THE LATEST.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XII, Issue 1884, 3 November 1904, Page 5

THE LATEST.

THE SITUATION AT PORT ARTHUR. GENERAL STOESSEL TO BE AGAIN ASKED TO SURRENDER. HIS GUNS OUTRANGED. (Received this day at 9.28 a.m.) London, November 2. The “ Daily Express ” states that tbe two forks at tbe extremity of tbe tunnel under Port Arthur will be completed to-day, but will not be exploded until General Stoessel has had an opportunity of surrendering. General Stoessel’s guns are outranged. THE BALTIC FLEET. A recently published list gives the full strength of tbe Baltic fleet as follows : Battleships.—Peter Veliki (1972), 9891 tons, 145 knots; Imperator Alexander 11. (1887) 9927 tons, 16-5 knots; Imperator Nikolai I. (reconstructed 1900), 9627 tons, 14-8 knots; Navarin (1891), 10,206 tons, 16 0 knots; Sissoi Veliki (1894) 8880 tons, 16’0 knots; Borodino (1901), 18,600 tons, 18’0 knots; Imperator Alexander 111. (1901), 13,800 tons, 18 0 knots; Koaiz Suvorov (1902), 13,516 tone, 180 knots; Orel (1902), 13,600 tons, 18 0 knots; Imperator Pavel I. (building), 16,680 tons, 18 0 knots ; Andrei Ptrozvanui (building), 16,680 tons, 18 knots. Cruisers.—Minin (1869, reconstructed 1878), 5910 tons, 12 - 6 knots; Kniaz Pojarski (1867), 5188 tons, 12-5 knots ; Africa (1887), 2690 tons, 18-0 knots; Asia (1878), 2600 tons, 13’0 knots; Nayezdnik (1878), 1334 tons, 13*0 knots; Platsun (1879), 1255 tons, 18’0 knots ; Viestnik (1879), 1255 tons, 18 0 knots; Vladimir Monomach (1882), 6061 tons, 15 2 knots ; Admiral Nakhimoff (1885, re-constructed 1900), 8524 tons, 167 knots; Ryanda (1885), 8508 tons, 14’8 knots: Admiral Korniloff (1887, re - constructed 1895), 5000 tons, 17’5 knots; Pamiat Azova (1888), 6675 tons, 188 knots; Svietlana (1896), 8828 tons, 20 2 knots ; Oleg (building), 6670 tons, 25 - 0 knots; Izumrud (building), 8100 tons, 24 0 knots ; Jemtcbug (building), 8100 tons, 24’0 knots.

Torpedo Gunboats.— Posadnik, Volvoda and Abrek.

Torpedo boat destroyers.—Nine. Transport.—Kamschatka. Tbe fleet was intended to be formed into two divisions, the first under che command of Rear-Admiral von Felkersane, and the second under the command of Rear Admiral Gukvist.

WIIAT THEY ARE FIGHTING WITH.

JAPAN’S SUPERIOR WEAPONS

One of tbe most unmistakable elements of superiority possessed by Japan in the present struggle (says tbe military correspondent ot St James ‘’Gazette”) lies in the splendid weapons with which she has arm’d her artillery and infantry. Unlike tbe preference for tbe cavalry arm in most other armies, tbe swagger corps in tho Japanese army is the artillery. There are thirteen artillery regimonts, each of nine batteries, or 117 batteries in all. Tlie batterios of each rogimont are agaiu divided into campaign or field and mountain batterios, both having tbe same calibre and initial velooity. The effective strongth of each battery is five officers, ten non-com-missioned officers, 112 men, and sixty horses. Artillory officers, besides their special training in tbe school of applied artillory and engineering, have all passed a year’s service in a regimpnt as private soldiers. They also H?rv> xnr uths in tho artillery before being given tbeir comiuLouuj.

Just before the war tbe Japanese field-gun was a Sin hardened bronze gun, a material for which Austria has recently shown a predilection. This threw an B.Blb shell, with an initial velocity of 1880 ft per second. One of Russia's guns in the field is a 4in, with an initial velocity of not more than 1225 ft. It throws a much heavier shell (251 b); but, outranged as it is by the superseded Japanese weapons, it is easy to understand its enormous inferiority to the new Japanese quick-firer to which it is opposed.

It is, moreover, a very heavy weapon (48401 b), and ill-adapted for warfare in hilly and boggy country like Manchuria. This is an important point against heavy field artillery which we shall do well to consider in thinking of an 18-pounder field-gnn for our eervioe, like those at present being tested at Shoeburyness. But Russia, besides her " heavy horse batteries,” also possesses “ light horse batteries,” of3.4inguns, throwing a 151 b shell, with an initial velooity of nearly 1410 ft, and having a rate of fire of from five to six shots per minute. Only three batteries of Rassia's very latest Biu quick-firers have been yet constructed, so that it may be left out of acoount as far as the present campaign is concerned. Both types of Russian gun are said to be outranged and overpowered by the wonderful new Arisaka gun of Japan. Tbe partico'ars of this weapon and its equipment have been kept a close seoret; but that it possesses in the highest degree all those elements conducive to rapid and effective fire action is evident enough by tbe crushing effect ot its fire upon the Russians both at tbe Yalu and at Kincbau. Unless the Russians capture one of these guns we are likely to remain in the dark as to its essential features for some time to come.

Colonel Arisaka is now the mechanical genius of tbe Japanese Army, and, like the present field-gun, its excellent rifle is due to him. It is of the Mauser type, like the Russian weapon, with a central magazine to take five cartridges in a clip. The magazine also contains an elevating plate actuated by a spring. If the magazine is empty the soldier is warned of the fact by this plate placing itself in front of tbe moveable head after tbe opening of tbe breech and preventing tbe closing of it. The backsight, without steps, is graduated from 400 to 1200 paces (of 28iu each). With bayonets fixed tbe Japanese rifle is ra f her shorter than tbe Russian, beiDg 5-43 ft against s'7ft. In the latter the bayonet is always carried fixed even during firing, tbe accuracy of which cannot but be serioasly affected thereby, as any one knows who has fired both ways. Tbe weight of the Russian cartridge is 890 grains, that of the clip when full 5-25 ounces. Compared with this the Japanese cartridge is 886 grains, and ths clip loaded weighs four ounces. Thus, as both Russian and Japanese soldier carries 120 cartridges, the weight borne by the former amounts to 510 ounces, against 480 by tbe latter. In addition to this advantage, the Japanese cartridge has a charge of 40 grains of explosive, against 33 in the Russian, giving an initial velocity of 2878 ft, against 2085 f t; tbe consequence being that the Japanese weapon outranges the Russian by nearly 1000 yards, an important matter nowadays, and in the clear atmosphere of Manchuria when the rams are over. It will be thus seen that both in their artillery and infantry equipment tne Japanese have secured notable and material advantages, and when tbe history of the war is written we shall be able to understand more clearly to wbat extent Japan’s consistent success has been due to her unmistakable superiority in this respect.

TO-DAY’S GABLE NEWS

By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.