WAR IN THE EAST.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 98, 29 April 1904, Page 3

WAR IN THE EAST.

THE OPPOSING! FORCES DRAWING NEARER.

PROBABLE RETIREMENT OF AU EXIEFF.

LONDON, April 27. Forty thousand Russians occupy fortified positions on the Yalu and there are twenty thousand at Tokushan.

General Nishchanko commands the Russian right, on the Yalu, and General Koshtaliiisky the left, at

Kiulten-cheng. Forty-five thousand Japanese, with one hundred and eight guns, are ready to participate In a frontal attack ; fifteen thousand , with fill guns, operating on the left, amd an dqjual numtor on the right. The artillery Includes twelve batteries of six-Inch howitzers.

The Russians have twelve twelve batteries of six-Inch howitzers. Russian cavalry, with light ar-

tlllery occupy towns along the Tumen River, also positions stretching to the sources of the Yalu and points on the east Korean coast.

General Kinnekamp's Cossacks, with a few mountain guns, havo crossed the upper reaches of tho Yalu. Cavalry to the westward are moving to join them. When united they will numHer two thousand and will then threaten General Inouye's right flamk.

Tho crew of the merchant steamer Goyo Mam (sank at Gensan) were ordered to leave prior to the destruction by tho Rdssian warships, and later sailed northwards. By way of preparing for Prince Alcxieff's retirement without humiliation General Kuropatkin will shortly by appointed military and naval Commander-in-Chief. Admiral Skrydloff has expressed his willingness tg act under his authority.

News of the Petropavlovsk disaster was withheld for a day in St. Petersburg. The windows of the residence of the Czar's uncle, the Grand Duke Alexis, were smashed, as he was considered to be partly responsible for the disasters in the Far East.

RUSSIA CHARTERING TRANSPORTS. SIBERIA RAILWAY TO BE DUPLICATED, RUSSIA DETERMINED TO WIN.

LONDON, April 27. The Ija-ttleship built at Neva (Russia) was mysteriously and seriously damaged. Rusfa lias rlhaTtered seventy' ships, chiefly British, to convey seventy thousand tons of coal to neutral Chinesa ports. A secret charter clause concedes extravagant freights if the vessels make a dash and succeed in entering Dalnoy, Port Arthur, or Vladivostok. Battleships of the Baltic fleet will go via Suez, and the colliers which will be asked to supply the battleships with coal will proceed under an escort via the Cape, and rendezvous in the Indian Ocean. The Captain of a Japanese warship mustered his officers and crew and informed them of Admiral Mukaroff's death. All decided to forego drinks and amusement for the day in honor of the great dead. At the Czar's instance, Prince Khilkoff, in charge of Roads, Railways and Bridges Department, is arranging to duplicate the railway within two years. Mr Norman, Liberal M.P., for

Wolverhampton, after an hour's audience with the Czar, declares that England ought to understand that Russia is absolutely determined to emerge victorious from the war at any cost.

JAPS CROSSING THE YALU. NOT SERIOUSLY OPPOSED, (Received April 29, 12.23 a.m.) LONDON, April 28. The Japanese preliminary crossings of tho Yalu southwards of Wiju were not seriously opposed. Tho Times computes that General Kuropatkin's total forco available for field operations Is 135,000.