JAPANESE DOCTOR INTERVIEWED.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 10137, 25 August 1904, Page 3

JAPANESE DOCTOR INTERVIEWED.

PORT ARTHUR AND LIAOYANG TO FALL.

THE LAST FIGHT THIS YEAR

Dr. Askishu. the surgeon of the Yawata Maru, when seen by a press representative on arrival of the Japanese mail stennicr at Brisbane last week, said that the "steamer Kasuga Maru, which made several trips to Australia, is being used as mother-ship to the Japanese torpedoers. Questioned concerning Port Arthur, Dr. Akishu said tliat the Japanese wero not m a. hurry to capture the place. Their object was" to. strike and defeat the Russian main force at the' same time. The Japanese believed that if Port Arthur iell the B.ussiahs wouhLat once comi^nce to retire to Harbin, and they did

The Russian army, he said, Avas nearly surrounded at Liaoyang by the Japanese second, third and fourth armies, so that the Japs now can proceed to press heavily against Port Arthur. He said thaithere were not more than 40,000 to 50,000 Japanese troops around Tort Arthur. Tho peninsula Avas so small that if more Avere sent they would be too crowded. The Japanese people kneAv two months ago that when Port Arthur fell the Russians Avould bo seA'erely defeated near Liaoyang. He belieA'ed that news of these events would folloAV closely, and people m Japan were waiting anxiously for the fall of the port. After the fall of Port. Arthur and the capture of Liaoyang there would not be any more serious fighting this year, because General Kuropatkin Avouid retreat to Harbin, or even further north, to Avinter. and the Japs could! not follow them ro far at present, as the weather Avas getting very cold. He thought the Japanese might also take Vladivostock during the year, but after the eA'ents mentioned there would not be any big battle. Asked if he thought the recent escape of the Port Arthur squadron Avould interfere Avith the shipping between Australia and Japan, he said that it Avould not m the slightest degree, as the special Japanese squadron Avas placed m the Formosa Channel to protect tlie Japanese trade with Hongkong, Singapore, the United States and other places.