RUSSIA AND JAPAN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 67, 23 March 1904, Page 3

RUSSIA AND JAPAN.

YESTERDAY S CABLE ITEMS. LONDON, March 21. Japanese naval officers admit Unit Port Arthur is a terribly hard not to crack. The Russians are preparing to make a good stand at Liao Yang, if expelled from Niu-clnvang. Immense blocked the Manchurian railways, and several bridges collapsed. THE CZAR GOING TO TIIE FRONT. (Received March 22. 9.58 p.m.) LONDON, March 22. Router's St. Petersburg correspondent states that the Czar goes to the front in August. DETERMINED ATTACK ON I'OUT ARTHUR. REPORTED FALL OF THE FORTRESS. (Rcceiveil March 22, 10.48 p.m.) LONDON, March 22. The Daily Telegraph announces that a Tokio paper published on Monday a highly circumstantial account oi the capture of I'ort Arthur. The report states that a division of troops landed on the Liao-tung Peninsula oil the lUth and attacked Port Arthur in the rear. Sixteen vessels simultaneously bombarded t he town. The action began at .six o'clock on Saturday evening and continued until 10 on Suirday morning, resulting in the capture oi the fortress. The report is not conlirmed. JAPANESE CROSS THE MOUNTAINS. ENGAGEMENTS IN SHIN-ICING. (Received March 23, 0.40 a.m.) LONDON, March 22. Reports have reached Niu-chwaug that the Japanese crossed the Tatung pass, forty miles from Haicheng, and had several collisions with the Russians, who strongly hold Muo-tien-ling. Several trains containing Russian wounded have passed Tashichias, proceeding to Liao-yang. Two regiments of Cossacks, with six heavy guns, have reinforced the garrison of Muo-wang. JAPANESE CROWN PRINCE ON j SERVICE.

The eldest son of the Emperor of Japan, who has decided to go on active service again, went through the last campaign against the Chinese, sharing to the nil! the hardships of the soldiers, eating a private's rations, and dividing his blankets and few luxuries with his humbler comrades. Later on, in bitter cUd of a Manchtirian campaign, he wore only a white duck uniform, which he even declined to allow the soldiers to wash for him. "Everybody else has to wear a dirty uniform." he said. "Why should mine be washed for me? Here I am not the Gr:nv:i Prince ; I am simply one of Japan's soldiers." The Emperor 'himself does not stop short of hard work when his army is in the field. In him officers and men have a fine example set them. During the conflict with the Chinese the Mikado worked steadily at the business of the war from 5 o'clock in the morning til! midnight, tiring out all his ministers secretaries...and refusing :n ie-t or even take food. " Why should 1 onjoy luxury and rase,'" he "while my brave soldiers in l voiva are suffering hardship and peri 1 7" THE DIPLOMATIC SITUATION. The most noticeable diplomatic feature of the year 1908 was the rapprochement between England ami France, due principally to the initiative of King Edward, and subsequently to the visit of the French deputies to Great Britain. A treaty of arbitration on a small scale, dealing with future questions relating to the interpretation of treaties, was subsequently arranged and an understanding arrived at respecting a number of thorny subjects affecting the colonies of the two countries. It was also stated at the time that Britain and France had come to an understanding as to the line of action they would follow in case of war between Japan und Russia in the FatEast, and that this understanding practically amounted to an agreement in favour of non-intervention of any kind. Referring to the question of possible Russian allies, the Morning Post recently 6tatcd : "But what ally has Russia ? There is no sin- j gle Power, which, in conjunction with j Russia, can afford to face the British navy, controlled by a Government that knows its mind. This is not a strong statement, but a moderate one. If the British na\y is not sure to destroy the Russian and one other navy, even without the help of Japan, then the British Government is not worth a moment's confidence, and has betrayed its trust." THE RUSSIAN* AND lIIS RIFLE. The Russian soldier, whether in the line, cavalry, or rifle regiment, carries the three-line rifle, which weighs 91b 12oz with bayonet, is 4ft in long without bayonet, has a straight bolt-breech action, and carries live rounds in the magazine. Though the mark now supplied to the troops is as old as iH'.H, the rifle is said to be good. A more recent pattern of this rifle has lately been distributed to some re»-imenis. but not throughout the army. Tinmen curry 12" rounds on tln'ir person. f)<> rounds an- e;m'i< d lit 1 In; small arm ammunition rarts, and 11*5 more in tin- brigade and divisional transport. These arrangements will have to be ahered m Asia, as the brigade is there the highest tactical unit. Each company has a sufficiency of entrenching tools, every man has an aluminium or copper water-bottle, and carries one-sixth of a shelter tent, a mvss tin, and a spare pair of boots, the total weight being ,">SIb. The grey overcoat is well known. in winter every man has a sheepskin coat as well, reaching to the knees.

According to tli*; returns of the i Department of A;rricult uiv 15,1 15 packages of j'ruil were s«.lij in lii)£tun during th.- w<*rk i-ndcd "Match llilh. From .];ui>i;in I !)t li to March 12th 111 ,'.M ♦ packages ot fruit wep' landed in Wellington. A representative of the London dairy product! linn of ().'l/,»s and (Jerritsen has jvachetl S.vdnrv, having {ravelled through Uuss«a and Siberia, to inspect a number of branches that the linn has established in those countries. He states tlmt a considrrable port ion of rho bnlter now put on (In* London market comes from Siberia, whose output is doubling »*arh year. \\ hi Ist, the competition of Siberia is becoming a serious matter ( 0 other countries, principally i)eiiniark, Australia, he says, has nothing Lo fear, because butter from Siberia is a summer export, whereas thai from Australia is chiefly a winter one. There is any amount of room for colonial butter in the Home markets, but. it is necessary Hint more care should be ts-.reiser! both in making and preparing if. for export. At present, of the butter received from the colonies, that from New Zealand, he asBerts, arrives in the best condition.