RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 10302, 9 March 1905, Page 2

RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR.

KUROPA'J'KIN RETREATS. HIS POSITION CRITICAL. JAPS SURE OF MUKDEN. SEVEN DAYS' BATTLE. RUSSIAN RESISTANCE WEAKENING (Press Assn.— By Telegraph.— Copyright.) LONDON, March 8. It i« announced in Tokio Hint possession of Mukden and tlie lime of -Hanbo is already assured, and the railway north of Mukden will be cut. Thirty thousand Japanese we entrench/ed five miles west of Mukden, and others six miles south. Till.? Russians, alarmed, bunned the Government- bufildfcngs prepairatc(ry to retreat. . - Civilian refugees are pouring into Tilling and Siiuninting. Japanea 1 occupi-ed the telegraph office at •Sunshinling. Fighting has been heard far north, of Mukden. Field-Marshal Oyama'a despatches imply th.it Kuvo'u is turning the Knotuling position. It is reported at Tokio tlmt General Kmopatkiu has already commenced a general retreat, and is now partially enveloped ; his position is highly critical bordering on South Mukden. He is calling in the reserves. General Kuropatkin continues to resolutely defend Fusharn. Field-Mnrshnl Oyama reports that slow favorable progress in. Manchunton district, also the repulse of a Russian division near the Imperial tombs. ' The Daily Telegraph's Tokio correspondent reports that General Kttyopatkin's left rear guard, consuiimg of* twenty thousand picked troops, is retiringAdvices from Tokio are to fho effect tluit the Russians on both whW s were outflanked. • . |t The Morning Post says the isßie depends on whether the Japanese ffflfflkiyi are mumericnlly strong enough, to rSJBP grip of the enemy. Ihe Standard reports that 63 officers, 12 engineers, and 2000 seamen at Sevastopol have been ordered to join the remain, der of the Baltic fleet at Libaiu SYDNEY, March 8. Tli© Japanese Consul's cables report that repeated Russian counter attacks on Tita. nmd Munch utun on the 6th were repuked, the Japanese occupying a height two miles south of Muncltubun, and hi the direction of Petvsihu, and occupied heights south of Paitzukou, • driving the enemy towards Snuchiatchu. He also reports that in the direction of Shnho a counter attack was repulsed east of tha railway. Am. engagement is, proceeding on the west of the railway. The Russians are offering a stout resistance on> the right bank of the Humho. A division of Russians with 70 guns were repulsed at Faschichiau.

(Received March 9, 7.23 a.m.) LONDON, March 8. Advices from Niuchwan; state that 1000 Russians are moving southward of the east bank of the Liao to attack the Japanese in the rear. Reuter's Agency at Mukden reports that the Japanese continue their encircling movement. One of their divisions has been further extemßed in the direction' of Tieling. Meanwhile the Japanese maintain a steady attack cm the south frryit. The Russians retain the centre stronghold', but on the south-west arc retreating to their second position. The right wing has been thrown back on the Russian settlement at Mukden. (Received March 9, 7.31 a.m.) LONDON, March 8. The Russians have been fighting seven days' on the defensive. Their resistance on the whole is undoubtedly weakening. Numbers of Japanese wounded have, been brought, to Mukden along the Sinmingting rpaiT. The Times' St. Petersburg correspondent says that the Russians rely on tit© fact that tlie Japanese front extends 100 mites, and conclude that, as at Liuoyung, the enemy will be unable to strike anywhere decisively. General Kuropatkin i this time refuses to leave his positions at a mere menace of communications;' Some attribute General Kuropatkin'e inability to crush a tired! foe as due to frittering his cavalry away on useless recomia Usances. : The present battle is remarkable for the general recourse to heavy ordinance and flanking movements unprecedented in 1 magnitude. ' ' (Received March 9, 9.10 a.m.) The long duration of the battle was foreseen. It is expocted to continue for several dajis. ; Genenvl Kuroki is within two miles of the railway, and is vigorously "bombard, ing Mukden. After two nights' close fighting with hand grenades at Witushan, east of Mukden, General Oku captured the two last villages in the circle farmed by the railway and the Hunhq.. The Russians fiercoly resisted. It is believed they are attempting to hold- the railway at jmy cost until the main army * retires. Riusnan accounts admit that the 'losses exceed those of Lioyang. They claim that the balance of tlw? recent fighting lin-s been to lh<?ir advantage.