The Land Fighting.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXI, Issue 12479, 16 September 1904, Page 3

The Land Fighting.

THE "JAPANESE CASUALTIES.. ' ) United Press Association—Per Electric ■' • ■"; Telegraph—Copyright. .>. ~- ;: v ;.~v.. LONDON, September 14.; Other'-. accounts supplementing that ol General. Kuroki show that the Japanese Btbrmerstat Haiyentai- encountered wires • highly charged with electricity, from which they received severe shocks. . The: Russians also threw hand grenades with terrifying effect. Though Haiyentai'is only a.:guarter of a mile long, the crest of, the slope's and the ravines were literally boney-^ v coined. with , trenches, which proveck a"' veritable" shambles. Blood was smeared every-* where* and it-,was impossible-to. step with--outHf'iiading on bullets, shells, and "twisted dead ;Russians, mown down. ; close 'to 1 ' the trenches/'. : .-...".,' ''«..=■ " •".".•'- - of General Nodzu's regiments lqstf|alj;their higher officers. "-■■ One com- . pany'jwas reduced to 15, and a private comminded. , , •Mr Bennet Burleigh reports that the Japanese losses at SLiao-yang, were 1 nearer 30,000 than 17,000. ~ , GENERAL KURORTS ESCAPE. LONDON, September 14. General Kuroki's forces were fopdless for four days, excepting for raw rice. Correspondents of English newspapers . describe General Kuroki's. narrow escape. At.one stage his communications were cut, and he was only saved by the frontal attack made by General Oku and General - "Nodzu. ■RUSSIAN CONFIDENCE AND LOSSES. CREMATING THE DEAD. 1 '..,.." LONDON, September The Russians were so confident: of vie--tory at Liao-yang that the women in the cafe chantant remained until the battle Wjjs • lalf finished. , The theatres and churches at Harbin are filled with invalids. Thirty-five thousand ■wounded are under treatment. . An-immense fire was -utilised to cremate the. slain at Liao-yang. • ( THE RIVAL ARMIES. __.'., THEIR PRESENT POSITION. LONDON, September 14. The Russians are fortifying both sides of the Liao at Tiehling. Many thousands of Chinese coolies are assisting. Marshal Oyaana reports that a considerable force of .Russians remain south • of Huriho. .'■'"■ The Japanese secretly, -but strongly, holdall the districts along the Liao river ■-up to Shnmingting. ... •"-' FIGHTING IN KAMSCHATKA. '-'

LONDON, September 14. - "A small Japanese detachment hoisted their flag on the west coast of Kamschatka. Later they were defeated, and seventeen ■were killed. Fifty were killed in other engagements on the coast. . , General Luivitch has gone to Vladjvostock, whither 2000 Cossacks and six guns are returning from Hamheung. i ALLIES OF JAPAN. j LONDON, September 14. Large bodies of Chunchuses are cutting off stragglers, and 'preparing to operate] north of Mtikden. ' Many reports from the interior of China show, that the Japanese_ are drilling large sgmies of first-rate quality. THE SIEGE OF ARTHUR. ' ',', ;;fe' V- ; -LONDON,'September 14.- ;'• '-'Thei Japanese are digging .trenches at Port >Arthur, and fresh {forces are constantly i arriving at DalnyV I" JAPANESE TLAN :€F;CAMPAIGN; - LONDON,'September 14. • Ozakiyukno, a-former-Japanese Minister.' states that. Japan, after capturing .Port' A'ftirar and :Vladivost6ck, and driving the fiussiaris north-west, will maintain a quarter of a million troops at strategic points. till peace is declared. THE RUSSIAN COMMANDER'S REPORT. .THE LOSS OF THE GUNS.. < Received 9.44 p.m., September 15th. ■ •; - LONDON, September 15. General Kuropatkin, describing the fighting on the 26th August to September 7th, emphasises the incredible . difficulties the Russian left and 1 centre experienced in retreating from the mountains after the desperate battle of Anping, especially in rescuing the guns. General Kuropatkin described how the guns ;of one battery on his right sank up to the wheels in marshy grounds. The '.efforts of 24 horses and the infantry tugging at the ropes were ineffectual to re-move-them, and they had to be abandoned. After heavy losses, including, the death of General Ratkovsky, detecting General Kuroki's preparation to outflank him on.the left, General Kuropatkin concentrated a large opposing force north of the Taifcse. - Desperate and varying fighting followed. During one night of-the attack the Russian detachments were so mixed and insuch a state of disorder that all unity of -command was destroyed, necessitating a temporary retreat. ' General Kuropatkin describes General Orloff's entanglements in the field round Liao-yang, when General Orloff was wounded and General Formin was killed, resulting in the Japanese occupying the •whole of the ranges up to the Yentai tnines, necessitating a Russian Tetreat on Mukden.

General Kuropatkin adds that the retreat was accomplished on the 7th September, in perfect order. Eight days' commissariat reserves for the whole army were destroyed before Liao-yang was evacuated. All equipment was removed, pontoons were •dismantled,, and the railway bridge was wrecked. .

General- Kiiroki on the night of the sth ■furiously but unsuccessfully attacked the troops holding the pontoons at Talienwan, causing heavy losses, including 500 of one regiment. -.•Afterwards all the fear of a simultaneous attack on the Russian front and left flank disappeared. The artillery transport and baggage were saved in the face of immense difficulties, and under the cover of a strong rearguard of cavalry. Nothing was abandoned after the 30th. .'."'-■

SERIOUS EXPECTED

RUSSIA TO ASSUME THE OFFEN-

' 'Received 10.52 .p.m., September 15th. LONDON, September 15. -General Kuropatkin has telegraphed to a friend that he expects a serious collision shortly, and hopes/to assume a vigorous offensive. ...