RUSSIA AND JAPAN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 134, 10 June 1904, Page 3

RUSSIA AND JAPAN.

Port Arthur. A DARING RECONNAISSANCE. LONDON, June 8. Reports from the Japanese) fleet investing Port Arthur state that at midnight on Monday four gunboats approached and closely reconnoitred the entrance to the harbour. The shore batteries found their range, and one of the gunboats was hit, bv eight shells and'dnmnged. One member of the crew was killed, and two others wounded. POSSIBLE FTNAL DASH FOR LIBERTY. A NAVAL SORTIE. LONDON, June 8. The Times' correspondent, writing from Tokio, states that opinion there inclines to the probability of a grnnd effort by the Russian squadron inside Tort Arthur harbour to escape. It is believed that, in view of the frequent explosions, and the attempts to clear away mines laid in tho channel and its vicinity by the Japanese, tho Russian ships will at the crucial moment emerge and make a great fight for life.

DRAWING IN THE NET. SIMULTANEOUS BOMBARDMENTS REPORTED. (Received June 9, 10.45 p.m.) LONDON, June 9. The Japanese have occupied strong positions at Pulan-tion and Kluchan. Nino warships bombarded the coast, between Seyung-yu-cheng mid Kaiping, towns on the Port Arthur-Niu-chwarag railway. Those stationed at Dalny take turn in guarding tho entrance to Port Arthur. Chinese reports state that the ly>mhnrdmenl of Port Arthur from land and sea has begun. In Manchuria. MURDER BY MISTAKE. LONDON, June 8. Mr Brindle (Daily Mail) telegraphs that the soldiers at Tion-ehwnng-hai after firing declared they had mistaken the junk for a niratc boat. The soldiers were dressod like pirates, but afterwards donned their uniforms. Mr Brindle did not inform thorn that. Mr Etzol was dead lest all the party should have been massacred to conceal the crime.

REPORTED RUSSIAN DEFEAT. (Received Juno 9, 10.4! i p.m.) LONDON', Juno 0. Advices received from Niu-chwang stale that General Stakelberg has been defeated, and has retreated .to Tsai-chao. Various items. S ÜBMARINE BUILDING. LONDON, June 8. Tho Newport Shipbuilding Coitir pany is building five submarines, it is believed for the Jupnne.se. CABLE INTERRUPTION. (Received June 0, 1D.1.j p.m.) LONHON, June il. The cable between Japan and Korea is reported to be interrupted. DESCRIPTION OF DALNY. CREATING A CITY. It was a two days' run by steamer from Nagasaki to Dnlny (lately occupied by the Japanese), which the Russians are seeking to make the commercial haven of Manchuria, wrote Mr Rennet Burleigh to the London Daily Telegraph, shortly before hostilities commenced.

"Port Arthur is to be their great ttavol arsenal. There are tawny witters as well as blue seas, running like a mill-race, hot ween many of the Korean Islands. Near Talicnwnn Bay I caught sight of some of the many camps of Russian soldiers, placed there to prevent any i-neinv from landing and seizing the neck at the oilier extremity of which is Part Arthur. I'pon the range of hills to tlm left upon entering J saw a group of new batteries designed to drive off nnv hostile fleet from the spacious harbour, and unchoi-agc. Walny is a town of pretensions. Ihere are houses and buildings, but there is little trade and no commercial population. The place, however is favourably situated, in' many ,-»! spocts, for the founding of a 'city Lying upon a relatively iL.t end open space by the shore, the main terminus of the Trans-Siberian railway with plenty of fresh water to bo hid at hand. lt „„,,. , IL , e(ls c „ mtump ™ ro''n^v ,, ; l : cc,m,t ' ani, "" o '- ia » t^»tio of distnbution ail( | probably of manufacture. A

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