RUSSIA AND JAPAN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 64, 19 March 1904, Page 3

RUSSIA AND JAPAN.

Progress of Events. HEAVY DAMAGE IN POKT ARTHUR. LONDON, March 17. Norwegian vessels which have arrived at Shanghai report that the bombardments on the 10th practically demolished all the buildings in the main streets of Port Arthur. HARBOUR ENTRANCE REDUCED. LONDON, March 17. Russians have sunk hulks at the entrance to Port Arthur, reducing the fairway to three huudrerl feet. A TORPEDO BOAT MIXED. LONDON, March 17. A Chec-foo telegram states that the Russian cruiser Scori, when entering Port Arthur, struck a mine, and was blown up. Four only of the crew, were saved. This probably refers to the torpedo-des-troyer Scori, as there is no cruiser of that name. KUROPATKIN'S SELF-IMPOSED TASK, HE EXTENDS THE TIME FOR ITS ACCOMPLISHMENT. LONDON, March 17. General Kuropatkin, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Far East land forces, corrects the statement in an interview cabled on the 14th. He now states that he hopes to finish with Japan by the end of the year, THE SITUATION IN NIUCHWANG. LONDON, March 17. In the House of Commons, Earl Percy, Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs, replying to Mr Charles McArthur (Liberal) said the sloop-of-War. Espiegle would leave Niu-chwang as soon as the river opens. She would be in considerable danger in the event of serious hostilities, and her presence would not afford effective protection to life and property. The British and American Consuls had requested all women and children to quit the {own, and doubtless, if necessary, they would advise ali other British and American residents. Belligerents would be requested to do their utmost to safeguard Britishers' interests. t Later News. REINFORCEMENTS FOR NIUCHWANG* LONDON, March 18. (Received March 18, 10.26 p.m.) An additional Tjottery and c/oc hundred and fifty scouts have arrived at Niu-chwang. A BIG PURCHASE OF TRANSPORTS. (Received March 19, 0.26 a.m.) LONDON, March 18. It is stated at Brussels that Russia has bought at Antwerp twentytransport steamers, and has insured each for £50,000.

FOUR THOUSAND INVALIDS AT PORT AHTIIUH. DEARTH OF ACCOMMODATION. LONDON, March 18. , The Standard's St. Petersburg cor- ', respondent statps that a private te- ( legrain from Port Arthur reports that the greatest difficulty Is experienced in furnishing proper accommodation and attention for the four , thousand sick and wounded, owing to the great destruction by the bom- , bardment. JAPANESE HOLDING AN-.IU. OPPOSING SCOUTS IN TOUCH. LONDON, March 18. The Times reports that the Japanese are holding An-ju. Russian and Japanese scouts are only separated 'by the river at ' Cheng-chcng, VARIOUS ITEMS. The crew of the Russian cruiser Mandjur, which has remained at ' Shanghai despite repeated reojuests I to depart, are returning home on parole. The Berlin paper LokaT Anziegcr declares that the Grand Duchess Olga goes to the front to command the Red Cross Societies' •ambulance corps. The Marconi system failed to ■work during the of Port Arthur on tho 10th, owing to the action of electric currents from the Japanese vessels. M, Nilidoff, interviewed, declared that the conflict in the Far East may be considered localised, and likely to promote Immigration to Eastern Sibteria and mako tho latter completely Russian. RUSSIAN WAR MATERIAL. The Odessa correspondent of the Standard was lately assured by a well-informed and high otlkial of the Volunteer Fleet Association, recently returned from the Far East, that Russia's arsenals and war Stores magazines at Port Arthur, J)alny, and Vladivostok, and ut other bases which he was not at liberty to name, are abuidantly sufficient to enable her to make war for twelve months. "My informant supported this statement with certain details of the amount and description of the war material carried to the Far East by the Volunteer Fleet cruisers since the suppression of the Boxer rebellion. These details I may not repeat, but I may add that they go far to corroborate the above statlment. And it Is to be remembered that for the last eighteen months, thanks to the foresight of tb2 Military Intcndants, there has been a constant transit of •war jnaterial over the Siberian rail--way. ~Russia bus little to concern with in this n-spcrt, so far as tinwinter difficulties of the overland route are in question. If tho Huik- ■ ■al region be included as a readily available military base for the Far East, then Russia may be correctly •described as having, in approximately round numbers, about half a million of men in Asiatic Russia with whom to meet any emergency or strain such as Japan might, by a ;sudden and well-directed attaek, put upon this country's land forces."