THE LATEST.

Manawatu Herald, 31 December 1904, Page 2

THE LATEST.

A DESTRUCTIVE BOMBARD- ‘ A farther list of casualties states that 19 Japanese officers were killed and 86 wounded, presumably at Port Arthur. . , ' . ~A n The crusade against rats in 2.BCKS has enabled the Japanese to diatriv huts amongst the troops in Manchuria hundreds of thousands oi small fur-ear protectors. Itzushan contains the remnant o! the Metre Hill garrison with artillerymen and fifteen guns. Thera ara four stockades in front and two in the rear. The Japanese fire destroyed five guns and disabled oqq thousand men. ■ _ . China is exercising renewed vigil- • ance in order -to prevent the Russian warships Askold and Grosvoi from attempting to escape. ERLUNGSHAN FORT CAPTURED. Reuter’s Tokio correspondent states the Japanese * occupied the entire Erlungshan forts on Wednesday. An official message states the- left centre, at 10 on Wednesday morn- ■ ing, blew up the parapet in front ol Erlungshan, carrying the parapet by assault, constructing defensive works under cover of the heavy guns. Later the Japanese assaulted and captured the interior of the fort and eventually, after a stout resistance, captured the whole by nightfall. The Russian service journals strongly recommend the recall of the Baltic fleet unless able to await a third fleet. Captain Klado declares that Adrural Rozhdestvensky is doomed unless a third squadron is despatched . immediately..