WAR.

Woodville Examiner, Volume XXII, Issue 3666, 22 February 1904, Page 2

WAR.

0 DECISIVE BATTLE PROBABL . ANOTHER TORT ARTHUR EiGl : London, l'\R. 18. The Japanese expect that a sr ;h----cieut garrison is being left to ; - Sect Port Arthur. The Russi; • * will concentrate their main forces a: Harbin, and it is expected that a decisive battle will occur near Kb in. Once established at Harbin, Jaw -' will command the railway line to Yladivostock. [Harbin appears on the map as Kharvin the Vladivostock-Port Arthur junction of the Trans-Siberian line ; and Kirin is a town on the Surrevi River, which touches the line at a. point about 150 miles on the Vladivostok side of Kharvin junction.] Six hundred Cossacks crossing Lake Baikal suffered severely from frost, and some died of cold. Advices from Tokio state that eight transports with troops and many cargo vessels with stores have gone to the west coast of Korea, and patrols of cavalry have already lauded at Wigu. An official report from Tokio states that the torpedo destroyers attacked the Port Arthur Squrdron on the 14th, in a blinding snowstorm, and disposed of two Russian warships. A Russian telegram states that during the action a twelve-inch shell struck the Volunteer Fleet steamer Kasan on-the upper works, causing a slight fire, which was extinguished. No casualties resulted. It is reported that two Japanese torpedoes, co-operating with others at Port Arthur on the 14th, remained to attack the Russian warships. Details wired from Tokio regarding the Port Arthur attack on the 14th state ihat only two destroy vs, the Asageri and the Hayatoi i, boloi gitig to Rear-Admiral’sNagaTs flotil'a, reached the Russian ships. The Asageri at 5 o’clock in the morning encountered a violent fire from the fortresses and also from the enemy's scouting vessels. She discharged a torpedo at a Russian warship and, after destroying a scouting wssii, returned safely. The Hayatori arrived at 5 o’clock, advanced to the harbour mouth, and torpedoed Ti ships inside, amidst the enemy’s fir-.-, and finally rejoined the flotilla unharmed. Admiral Togo, reporting uprn k .■? attack, anticipates that its u. a s : effect upon the enemy will be ei,c ■ - eellent. A junk brought to Cbefa 38 of i;.x* Japanese who were wounded at v. Arthur on the 14th, Other j'■ = . recovered additional wounded. An impression prevails at Se, s', e that a third engagement haa ■ curred at Port Arthur. Lieuc.-Gsneral Sir W. G. Nil b ison, Director-General of Milit’ v Intelligeoce, is to be attached tc : o Japanese forces to watch opera-urns on behalf of the British; and a naval officer is to be attached at Tokio. Mr H. N. Allen, American Mi enter in Korea, cables that Korea has declared Wigu open io tho conmm.Cj of the world. ADMIRAL STARK’S SUCCESS j. .’. ANTICIPATES WARM WORK. A DASTARDLY OUTRAGE. St. Petersburg, Feb. 18. The departure of the popular Admiral Makaroff to relieve Admiral Stark on the China station was an impressive ceremony. He received the Sacrament from the hands of i Father John of Kronstadt. Replying to a subsequent ovation Admiral Marakoff said there was warm work to do out there and the Russians must be united now. 1 A staff of engineers and naval architects accompanies Admiral Makaroff. While Armenian clergy were celebrating a patriotic service, after a prayer was offered for the success of the Russian arms, and during the singing of the National Anthem, a bomb was thrown towards the clergy. It killed three members of the congregation and injured several others. The Czar and Czarina witnessed the departure of regiments for the Far East. The Czar blessed the troops, warning them that their loe was brave, confident and crafty. London, Feb. 18. Russia, in acquiescing in the principle of Colonel Hay’s Note, makes reservations concerning the territory leased to Russia or covered by the Chinese eastern railway; Advices from Gottlaud Island, Sweden, state that six Russian warships have passed Gape Haborg southwards. The iiansa has arrived at Ts.'ngran. Admiral Alexieff’s allegation that tho Japanese fired on the Hansa is j officially contradicted from Berlin. Tho injuries sustained by the volunteer fleet steamer Kasan suggest a long range fire from the Japanese attack or damage from the I Russian guns. Cossacks at Niuchwang insulted the American Consul and commanders of the British sloop of war h.spigle and the American gunboat Helena. Russia has promised m paration for the incident. Advices from Pekin report tlvt many Japanese scouts are inspect the country at the head of the G \!f of Liaotong. Denmark has refused Russia p n'mission to coal, and has summ m ,d | two thousand reserves to protee-. lu-r, ports. j Russia has abandoned tho fivv < previously obtained at the St. L. u J. Exhibition and Japan immedia; iy I secured it. ' Japan has agreed to the prop:)-- G contained in Colonel Hay’s _ N v.-1 reserving the right of action in . ■ event of Russia violating Chin.; territory. The American Admiralty un V stands that the Japanese torpad.v j Hayatori torpedoed the Rn ifi ... cruiser Boyariti at Port Arthur on the 14th.

