THE RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR. LONDON, March 20.

Otago Witness, Issue 2663, 29 March 1905, Page 49

THE RUSSO- JAPANESE WAR. LONDON, March 20.

Details of General Oku and Nogi's turning movement early in the* month show that the whole success of the attack on 'Mukden depended on their ability to fulfil their allotted task.

General Oku's comparatively small force ■was opposed to a very strong Russian armyintended to cover the main body's retreat. G-eneral Nogi was compelled to deal with the main body, and after cutting the railtray he guarded the gap, but a vastly superior force of retreating Russians compelled him to quit the railway. General Oku meantime was desperately _ flgbting a superior force, which was en- :

drenched in the villages in an angle north of the Hun-ho and west of the railway.

The most critical moment was on the night of the Bth, when General Nogi, fearing that the retreafcers would overwhelm him, asked for reinforcements.

General Oku, taking desperate chances, detached a division and sent it to G»eneral Nogi, and then with his remaining divisions he desperately attacked the Russian line, and lost thousands of men in a vain attempt to pierce it.

The Russians, by fierce counter-attacks, endeavoured! to break through, but did not succeed, tnough they almost annihilated two Japanese regiments.

Tha fighting at this part was the bloodiest of the entire war. General Oku's losses were 15,000, and the Russian's were heavier. General Nogi, with his extra division, prevented the Russians cutting through his line, with a view to surrounding and crushing him, and reoccupied the railway.

The desperate fighting of Generals Oku and Nogi alone averted the frustration of Field-marshal Oyama's plans.

General Oku sacrificed thousands of his men to secure a position that was essential to prevent a terrible disaster to his army. He has been awarded the highest honours in the Japanese service — namely, Fieldmarshal Oyama's written praise.

The stubborn way the Japanese Second Army -held its line" primarily forced the Russians to retreat, inasmuch as it gave Nodzu an opportunity to attack and expel the Russians from their stronghold south of the Hun-ho, and necessitated their general and hurried retirement.

General Kaniamura, -on the 15th, brilliantly routed three divisions of Russians south of Tie-ling.

Many of the Russian fugitives are without food, and are living on the dead horses.

Private advices from Harbin state that there are only 60 surgeons and 150 nurses to attend 70,000 sick and wounded.

The Japanese have found many guns buried in Mukden. It is believed in Tokio that 400 guns were thrown into the river.

Baron Suyematsu, the Japanese European Envoy, interviewed hy the Matin (Paris), said that within six months Harbin, Vladivostock, the island of Saghalien, and the whole Siberian seaboard would be in Japan's hands. Then quite other terms will be imposed than would be accepted now.

One hundred and eighty thousand carloads of .grain have accumulated in Russia, because the rolling stock and locomotives have been diverted to Siberia.

March 21.

The Japanese on the 19th occupied K.ai-yuen. They repulsed a counterattack.

Belated messages show that the Japanese were inferior in guns in the Mukden battle. Two battalions eastwaids of Tilling, after the Russian line had be.«n pierced, entrained and arrived at Gun-zu-ling, 140 miles northwards.

The Times' St. Petersburg correspondent reports that a council of war 'decided to continue the campaign, and ordered further mobilisation.

Trustworthy information interprets the decision as diplomatic other than military. The Daily Express declares that Russia is bluffing and anxious to impress Japan that another formidable campaign is in prospect.

Th« Times states that General Kourapatkin was on Saturday at Kun-tu-leng, and on Sunday commanded the First Army, which forms the rearguard. The inference is that the rapid retreat will be continued.

Regarding the Novoe Vremya's recent remarks concerning the claims for the sinking of the Knight Commander by the Vladivostock squadron, Reuter's Agenev reports that Britain's claims are mainly on behalf of the owners for loss of the "ship and cargo, and are not connected with the question- of the legality of the sinking of the Knight Commander instead of bringing her into a port. The 'latter question will be submitted to the Supreme Admiralty Court at St. Petersburg.