THE WAR.

Manawatu Herald, 2 April 1904, Page 2

THE WAR.

ATTACK ON A JAPANESE’ POSITION. * General Kuropatkin’s message about the Chongju fight states that when six companies of Russians were approaching Chongju the Japanese, from behind the walls, opened fire upon the scouts,‘whereupon the Russian squadrons discounted and occupied the heights at a distance of 600 yards. A company of Japanese infantry and a squadron of cavalry lay in ambush in Chongju. Three companies reinforced the Russians, but notwithstanding a cross fire and the Russians commanding position, the Japanese gallantly held on, and only after a fierce half-hour’s fighting took refuge in the houses. They hoisted the Red Cross flags at two points. Two squadrons of Japanese entered the town at full gallop along the Kasan road and a third retired in face of repeated volleys. Reinforcements saved those in Chongju being crushed. The Japanese losses were heavy. Cossacks continued the fire for an hour and then withdrew in, perfect order. The Times' Wei-hai-woi correspondent reports that it is estimated the food at Port Arthur will suffice for months. The garrison does not exceed 10,000, exclusive of the navy. PORT ARTHUR. COURAGEOUS ATTACKERS. The Daily Mail’s Kobe correspondent supplies Admiral Togo’s report on Sunday’s attempt to bottle up Port Arthur. The report says that when four steamers, laden with stones and explosives, were within three knots of the harbour mouth the forts and torpedo destroyers opened a terrific fire. The vessels, with their escorts, continued to advance. The steamer Chiyomaru anchored, blew up and foundered towards the Golden Hill. The Pukuimaru went farther, intending to anchor. She was torpedoed on the starboard side and sunk. The Yakihomaru anchored to the left of the Pukuimaru and sank herself. The Koneyamamaru passed between the Chiyomaru and Pukuimaru, in the centre of the channel and was torpedoed, being thus caused to sink. The attempt was valiantly executed by the same volunteers as before, under a storm of shot and shell. Unfortunately the space between the Yakihomaru and Koneyamamaru allows the passage of vessels. Sergeant Sugino was not seen after desc mding the bold to fire explosives with the object of sinking one of the steamers, a to rpedo striking her at that moment. Commander Hirosa returned to the steamer in the hope of rescuing Sugino, and remained till the water was level with the deck, when, in trying to return in a boat, a shell blew him to pieces. The torpedo boats , Aotaka and Baubame went a knot into the entrance of the harbour and had a fierce engagement with Russian destroyers. The Japanese losses were thirteen killed and eight wounded. RUSSIAN SHIPS DISABLED. JAPANESE STEAMER GAP TUBED. Admiral Togo reports that the torpedo boats \otaka and Baubame engaged a destroyer, inside the harbour, which retreated after its boiler was hit. The Japanese observed another Russian ship, below Golden Hill, completely disabled. The Russian fleet sank the Japanese coasting steamer Hanjei off Miatao Island on Sunday and capturad the passengers and crew. A Seoul telegram reports that 45 Japanese transports landed a large force, with sixty guns, at Obinampho on Wednesday. There are now 125,000 Japanese troops in Korea. The Japanese report that one officer and one sergeant were killed and two officers and ten privates wounded at Chongju. A huge whale drifted into Possiet Bay and was killed coming into contact with a submarine mine. PREPARING A RUSSIAN FLEET. The Baltic shipyards have completed five submarines, and others are being built in the Nera yards to accompany the fleet to the Par East in June.