THE WAR.

Gisborne Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1368, 1 February 1905, Page 3

THE WAR.

general items. By Telegraph—Presß Assooiatlon— Oopyrlßht London, Jan. 30. Marshal Oyama state* that ho eugage f on Saturday on b; 9 ‘ B “ *"° d oorps> two -• the Russians eighth division brigades of European nU- on o duu jon of the tenth array corps, part o - * . , Of T#vo infantry, and two divisions of '£• •/? Last a»borian rifles. __ , t nn . ■ Aftor.'oconpying Lintiuolcan tho P •'* ■ dsq twice repulsed strong cou Suoa.y -h. iaoked and captured positions at f lls “ l *- sotz two miles north of Hakanta.. and repulsed several violent counter aW"** B ’ ; On Saturday night, after tho capture of , Hakautai, which tho Japanese retain, the j Russian artillery retreated the Hunho. Tho Japanese, pu;/ them, Jrepulsed ropoated Russian (Saturday night in the direction*

•ijohiebpa and Litajontun. . ><t 1. The Russians lost 500 prisoners, racludLv4ng some otllcers. _,. ' . ~ „ %. It is officially reported at Tokio tbSS the Japanese casualties afc Chonchie pa Hakautai were 5000, and tho Rusjans 10 £5enoral Kuroki reports;.-that Gonoral Kuropatkin’s attempt General Oku’s left was a complete-failure. ■V Japanese kites covered with photographs kind treatment the Russian prisoners',aro receiving have fallen into the . Russiafi lines. L/ % JAPAN’S DENIAL. ®y Telegraph—Press Aesoolatlon—Copyright , f) Received 9.30 p.m., Jan 31. ■ a Washington,'Jan 31. j Japan, in a dote to the (United States, repels Russia’s accusation that she is trying to involve China in the war. She I- -, -doPos employing Chunchuses, or instruct- / ing Chinese soldiers, and cites conspicuous instances of Russia’s violation of Chinese neutrality.

FURTHER FIGHTING. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Received 11.51 p.m., Jan 31. London, Jan. 31. i* •' Two Japanese divisions attacked four Russian divisions at Pokevvtai. driving them across the Hunho and capturing 600. The Russians are making a stuboorn stand further along the bank of the river. r' The Japs are still trying to surround them. ' Field Marshal Oyama reports that on Sunday night there were continuous collisions of scouting parties on the Japanese centre and right, bat no noteworthy 'changes. On the Japanese left the Russians maintain an iuoraasmg but inefficient cannonade. The main body of Russians who attacked CheDchiapa and Hoikanta retreated towards Sufangnai, 10 mil6S t north-east of Changtan. A great number Of Russian dead were left behind. The Rnssiana profess to have achieved 'their object of ascertaining the strength of the Japs left, but it is believed the advance as a political diversion was ordered from St. Petersburg. NEWS BY MAIL. (Per s.s. Sierra at Aucklaud.) San Francisco, Jan 13. Conversing at the surrender of Port Arthur, General S.toessel informed General Noin that the last heard from General Knropatkin was oh October 6, when the commander of the Manchurian army said he would soon come to the relief of Port Arthur. General Stoessel said he sent out Chinese spies, who reported that Kuropat- J bin, with the relieving army, was at Kinchow, 20 miios north of Port Arthur. General Stoessel listened with evident incredulity to the statement by General Nogi that Kuropatkin had been defeated and; driven back towards Mukden. General/,j Nogi produced a map, which showed the-V positions of the Russian and Japanese, J armies near the Shakho river, and recited/ the story of Kuropatkin’s defeat. He/,,1 eaid the Russian losses were 50,000 and 60,000. General Stoessel ox-/ 1•" pressed amazement, and quietly remarked, f ' v that he had been mislead. V The first attack on Port Arthur by the/^ 1 Japanese fleet la February was a - rneriflotis surprise to the Russians as the, fnrfis w?re then only partly completed, and ' were by only 2000 to 3000,' tr °A P3 long Russian garrison V B3 apathetic\speotacle.

Tbs first arrivals at Changlingtzu wore four droskios, drawn' by Borry-lookiug horrOß. They contained the staff officers who refused to give tboir parolo. All wore their swords as allowed under tho terms of tho capitulation. A few minutes later the first dotach-

mont arrivod. Bogimontol officers marched with thoir men, with heads bowod, their faces seamed with lines showing tho result of the montal and physical strain undergone during tho long defence. Tho Japan--030 soldiers orowded about thorn with evident curiosity. Tho faces of tho Russian officers formed an interesting study. All appeared to feel tboir humiliating position keenly. Though some seemed resigned to the situation, others were resontful at being regarded as a curiosity. Tho men looked well-fed, but their faoes. liko tho oflioers’, indicate the awful phy eioal strain they had undergone. Tho officers were clean and well clothed, and tho men were clad in dirty-looking sheepskin coats.