j Later advices confirm tbe reported I organisation of bands of Cbunchuses | tribesmen, under Japanese leaders, iin order to simultaneously attack i tbe Siberian railway. | Tbe Russian gunboat Mandgur j remains at Shanghai though she has been ordered to leave, alleging that j she is awaiting the Admiral’s instructions. r J he Austrian cruiser Kaiserin Elizabeth, now at Batavia, has been ordered to abandon tbe proposed | Australian cruise and proceed to tbe Gulf of Pechili, A STARTLING COMMUNICATION. RUSSIAN BEWILDLRMENT. SOME CONTRADICTORY STATEMENTS. London, Feb. 19. The Times’ Tokio correspondent states that the Russian forces at Liauyaug are advancing to Yalu. Bennett Burleigh says that repairs to the Retvisan are not being attempted, and the vessel is being utilised as a battery. A communique from St. Petersburg declares that the distance of the territory treacherously attacked, and the Czar’s desire to maintain peace were the causes of the impossibility of preparation for war a long time in advance, and much time.was necessary to strike Japan a blow worthy of Russia’s might and dignity. The communique has excited amazement in Yunna. It is regarded as betraying almost bewilderment.

The Times says the communique 3 is intended to prepare Eussian people 5 for the falling back of the Eussian troops ou their bases. The paper says the indefinite postponement of the military operations must leave ! Port Arthur and Vladivostok to fall > by starvation or assault'and leave behind the whole of the Eussian ’ j pres ige in the Far East, to say ■ j nothing of the tremendous blow to ' Eussian prestige everywhere. I The Daily Mail states that Prince ' i Alexieff is fortifying Harbin as the 1 j base of a large army, and that he > f"hopes, after Port Arthur sustains a i seige, to advance overwhelmingly ■ against the Japanese. The Japanese Consul has received tn-day the following cable from the 1 Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs: The Times' Pekin correspondent reports that Prince Alexieff, on the 14th inst., sent the following official message:—“Disabled: Tsarevitch, Pallada, Eetvisan, Askold, Nevik, Sevastopol and Petropaulovsk. The ' Japanese were driven from the railway near Chinchow. The Russians ; admit 70 killed, but claim to have taken 150 prisoners. The Russians ! have 11 ships out of action, the cruiser Borayin being slightly damaged. Fifteen Japanese ships ■ are disabled. A Japanese surveying party which landed at Pigeon Bay ! are reported to have been destroyed.” ! The Japanese Minister makes tha ■ following remarks in reference to • Prince Alexieff s message “ So far as the Japanese reverses are concerned the above information is untrue, because no attempt has : been made to effect a lauding, consequently it was not possible for any prisoners to have been taken. There ■ have been no Japanese warships disabled.” The torpedoing of the Russian cruiser Boyarin is confirmed. The scouting vessel destroyed in the Japanese attack on Port Arthur , on the 14th was a torpedo destroyer. 1 All the Japanese boats returned to t their base safely. I The Russians detained at Port ? Arthur for five days 400 Japanese, I including many women and children, t almost foodless and waterless, i The Russian communique that , land operations were not expected for <(some time caused a sharp decline in the Paris and Berlin bourses. A telegram from semi-official sources at Port Arthur declares that . i the war is the result of an agitation of the Chauvinistic party iu Japan • and British machinations, and is unpopular with the majority of Japanese. The cable between Port Arthur ' and Chifu has been cut. The Japanese captured the Russian East Asiatic Company’s 60J0 ’ ton steamer Manchurian, laden with munitions of war for Port Arthur. Replying to a Cardiff firm’s inquiry, LordLausdowne said that coal was not, per se, contraband of war, but if destined for warlike as opposed to industrial use, may become contraband. A prize Court would determine whether, iu any particular case, coal was contraband, and so long as the decision did not conflict with the established principles and the aules of international law Britain would not take exception thereto. CONFUSION AT POET ARTHUR. r RUSSIA’S PRETENCE. “BRITAIN CAUSED DISASTER.” SUCCESS OF JAPANESE LOAN. Sydney, Feb. 20. An official message to the Japanese Consul states that, at Port Arthur, matters are reported to be in terrible confusion. Mounted brigands and other Russians are looring the town. All the Russian storekeepers and their assistants have been armed to resist the marauders. London, Feb. 19, American and Continental newspapers declare that it is too late for j Russia to pretend that she was unf prepared for war, and accuse Japan | of treachary, after she herself was 1 building railways, collecting stores, land massing troops and warships. I Many Eussian newspapers ageuse | Britain of causing flic disaster. 1 Reuter’s agency reports that Rus--1 sinii official circles believe Germany will ultimately assist Russia. Admiral Rozhoistenz, Chief of the .Navy Staff, dcclaiei that Russia is unable to send all the officers who j arc wanted at Port Arthur, as, possit ' h!y, th ,y maybe need ;d in the j Baltic A Socialist Uougrcos at St Etiang

