect that only by a genuine tranquil and unfluctuating policy can Germany win the steady confidence of the nation.

March 25.

The Japanese loan has been underwritten. Negotiations were concluded within five days of the arrival of the Japanese agent. The loan is extremely well received in London and New York. There are large Continental subscriptions, though Germain financiers are not allowed to participate in the issue owing to their insisting that a large part of the proceeds must be spent on German industry.

M. Kokovtsoff states th\t the Russian bullion reserve in St. Peterbbur^ is

£88,b00,000, besides £12,000,000 deposited m London and Tans and £32,000,000 belonging to the ireasurv, chiefly in Paris and Berlin. M. KoKovtsoff repudiated the suggestion that the state of the finances pieventsdi a continuation of the war. Russian telegrams from the fiont declare that unless 200,000 immediately reinforce General Lineviteh, a retreat to Sungdri, and possibly to Siberia, is inevitable. The defence of Harbin is precarious, as the Russian front would be parallel with the railway, and the least break would isolate the b;'se.

A vast Japanese turning movement is developing throughout Mongolia, for the purpose firstly of an attack on the railway near Bobdune or Tsi-ts=i-har.

Accoidmg to a Russian coi respondent, tlie Japanese are assured of a numerical superiority of cavalry, and are recruiting Chunchuses in Mongolia.

A 1-u-ge Japanese column in Korea is advancing towords the railway with the object of isolating Viadivostock. General Rennenkampff will post three-fourths of his force for operations south-east of Fushan.

The Kirin branch of the Russo-Chinese Bank, owing to Chinese attacks on the guards, has been transferred to Harbin.

March 26

The Japanese are altering the gauge of the railway northwards with amazing rapidity.

The Russians officially admit that the 14th and 15th Infantry Divisions decamped from Mukden.

General Linevitch reports a successful cavalry skirmish on the 23rd at Nan-shen-tbi and Slmi-nen-gan-sa station.

Advices at St. Petersburg state that the rival armies are 40 miles apart, the Japanese stopping to refill their ranks.

The Russian mobilisation has been abandoned. The losses will be filled from the depot battalions.

The military in Moscow believe that General Nogi is advancing on Tsi-tsi-har, where there is a large Russian population.

The Daily Telegraph's St. Petersburg correspondent (Dr Dillon) states that the indemnity is the chief obstacle to peace. Heretofore Russia was willing to make important territorial concessions.

The Port Arthur defenders state that a number of Russian soldiers had an armed affray with the Japanese soldiery. A Japanese military tribunal was immediately convened, and, after hearing evidence, six Russians were shot and 12 Japanese. March 27. The lailway from Mukden to Kai-yuan has been reopened.

The Russians retreated on Sunday from Hsing-ching towards Han-lung-chan, 90 miLes north-east, in the direction of Kirin.

General Linevitch on Saturday reviewed the troops, and complimented the 126 comprising the remnant of a rifle regiment which rejoined the army after fighting through a superior Japanese force.

The Mikado reviews 100,000 troops at Tokio on April 3 in connection with a monster demonstration in honour of the victory at Mukdian.

Field-marshal Oyama, interviewed by a Keuter correspondent, praised the Russians as brave and able men. He declared that the Japanese fulfilled every expectation he formed when -Minister of War.

M. Delcasse admits Admiral Rozhdestvensky and the Baltic fleet left Madagascar several days ago. Lloyd's telegram confirms this, and states that his destination is unknown.

Russian Admiralty papers are in ignorance of Admiral Rozhdestvensky's whereabouts.

An officer, writing from Madagascar on February 7, complains that the fleet is feeling the horrible midsummer heat. Everybody, including the Admiral, was extremely dejected at the inactivity. The ignoronce of what was happening was becoming unbearable. Tropical diseases w-ere causing trouble.

It is officially stated that 13,000 officers, 761,467 soldiers. 146,408 hordes, and 1521 guns were sent to Manchuria since th-e beginning of the war.

The fourth Japanese internal loan was opened on Saturday. The Imperial household subscribed 20,000,000 yen.

BERLIN, March 23,

The Vorwaerts states that the German Arms Ammunition Company is supplying hundreds of machine guns to Russia, and complains of the incident as an infringement of neutrality.

".SYDNEY, March 27

Nearly 10,000 horses for Japan have been purchased in Queensland and Xew South Wales.