Horsts drawing the transport carts, staggering with fatigue, though tho loads were small, were tied to the carts and led by orderlies. In the procession were many lean-looking pet dogs belonging to tho officers.

In many cases the officers refused to wear their swords, and had them carried by orderlies. The prisoners were treated with tho greatest respect and kindnesß, though regarded with much natural curiosity. Tho soldiers wore given food, oignrottos, and beer, tho Japanese soldiers voluntarily carrying the effects of the prisoners when they woro overcome with fatigue.

Tokio, January 10. ' Information which haa reached certain reliable quarters here states : ■Russian generals in Manchuria arc losing confidence in General K-uropat-kin, and tho Russian- situation- around Mukden* is a serious one. ft is feared that if General Kuropatkin attacks the Japanese positions alo-ng tho Shat he river lie will court disaster, and his further retreat wilL then mean the demoralisation of liis army. This information goes on to say -that -there is constan t bickering at itlio Russian Manchurian headiq',uar•ters and the soldiers are discontented, their dissatisfaction beginning with the series of retreats after the -battle of -Val-ango-w, anid the withdrawal from Liaoyang when it is believed that it was possible to bold that place. The climax came with the Russian defeat at the battle at tlie Sbak-hc river, following General Kur.opatkin’s strongly-worded order directing a forward movement, ■dated October 2nd. This defeat brought a storip of criticism on the Commander-in-Chicf, and resulted in discord among the officers. The lon-g inaction, the information alleges, is undermining the morale of the Russian army, and it is pointed out that recent skirmishes and outpost 'brushes indicate that the Russian soldiers are becoming disheartened, as they do nob show: their former •fighting qualities. 'Phe siege guns to he sen t to Manchuria from Port Arthur will probably be placed in advanced positions, for the purpose ol’ enabling the Japanese to shell far into the Russsian lines. ST* PETERSBURG, Jan 1. The unmistakeahle grief -.of the people at the fall of Port Arthur is •also accompanied by undeniable mu litterings against the Government. Tho papers are openly, blaming vhe military censorships for keeping the public in the dark as to the true situation of the fortress, aid allowing its surrender to come as a surprise. They, arc -using this as a text;

to show the necessity l'o-r taking the people into the Government’s confidence, and are continuing their attacks on -bureaucracy, whoie bloodless lips repeat tho same old lie [whenever it is' proposed that the Sovereign should hear the voice of the people. The Russ also says [that had tho Japanese been able to cut off the last train which reached

JPort Arthur the blockade would have found the fortress worse freparod. iThe Russ declares- that the nation’s well-wishers could not tolerate the idea of peace, but added t-iat no victory is possible with disunion at home, anid insists that Japan is counting as much on tho possibility of a revolution in Russia is- upon her own army -a/n-d strategists! Therefore it is vital to conivjn.ce -Japan if live war is to be pushed until the enemy's resources are exhausted that the whole Russian nation will be solid, which, however, will oily ho possible by allowing the real representatives ‘of the nation tc speak. Well, may these few remaining

heroes say wo have done ou: duty : but y-ou of the people of St. Petersburg and of Russia have you done all you could and should h-avt done '!■.

Tho Buss concludes: “ Russii cnnno afford to bo quiet during a losing fight Tho time has now coma for everj one to put bis shoulder to the wheel and redeem our prestige in the East. Tha paper bluntly attributes to the effect of the muzzling regime under tho late llinister of tho Interior, Von Plebvo, and the fact that the nation was not fully wawed beforehand of the real conditions to bo faced at tho opening of the war, and abo says that the press is now more fully abio to point out their needs and urge the nation to activity. After bestowing a tribute on the defenders of Port Arthur, the Novoe Vremya says that, “ Tho uuproparadness of the fortress,which now stands confessed before the world reads us a lessen on what Russia must do and how she must change her methods to achieve victory. It a'so shows Japan what she hasunder;skrn when such enormous losses are enlailod in capturing even a small empty handed garrison, driven to the last ditch. Rjssia has had six months of hard but valiable experience in the war, under the new conditions imposed by modern technical requirements. It will be a valuable re. newal of agitation on this line alone in spite of the official waning that it is extremely significant, nnd nay foreshadow tho coming crisis. Indeed a prominent writer Issues a warning h as many words that unless the peopleare taken into tho Government’s confidence in its ultimate purposes it faces inevitable disaster at home. In the adjoining Town Council of Moscow, Prince Galitzin, ihe Mayor, declared that tho war was ihe greatest evil which had faefallon Rustic and expressed a hope that God world grant the poace which Russia so rntch needed. The Mayor’s statement was greeted with cheers. There was a demonstration in frontof the . Grand Duke ' Sergius'palace to dey. Crowds paraded Jn -the vicinity of tie Stone Palaco and cried 11 Down wish war!” ~T- ■ (Russia), Jan 4. The: ■ nobility of Novgorod have memorialised tho'Thronq to summon a reprjeebtqtivpy'body so as- to safeguard tie