A Great Disaster Predicted.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XLVII, Issue 12271, 3 September 1904, Page 5

A Great Disaster Predicted.

Cnited Piviss Aasooiation—Copyright.

Received iSeptember 2, 7.32 a.m. LONDON, September 1. The 'Ruiasia-ns have evacuated Talien Pass, abandoning ithe vailley after a lively cartfillery engagement. The unknown strength of the Japanese forces up the Li&o River is occasioning -General Kuropatkin much anxiety. G-s/rmian military critics takes a very unfavourable! vtisw of the Russian situatd'on. They complain thai 'General Kuropatkiii'is (tactics do not exhibit the* energetio initiative action which is necessary Itto prevent the Japanese concen-titoit-ng around a position which is strategically weak. It is declared tihat unless the Russians are victorious all along the line, a great disaster is impending. The Customs Commissioner at Chifu detiained the Japanese steamer Independent, laden wlftOi foodstuffs for Niu_ chwang. A Japanese destroyer hurriedly arrived. It is believed to have been proved thiat the Independent had' ten million yen aiboard to pay General Kurbki's army. Lord Lamsd&wne, replying to the Chamber of Shipping, said that a satisfactory solution of the question connected with tihe riglhte of neutrals with regard to canrmeiioa was hnimense/ly di'.fficult while viai* wais in active progress. The Government had reason to believe •that their strong representations to the Russian Government w€fl.*e receiving the consideration they were entitled to ex■pect.