strongly condemns intervention in the war, and advocates the development of good relations with Britain. Prince Ferdinand has assured Sir B. J. Buchanan, British hiany a' Sofia, that Bulgaria will assist in the pacification of the Balkans, as she relies upon the resolve of the Powers to superintend the sincere execution of refoimsM. Kokov7,ov has replaced M. Pleske us Russian Minister of Finance. Pieske is transferred to the Council of the Empire. The Japanese domestic loan of ten millions sterling, to be issued in March, has already been covered two-fold. Advices from Seoul state there are two thousand Russians near Wiju and three thousand at Chin-lien-ching, five miles higher up, and on the Manchurian bank of the Yala river. The Japanese Consul has received official information that the Russians, on the Bth inst., prevented all the Japanese from leaving Port Arthur. From the Bth to the_ 14th they were kept aboard the British steamers Wenchow and Henchow and not allowed to reland or depart. Those on the Henchow, numbering over 300, endured indescribable hardships owing to the shortage of water, the Russians ignoring the re quest to supply provisions, which were also short. On the loth, 108 Japs, who arrived from Harbin, were robbed of all their money and luggage by the Russians en route. The steamers were allowed to depart on the evening of the 14tb, and arrived at Cbifu next day. Admiral Alexieff has liberally bestowed decorations. He declares his forces are eager to confront an insolent foe. The captain of the Coreetz, writing a month before the Chemulpo fight, declared Russia was ready for a tussle. He expected that Japan would attack before there was a declaration of war. The Japanese have captured the Okotsk - Kamachatka Company’s steamers Kolik and Beboik. The Times’ Tokio correspondent states the Russian shells break up against the Japanese armour white the Japanese shells, with Shimose powder, are efficient and destructive. NEW ZEALANDDEFENCE. ATiT, LEAVE CANCELLED. DRILLING NIGHT AND DAY. LARGE MINE ABOUT TO BE LAID. Wellington, Feb. 20. Owing to the unsettled state of affairs in the Far East the defence authorities refuse extended leave to all officers and men in the permej manent forces. They are drilling night and day, and the submarine defences are being over-hauled, and the largest mine field ever made in the colony is about to be laid down in the Wellington harbour. THE DAMAGED RUSSIAN WARSHIPS. The following Russian warshigs have, up to the present, been damaged, some of them being put out of action; — Pallada (sunk): Protected cruiser (6G30 tons) : speed, 20 knots; G guns; launched 1899. Retvisan (torpedoed and grounded): battleship (12,700 tons); speed, IS knots ; 16 guns; launched 1900. Tsarevitch (torpedoed and grounded): battleship (13,100 tons); speed, 18 knots; 16 guns; launched 1901. Poltava (damaged at waterline): battleship (10, 950 tons); speed, 17 knots ; 16,guns; launched 1894. Askold (sunk): Protected cruiser (6500 tons); speed, 23 knots; 12 guns; launched 1900. Diana (damaged at waterline): Protected cruiser (6630 tons); speed 20 knots; 6 guns; launched 1899. Novik (damaged at waterlinel; protected cruiser (3000 tons); speed 25 knots; 6 (4.7 in) guns; launched 1900, Varyag (sunk); protected cruiser (6500 tons); speed 23 knots; 12 guns: launched 1899. ■ Coreetz (sunk); gunboat (1213 tons); speed 13£ knots; 3 guns ; launched 1886, Razboynik (captured) corvette (1339 tons); speed 13 knots; 3 guns; launched 3878. Sevastopol (put out of action): battleship (10,960 tons) ; speed 174 knots; 16 guns; launched 1895. Petropaulovsk (put out of action): battleship (10,960 tens); speed 16.3 knots; 16 guns; launched 1894. Only heavy guns are included in above particulars.