THE WAR.

Manawatu Herald, 17 March 1904, Page 2

THE WAR.

RUSSIAN TROOPS FOR THE

FRONT

DISTRESS IN MANCHURIA.

General Kuropatkin, in an interpredicted that Russia would be done with Japan at the end of July, and he would sign peace £tt Tokio after marching through the Island. Thd fifteenth Russian Army Corps from Moscow arid the tenth from Kharkoff are going to the front. The Army Corps from the Caucasus proceeds to Turkestan, and will be replaced by troops from the Volga and Tiflis districts.

Russians seized all food supplies in Manchuria, and the natives are starving in some parts, and generally are undergoing great hardships. The military governor of Kirin being unable to relieve the distress, Committed suicide. The Russians believe that the Japanese, in the bombardment of Port Arthur on the 10th, used Rus sian shells captured aboard the steamer Manchuria.

Two of the Retviaan’s engineers were killed. The Dmitri Donskoi and other Russian warships which drd patrolling the Mediterranean stopped and delayed a German steamer and several British steamers, including a mail steamer from China.

HOW PORT ARTHUR WAS , ATTACKED.

JAPANESE. ACCOUNT OP THE * FIGHT.

The Japanese Consul has received the following official report of Admiral Togo’s attack da the 10th inst:—

“ Our destroyer squadron which attacked Port Arthur consisted of two divisions, Which reached the outside port aboitt midnight on the 9th. There were Ho signs of the enemy at dawn on the 10th.

“ Division ‘ B,’ notwithstanding prompt attacks from the forts, sue needed id placing several special mechanical mines in the vicinity without receiving any damage. “ Division * A ’ encountered six of the enemy’s destroyers south of Laoteshan.

“ There was severe fighting for about twenty midiltes. The Arashima, Kasumi, and the Akatsuvi got close enough to the enemy’s ships to touch them and made a furious attack. The enemy received great damage, some of the vessels having their engines destroyed while others took firp.

“ They then retreated. “ Our ships received more or less damage, the casualties being; Killed, seven non-commissioned officers ; wounded, Lieut. Minamisawa and eight others. “ The auxiliary steam pipe of the Akatsuki was destroyed and. four firemen were killed on the spot, but all our ships ara still fit for naviga tion and service.

“At 7 am. division ‘B,’ which was retiring outside the port to get two of the enemy’s destroyers, which were making for the harbour, attacked them and prevented them entering. One narrowly escaped bub the other, the Bt. Reguschtchin, was disabled and captured by the Sazanmi. An attempt was made to tow her, but she was leaking so fast and the sea was so rough that the towline was cut. The Sazanami took the prisoners aboard and abandoned the prize, which sank. “ The damage to the ‘ B ’ division was slight. Two men were killed, and Second Lieut. Shima and three others were wounded. During the engas'ement the Russian ships Novik and Bayan came out of the harbour and proceeded towards division B, but seeing nur ; cruisers approaching they retreated inside the harbour. “At 8 a.m. our main squadron and the cruiser squadron. proceeded outside the port. “ Then the cruiser squadron made for the entrance to protect the destroyers, while the main squadron steamed to the vicinity of Laoteshon and kept up a continuous fire on the enemy’s forts from 10 a.m. to 1.40 p.m. “ The enemy’s batteries responded now and then, but without inflicting the slightest damage on our ships. A detachment of cruisers went outside Talien Bay and attacked and destroyed the enemy’s forts on the Sanzants Island.’’

Admiral Togo’s account of the bombardment of Port Arthur on the 10th is similar to that forwarded to the Japanese Consul at Sydney. He adds, however, that the cruisers bombarded the fortress of Samshantoo, near Dalny, and destroyed some buildings. PORT ARTHUR NOT ABANDONED.

A'Russian telegram, despatched from Port Arthur at 7 o’clock on the evening of the iSth, denies the reported abandonment of the Port. Captain Asai, who commanded the Japanese flotilla during the bombardment of Port Arthur on the 10th, states he would have rescued many more of the Russians but for the proximity of the Novik and the deadly fire from the shore batteries. Japanese bonds are quoted in Tokio at seven per cent, above the , London quotations, The difference

is attributed to the holders' confifidence in the result of the war. The Japanese press, commenting on the report that Russia is sending submarines overland, recall the resolution submitted - for consideration at the Hague Peace Conference by the Czar that submarines were contrary to civilised warfare.

The Kaiser has started on a visit to the Mediterranean for the benefit of his health. His absence is interpreted as an indication that neutral Powers are not likely to be involved in the Far East.