RUSSIA AND JAPAN

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 141, 18 June 1904, Page 3

RUSSIA AND JAPAN

SkpydlofTs Squadron. AT WORK ON JAPANS TRANSPORT FLEET. LONDON, June 1(>. Three warships, supposed to belong to the Vladivostok squadron, were sighted ofl Iki Island (almost midway through the Korea Strait) on the 14th. They chased three outward bound transports next morning, outside the Straits of Korea, and fired eighteen shots. One vessel escaped, tout the fate of the two others is unknown. Two homeward hound transports met the squadron on Wednesday, near Iki Shiina (? Oki Stvima Islands, H',(> miles northward). The Russians lired sixteen shots, but the vessels escaped to Katsu Motu. A TRANSPORT IN DANCER. LONDON, Juno 10. Japanese transports saw Admiral Skrydlofl's Bhips surrounding the Bitaoi-Maru, a 6000 ton transport. It is feared she is lost. REPORTS OF RUSSIAN SHIPS' ACTIVITY, LONDON, Juno 16. Reports of cannonading come from various points, but the exact nature of the spjiadrons is not disclosed. It is feared that merchantmen have suffered. Japanese warships are hurrying to the point where firing is heard. HSCAPE TO THE EAST. June 16. A Shanghai telegram, despatched early this morning, states the Russians escaped to the eastward. TWO JAPANESE TRANSPORTS SUNK. (Received June 17, 11.44 p.m.) LONDON. June J7. The captain of the Hitachi Main. when attacked, tried to ram his assailant, but bis ship and the Sado Maru were both struck by torpedoes. ' The vessels carried a large quantity of supplies, many horses and fourteen hundred troops. Threo hundred and ninety-soven survivors from the Hitachi Maru and one hundred and fifty-three from the Sado-Uaru have reached Moji and Kokura. The.i report that heavy weather, with lain and fog, helped the Russians. Several other transports and merchantmen -narrowly escaped. OTHER VESSELS MISSING. (Received June 1", 11.55 p.m.) LONDON, June 17. Admiral Skrydlofl.who was aided bj heavy fogs, evaded \»' Kami . l_ >. wbJ).iwftß at Pen-sam, but is now in The transport Izumi Maru is also missing.

Operations on Land. WA-FANG-KAN. HEAVY LOSSES ON BOTH SHIRS LONDON, June 16. In the fighting around Wa-Aang-kan on the 14th and 15th the Russians are believed to have lost fourteen guna and three hundred prisoners, whilst five hundred men were kiilc-d. According to General Kuroputkm s report the Japanese casualties toUlcd a thousand. The third division of Gentral Oko s army turned the right flank of the • Russian forces, the number of winch is now estimated to bo thirty-five thousand. . Reports from Niu-chwang stato tW the second division of General Kuroki'a army is marching towards Kal-chau to take the Russians in rear. OFFICIAL NEWS. (Reueived June 17, 3.40 p.m.) SYDNEY, June 17. Reports received here by the Japa- . nese Consul-General from the com- ' madder of the army on the Liaotung Peninsula states that three columns of Japanese surrounded twi. half-divisions of Russians at Wa •fang>-kan. Severe fighting lastw ■ from dawn to three in the aiternoor of the 15th, ending in the.rout ami flight northward of the Russians. The Japanese losses, so far ai known, were under a thousand. Tm. Russians left five hundred killed anC wounded on the field, and three hundred prisoners were taken, including the commander of the 14th Regiment besides, fourteen quick-firing guns The Japanese also captured the Russian colours. According to a statement made b\ Japanese scouts tho Russians: used & Japanese flag, causing the Japanese artillery to suspend firing.

DETAILS OF THE ENGAGEMENT. (Received Juno 17, 10.11 p.m.) LONDON, June 1.7. The Russians report that on Sunday two divisions of Japanese infantry, with field and mountain artillery, and twelve squadrons of cavalry, marched from Port Adams against General Stackclbcrg, who occupied somo heights south ol Wang-tcharr, the Russians quietly retiring on Wa-faivg-tien. The Japanese advance was resumed on the morning' of the 14th,their right column following tho Tasako Valley, the centre going along the railway, and the left by Wa-iong-kan Pass. The Russians retreated to a position six miles south at Wa-fung-kan In the afternoon the Japanese artillery attacked tho Russian centre and left, the infantry simultaneously and determinedly assailing the left wing The Russians claim to have repulsed all assaults with great loss. Fighting continued severe until nightfall. At daylight the Russians took tin aggressive. General Ktackellicru tried to envelope the -lapam-si right wing, IVut the latter was strongly re-irrforced, and attacked the Russians' right, compelling Stackelbcrg to bring up nil his reserves. These proving insufficient the Russians retreated northwards. Their losses were heavy. The third and fourth batteries of the Ist Artillery Brigade were literally cut tr pieces by shells. Thirteen out o sixteen guns were rendered completely useless, and had to be abandoned. Many of the Russians refused to re tire until repeatedly ordered to d< so.

HOW THE BATTLE WAS WOX. (Received Juno 17, 11.53 p.m.) LONDON, June 17. The Japanese occupied li-w-ytn-rfang on Sunday, after oxpelliup three hundred Chinese mounted irre gulars, who had been enr.il!<.tl l-y Russians. The Japanese claim to have crushingly defeated the Russians at Telissa. Advancing on Tuesday in two Columns they drove the Russians back east of Wa-fahff-tien. An oljstinate artillery duel followed, until nightfall, when the Japan.-se position extended from ] , ang L chi;i-tong to Yuko-tong. The Russians were strongly reinforced during the nipht, ensiling two and a half divisions to hold the line near Tulissa, extending from Ta-fang-shen to ("heag-tien-shien. The Japanese during llir night sent a column east of I-'u-chon in order to envelope the Russian right wing ajnd drive it into a defile at the back of Telissa. The pliin succeeded. While the main force moved northward along the railway lino three columns swung out to left and right, converging at noon, and surrounded the main Russian position. The Russians .vere taken at a disadvantage but stubbornly resisted until three o'clock, when thev broke ground. The Japanese cavalry pursued them inflicting heavy losses. The colonel of the 4th Rifle Regiment was captured.

CABLE NEWS.

(United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph Copyright.).