THE WAR.

Manawatu Herald, 29 December 1904, Page 3

THE WAR.

APPALLING SLAUGHTER. The- newspaper Euss attributes, with shame, the enormous losses Russia has sustained at Port Arthur to the system of concealing defects in the navy, and declares that Admiral Rozhdestvensky has undertaken a superhuman task. Russian prisoners state that only six companies survived out of three thousand who were defending North Keekwan. JAPAN INCREASING HER ARMY. The Manshu Mara, with ten foreign attaches, twenty-one Legislators, the Secretary of the Diet, and the Lieut. Commander, has sailed from Yokohama for the neighbourhood of Port Arthur. Japan is actively drilling and equipping troops, and will continue doing so until Marshall Oyama‘s total forces will reach ball a million. Japan is also reinforcing artillery at Sbaho by seventy guns. The Daily Telegraph states General Nogi’a successor is tending to isolate Laotiahan promontory, in order to split the Russian forces. Advices from Port Arthur, ceived at Cfaefoo pritr to the Talinohiatun success, state that five thousand Japanese with many machine guns dashed along the railway over the froaen ground, carried several trenches, and reached the water course; ■ The attackers suffered terribly by tbe fire from Payashan, Antiznsban, and Bbansbusan, and a fierce bayonet encounter at midnight under searchlight. Tbe Russians at Payshan, threatening their retreat, tbe Japanese retired, leaving several guns, 'BOO rifles, and 80 prisoners. It is estimated that 600 were killed.