RUSSIA AND JAPAN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 204, 1 September 1904, Page 3

RUSSIA AND JAPAN.

In Manchuria. UAO-YANG UNSUITABLE FOR A STAND. BETREAT ON MUKDEN, LONDON, August 80. The Daily Express reports that General Kuropatkin began on Satur-day-to retreat to Mukden. He considered Liao-yanlg'a situation too lowto afford a chance of success. A stroeg force was left to light a rearguard battle.

AN UNCERTAIN REPORT. RUSSIAN TROOPS CONCENTRATING AT LIAO-YANG. LONDON, August 30. A message received fr 0 m Liao-yang and dated Sunday, states : "The army is concentrating around us. Whether we fight here or remove to a base is unknown."

St. Petersburg authorities estimate that there are 300,000 Japanese, with 940 guns, close to General Kuropatkin, who has a quarter of a million men. It is reported that Russian officers and troops alike are much demoralised and discouraged, owing to the constant retreats, though Kuropatkin claims that he is, gradually drawing the Japanese toward strong positions about Liao-yang. DESPERATE BAYONET CHARGES

MET BY A STUBBORN MUSCOVITE RESISTANCE.

LONDON, August 30. Japanese troops, on the night of the 25th, made « succession of furious bayonet attacks on the Russian centre and left flanks. It is claimed by the latter that they repulsed these attacks and defeated attempts tt turn their flank, routing and pursuing the Japanese, who lost two thousand men. Yet, nevertheless, the Russians admit evacuating An-ping and abandoningi important positions and large ojuanftrties of supplies. This, it is stated, was rendered necessary owing to the precarious position of the Tenth Army Corps on the extreme left. The Caucasian Brigade gallantly covered the retreat, losing heavily. General Routkovsky a nd Colonel Raatoon were killed, and Prince Tskherkasey seriously wounded, Tbe troops went through a sea of mud, in a blinding rain, and were exposed to a terrible artillery fire, which rendered the removal of their guns a task of stupendous difficulty.

FURTHER RUSSIAN RETREAT JAPANESE ADVANCING IN ALL DIRECTIONS. LONDON, August 30. Telegrams, chiefly from Russian sources, show that as a result of three days' fighting the Russians retreated to Liao-yang, leaving the Japanese in possession of the positions east and south of Atshaho and Shi-tin-tze.

The Japanese now occupy a wedgelike formation, with the apex immediately ahead of Liao-yang. The Japanese on Saturday advanced in all ■directions, including west, along the Liao River, and occupied An-shan-tin on Sunday, after executing a turning movement and Avoiding five extremely strong redoubts. Ibis compelled the Russian southern army to beat -a hasty retreat.

The Japanese on Sunday attempt *d to lorce a passage of the Taitse River, and cut communications. The censors' silence regarding the t result is considered significant. CAPTURE OF RUSSIAN GUNS. DBFBNCE OF LIAO-YANG IMPOSSIBLE. LONDON, August 30. It is reported at Tokio that the Japanese captured eight guns at An-ping and eight at An,-*han-tian. The latter place was the Russians' strongest position in the vicinity of Liao-yang. Advices from Tokio state that a successful defence of Liao-yang is now regarded as impossible. rfho; Russians and Japanese ar< ig contact on the east, south, and :wcb£ °' Liao-yang., To-iAay tie battle has begun. 'The .Russians claimed to havedis■persed she Japanese force to the General Sakharoff, at Liao-yang, vtelegraphs: "At ten this morning the ; Japanese' are advancing along the whole fron-t. The main attack »has been against the centre and right, where the Russian loss has kbeen heavier."-

THREE DAYS-' FIGHTING. •RUSSIA'S STUBBORN DEFENCE OF NO AVAIL. ; .(Received August 81, 9.40 p.m.) LONDON, August 81. -Japanese accounts describe three (days' desperate fighting at An-ping and An-shan-tian. ■3pß first army at midnight' attacked,a steep and strongly fortified emiaenca at An-ping, capturing, at the tbayonot's? point, a position djtenil«tt by the Russian centre. When they had been strongly reinforced the Russians stubbornly defended their second and third lines. Their artillery waa very deadly, while the Japanese guns were apparently ineffective, owing to their inability to secure a good position. * Repulsing ail attempts to regain e c 'iptured positions, the Japanese .sradukli v - drove tbc Russians towardsth„' vall «y al »• U^bo river. ~ . , Another colu ™ * t . tfl * k ? l T" ■ nence north of Tfee superiority of the l>»» «*»*"7 forced 'fee Japanese *° "f™ 4 ; ■Taut the centre pierced ..*» nd m™** l the Russian lines though "» wings held firm. Ultimately, aftef reipulsjng two assaults, th«. Ja P antSo i gained a complete advantage, captur:*Bg eight guns. iTSheilSerccst fighting occurred Utoe -night of the 26th, at HangV*atTfing, and Kung-chang-limg. Thel* us " »aus, besides maintaining a iW™-' rifle fire, rolled boulders down M\ e hillsides.

The Russians, numbering 65 battalions and 120 guns retreated to JLlao-yang. Japanese casualties totalled 2000. ■On the morning of the 27th' the' -Japanese prepared to attack An-! shan-tian, when the Russians evacuated the place. They were pursued by the Japanese, who overtook them I and compelled their retreat in ut- ( ter confusion to Shabo, with th« loss of eight guni, much ammunition and commisiarat waggons.

■"A MAGNIFICENT SPECTACLE." OVER HALF A MILLION MEN ENGAGED. {Heceived August 31, 10.55 p.m.) LONDON, August 31. The St. Petersburg correspondents <of Berlin and Paris newspapers ■declaim that after ten hours' fightlug two Japanese divisions turned ■the Russian left and reached a position between Liao-yang and Mukden, Ueavijig itha Mongolian road open for the Kussian retreat. Though at first the Japanese crossed the Taitse at Pen-siu, General Sakharoff states that a vast J apaoese bivouac was discovered on Monday west of the railway, near Si-chan-Mu. Colonel Gadke, correspondent of the Berliner Tageblatt, describes the Russians' position as an immense crescent ten miles long, facing east, along the heights between the railway and the Tai-tse River, with Liao-yang in the centre. He Btates that the battle was forghl -with extraordinary vehemance and was a magnificent spectacle, over hall .« toiUien men being engage.;!,

CABLE NEWS.

(United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph Copyright.)