The Land Fighting.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXI, Issue 12477, 14 September 1904, Page 3

The Land Fighting.

THE RUSSIANS RETIRING. CRITICISM BY CORRESPONDENTS. KUROKI'S TURNING MOVEMENT. .THE JAPANESE BESTING. LONDON, September 12. - The Russians continue to retire towards Tiehling. rThe Japanese advance slowly. ..Their main forces are reported to be at Yental The." Times "correspondent with General Oku says that there was nothing strategically excellent about the ■ handling of either army at Liaoyang. The Russians prevented, the attainment of the Japanese main object of surrounding GeneralKuropatkin.' The Russians commit the cardinal- error of overmanning the defensive position, and though the Japanese infantry are the finest in the world, they rely too much upon sledge-hammer frontal attacks. Mr Bennet Burleigh, the " Daily Telegraph's" correspondent, declares that the battle at Liaoyang was the fiercest artillery attack in the history of warfare. The - Japanese fired daily tens of thousands of shells, and their supply seemed inexhaustible. Half, of General Kuropatkin's troops fiercely assailed General Kuroki, trying to cut between him and General Nodzu. For two days the position was precarious; only General Oku's magnificent assaults saved the situation. Russian accounts say that General Kuroki's turning movement caused the evacuation of Liaoyang. Telegraphing on September Bth, air, Bennet Burleigh adds that General Kuroki's army has been drawn in, and is now encamped five miles north-east of Liao-" yang. A BRILLIANT BUT BARREN VICTORY. AWFUL CONDITION OF NON-COM-BATANTS. „.VAST CAMPS OF JAPANESE. Beceived 10.10 p.m., September 13th. ■-. LONDON, September 13. . Reuter's Liaoyang correspondent reports that the Japanese victory, though brilliant, is barren, and that the Japanese are likely to remain practically stationary for some time awaiting reinforcements and supplies of food and ammunition. Many non-combatants were wounded at Liaoyang, and their condition is awful. The Russians would not permit them to. /leave when the fighting began close to the walls of LiaoyaDg. The Japanese complain that the Russians tise bullets of the dumdum type.

General Sakaharoff reports that there are only a few Japanese north of the railway to the Yentai mines, but vast camps to the southward. THE CAPTURE OP THE REAR ..'.■. GUARD. KUROKI'S ADVANCE CHECKED. RUSSIA WILL FIGHT TO THE END. 7 Received 10.15 'p.m., September 13th. LONDON, September 13. General; Oyama reports that a largo force of Rusaan cavalry are at Pintaitzu, 24 miles east.; of Yentai. The "Morning Post" reports that official Russian despatches have been received at London announcing that General SassUlitch was severely wounded and captured with 3000 of the rearguard south of Hunho. Other commanders- checked General Kuroki's advance. The Russians cut General Ktiroki's ■ communications on Friday, and were only repulsed by the arrival of reinforcements. The Japanese- were with : out drink or food, excepting dry rice, the whole day.

The "Daily Express" states that the Czar informed Prince Louis of Battenburg on the occasion of the Czarevitch's christening that the war would continue while a> Russian soldier and rouble were left.