WAR IN THE EAST.

Western Star, 20 May 1904, Page 3

WAR IN THE EAST.

London May 17. Washington has received advice that a great battle is imminent around

Liaoyang. Sharp skirmishing is proceeding between the Japanese vanguard and the retreating Russians. The increasing aggression of the Chunchuses is causing great anxiety in St Petersburg. Armed Chinese expelled Russian troops from the railway coal mines at Port Adams, and looted the works. Russian military authorities assert that the Japanese are trying to drive Kouropatkin's army into Mongolia, where the Chinese forces will be able to attack them without breach of neutrality. Niuchwang has been completely evacuated.

Advices from St. Petersburg have been received in Paris that General Kouropatkin is expected to retire on Harbin, with twelve thousand men, to await reinforcement. He calculates that the Japanese will be six weeks reaching Harbin, and will there find a quarter of a million Russians. Kouropatkin reports that the Japanese bombarded Suingyucheng, land ed a force at the village of Hnangtsiatung and marched in the direction of Kaipang. Le Temps states that Kouropatkin wishes to abandon Port Arthur and retire to Harbin, being unable to defend Liaoyang with only 60,000 men in the fighting line. Alexiff insists that Port Arthur is impregnable and the Czar's entourage sufforfc Alexieff. The appearance of considerable bodies of the enemy in the northwest region of Manchuria causes military in St Petersburg to believe that the Japs are trying to bar Kouropatkin's retreat northward, while the main Japanese force is hurled against Liaoyang and Mukden. Some reports state that 20,000 Japanese have landed at Kaichau.

Reuter's Mukden correspondent staies that the Japanese troops have appeared thirty miles north-east of the Mukden line. Loi'd Lansdowne states that Russia has notified that cotton will be regarded as contraband of war. The Japanese are within fifteen miles of Haichang. Colonel Gatick, correspondent of the Berlin ,'Tageblatt," telegraphs from Mukden that the Japanese are advancing parallel to the railway from Niuchwang and Liaochang. Their right is moving cautiously and the left wing is advancing with persistence. Strong bodies of Russian cavalry are watching both flanks. Rain prevails and the roads are very bad. News has been received in Rome that two Japanese division, near Mukden, intercept General Kouropatkin's retreat. neuter states that the Russians exploded all the buildings, breakwaters, piers, and docks at Dalny. The land approaches to Port Arthur are heavily mined. General Oko reports that the railway was cut in five places north of Port Arthur between sth and 17. The Japanese on 16th, after serious fighting, drove a battalion of Russians with eight guns, off the line of hills from Chickaton to Chulsan, near Kinchau. The Russians retreated southwards. The Japanese casualties numbered 146, including nine officers wounded. The Japanese are constructing field works near Penguencheng.