RUSSIA AND JAPAN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 178, 1 August 1904, Page 2

RUSSIA AND JAPAN.

RAIDING CRUISERS MIS 8 A PRIZE. LONDON, July 2d. Tho steamer Korea has arrived it Yokohama. She must have p&seed close to the Vladivostok squaaroa (luring the night. (Received July 30, 9.15 a.m.) LONDON, July 80, T.,e Vladivostok cruisers on Frl» day were oft Idzu, It was expected tlw.v would lie brought to the bay forthwith. IvUROPATKIN NOT WOUNDEI). LONDON, July .18, The General Stall at St. P»t«r»burg deny that Guneral Kouropat". kin was wounded. BLOODY WORK AT TA-CHfc CIIIAO. LONDON, July 29. A Russian correspondent statM that the Battla of Ta-chi-chiao produced some desperate bayonet fighting. In one charge the Japanese had their two leading ranks shot down." but still persisted in (he attack. ASSAULT ON PORT ARTHUR, (Received July 31, 9.15 a.m.) LONDON, July 80. A junk containing t.arty refugees, of the better class has arrived «t Uie-foo. They left Port Arthur, on 1 hursday, and report that heavy land and seu fighting occurred on the east and north-east on Tuosday, Wednesday and Thursday, when the heaviest of any during the course of tho sdcige was experience ed, The forts did not reply wry vigorously. ■»' Marshal Oyama, who left Dalny on Tuesday, is conducting the. opecatiOHS. The refugees believe that a general tssault has begun, Port Arthur, troops are allowed salt moat/, but non-combatants' rations are limited to oatmeal and rice. RUSSIA REFUSES PASSES TO RED SEA STEAMERS, ANOTHER DARDANELLES PASSi PORT GIVEN. (Received July 31, 6,16 A.m.) LONDON, July 80, The Russian Consul at Suez fuses passes to British aUtmert uound for the Red Sea, and adopt* a similar attitude toward German iteamers. The Daily Mail's St. Petersburg correspondent reports that Turkey nas granted permission for titt Dlma, a Russian vessel of the Yenesei typ* •ised iu connection, with laying mine* at Port Arthur, to pass through the Dardanelles. . . * AN UNRELIABLE COMMANDER. (Received July 31, 0,26 p.m.) LONDON,' Ju1y,.90. In tho House of lUllour, replying to Mr Bowles, mid the Russian cruiser Dniftri Donskol shipped 500 tons of coal at Port .Said, the captain declaring bis Intention to proceed to Cadiz, ea route to Kronstadt. Despite bis promise he stopped six merchantmed 1 , two of which were., British, and examined their papers. Mr Balfour a4> Jed that coaling facilities would not i>e accorded to tho Dmitri Donskot in •uture. s LETTER FROM JAPAN, FEELING OF THE JAPANESE^ FORTITUDE OF THE WOMEN, s (New Zoalond Herald Correspondent.) TOKIO, June 13.'* Repeatedly since tho commencement of the war J apanose officers and men" have shot or stabbed .or strangled themselves rather than fall into tha hands of the enemy, This hqs occurred so often that I aßkeda tftipMh ese friend the meaning of it. ; -Kfjpn nis answer I gather that every Mrvioa man regards himself as a:direct representative of the Emperor, and consequently has capture mean* a direct insult to tho consecrated monarch. Animated, as these fine fellows are, by a spirit of loyalty' that is only faintly comprehensible by the more calculating Westerner, death is preferable to dishonour. Death, in act, has no terrors for them.

The vernacular papers art lull ot inferences to tho declaration# made jy officers and men proceeding to tha iront, in which is disclosed a resolve not to return. The great proportloa >( tho .Japaneso forces now operating igainst liussia would choose ratb«r .in honourable doath on the battle- i iold than a Bate return after an n..onclualva war. WiUi such a spirit is this animating Ha foe, 'itu®i«. has boi»ro it a gigantic task. Tho women of Japan are tonfrontng tho notional trial witli fortitude and courage. Notwithstanding that .toy are kept In subjection, thqse lainty little ladies, whoso expresßiOuess (aces suggest that tiey ha\fa no soul above tho kimono or the cars ol iheir children, take a very live and real interest in the war. No better Uustratlon of this could bo presentxl than by the procedure adoptttfcby tvaids and matrons all over emlirit when there has been any ehga&enent in which there has been much oss of lIBj on tho Japan***) side. On mch occasions these patriotic ladies, vhether wives or sweethearts, immo> iiately shavo their heads, an outward and visible sign that the}' h«lv« ;ut themselves oil from the world ind its ways and deslgtlb, to spend ho remainder of their lives In' coniemplatiou and prayer. Not. only jld women, ibut girls as young a»fif*. xen years, promised brides to i»l« Jiers who have fallen at the, front, lave voluntarily quitted the outsfde ivorld to devote their lives toprtiying to tho momory of tho husband* .vho were to have been. Before the •auipaign concludes it is to be fear- -i ■d that the aggregate of young woimnhood thus withdrawn from iiM primary purpose in life will roach an ippallmg total. I would like to bear my. testimony o the splendidly magnanimous mtlh nor in which Japan is treating her jrisoners of war. To us, of cdurse, .vho have been living hero for so long t would seem ridiculous to suppoM ;hat it would bo othurwnse; but in Australia so much misconception' exists as to the pitch of civilisation which these people have reached, that it is only fair that a public tribute should be mode-to the excellent and unselfish endeavours of the'-Vari- , ,)us relief societies, backed by the Q6> vermnent, to mako the lot of the prisoners as huppy as it can be under j tho circumstances. Tho Hussions are well housed and fed, are supplied with tobacco and other luxuries, :iro given a considerable amount off liberty. It is not saying too much to assert that the Hussions who had the good luck to bo captured dwly '1« tho war liavo every reason to congratulate themselves. Tltey ore dofor themselves nnich better in Japan tlwm (hey could ever hops» to do on the Imrivn ranges "f Southern Manchuria, or in the splendid Isolation of l'ort Arthur.

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