SIEGE OF PORT ARTHUR.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 10141, 30 August 1904, Page 2

SIEGE OF PORT ARTHUR.

DESPERATE FIGHTING.

JAPS WITHIN MAIN DEFENCES

Preas Assn.— By Telegraph.— Copyright.

LONDON, August 29: v Several reports tliat Port Arthur has^ been captured! have not been confirmed, but apparently tlie Japanese have penetrated Commanding positions. Tlie Russian ships have been scattered about the harbor hoping to avoid shells. The machine shops and dockyard have been severely damaged. Marines quitted the ships for the purpose of working on the land batteries. The Pobieda alone is mentioned as m fighting condition. The Daily Chronicle reporls that tl»e Japanese are now within the main defences.

Twenty tlkousand more Japanese have landed at Dalny m readiness to go north or reinforce the besiegers. There are many instances of desperate assault. One heroio band of 500 undertaking to storm No. 5 fort recently were practically annihilated. The Japanese failed to cross any moat m the vicinity of Port Arthur. The Japanese seized the hill beliind Itshan, and artificially, raised its level by piling up sandbags wliereon guns were mounted, which reduced the northernmost fort of the eastern line of defences. They expect lo enter Port Arthur from the north. . Many fresh European! troop's have rein- " forced! General Kuropatkin, reviving the spirit of the northern army. The brunt of the recent fighting fell upon the Siberian regiments. The Japanese at Langtsechan commanded -the. Russian position, forcing back the centre and right wing, and'compelling them to evacuate Anshanlian, where tlie Russian casualties were 300. Six guns were abandoned attTsekan. The rapid advance of the Japanese! has brought the fighting line within ten miles east by south of Liaoyang. The Russians, referring to the fightnig m the mountains, admit that the Japanese are able to defeat them m detail, but claim that a gradual retirement renders the position safer. It is reported at Tokio thai General Kurqki has occupied a section of the: railway southward! of Mukden across General Kuropatkin's direct line of retreat. •

The Japanese Government entirely re- , serves the recently-discovered goldn'eldii, at I\y.ote. The yield is officially estimated i at 100 million sterling, and an annual yield of 30 million yen. Operations will shortly be begun on the fields. A joint Admiralty and Foreign Affairs Commission at St. Petersburg is preparing within a. week a list of conditional and absolute contraband to meet Britain's and America's views.

• Dr. Morrison, the Times' correspondent, says the Kaiser's leaning towards Russia is attributed to the fear that Japan's success will jeopardise Germany's efforts to establish herself m Shantung, which, is analagous to Russia m Manchuria. The doctor adds that Germany is unceasingly active m the •Yangtze, provinces. The German Consul^ believing that the Shanghai-Hongchow British railway concession will la.pse, is endeavoring to secure its reversion to Germany, with concessions m the Yangtze Valley, so as to counteract wliat.it ' describes as Britain's efforts to obtain a preferential position. German agents are busy refitting arsenals and supplying munitions to the viceroys of nearly every province.