THE RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2667, 26 April 1905, Page 46

THE RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR.

ST. PETERSBURG, April 17. The Russian Gazette says that at any

range under five miles Japan possesses overwhelming gunnery advantag.es, and that Admiral Rozhdestvensky "s only chance is to fight at from an eight to five-mile lange. A libel action in Moscow disclosed) the fact that various persons had purchased from the military hospital certificates of exemption for military service, the sums reaching to £5500.

LOXDOX, April 17. It is believed in Tokio that the Russian fleet will give Formosa a wide berth. The Daily Mail's Singapore correspondent reports that-the Prinz Heinrich passed) five Russian battleship's and six cruisers. Naval experts anticipated on Saturday that Admiral Rozhdestvensky, not desiring to be burdened with the protection of an unwieldy convoy when he meets Togo, would probably send his colliers to the Bay of Along, or some other shelter, to await the result of the battle. The experts also anticipate that Admiral Togo will, at the outset, hull many of the enemy's cruisers, his ultimate purpose being torpedoing and ramming the enemy's fleet, even at the risk of absolutely sacrificing some in order to re-establish the balance tetween his primary elements and the enemy's battleships. The coming onslaught on these lines is compared to a cavalry charge. Reuter's Saigon agent reports that the Japanese have captiued a large number of colliers off the coast. Admiral CuYexville^ tke French Senate

] reporter on Naval Estimates, predicts a severe defeat of the Russians, whose disabled vessels will be compelled! to disarm in neutral ports. , A Hongkong telegram reports that portion of the Baltic fleet was seen on Sunday i in Turan Bay, north of Kamranh Bay. 1 It is officially reported in Tokio that the Japanese defeated the Russians near Hei-sheh-mu, 10 miles north-east of Tsangshuh, andi are "pursuing them farther east.

The Daily Telegraph states that of the 500 Russian guns abandoned at Mukden 200 have been recovered.

April 18.

The Temps' St. Petersburg correspondent says Admiral Rozhdestvensky doubtless ran close to th-& Cochin-China coast to coal and scrape the ships' bottoms.

Newspaper correspondents at Tokio report that the Japanese calculate that Admiral Rozhdestvensky was 48 hours at«Kamranh Bay before he was sighted. His prolonged stay has caused surprise. It is expected Japan will make immediate representation to France. M. Delcasse, French Minister of Foreign Affairs, denied) that Admiral Rozhdestvensky was within territorial waters at Madagascar. If an analogous denial is given in the present instance Japan will be enabled to attack Admiral Rozhdestvensky without violating France's— neutrality.

Field-marshal Oyama reports that on the night of the 15th five squadrons of Russian cavalry entered Sun-yen-ching, between Feng-hua and Fa-ku-men, the Japanese attacking and repelling them.

The Russian Minister of Marine has ordered the completion of the torpedoers Zadorny, Zvonsky, and Zorky, each of 300 tons, building at the Nikolaieff yard, in the Black Sea, where two 6000-ton cruisers are being hurried forward.

Merchantmen are required) to pass the Pescadores at a distance of seven miles. Neutrals are obliged to obtain permission to enter Ke-lung (Formosa).

PARIS, April 17.

The Matin's St. Petersburg correspondent reports that there is great irritation amongst the General Staff against Great .Britain, Admiral Rozhdestvensky complaining that British warships are wirelessly informing the Japanese from a distance of 200 miles of his whereabouts.

TOKIO, April 17.

The Mikado is appalled at the terrible sufferings of his troops through the cold in Manchuria, and has ordered that there be no fires in his palaces until the war is over.