MEMORABLE FIGHTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 213, 13 September 1904, Page 3

MEMORABLE FIGHTING.

THE STRUGGLE BEFORE LIAO-YANG'S FALL. A GREAT RETREAT. LONDON, September 11. The Moscow newspaper Husskya Viedomoati states that when General Kuroki hiad 35,000 men north and 90,000 south of the Tai-tfeie River, Gc-Beral Kuropatkin left 30,000 at Liao-yang, and sent 165,1KK) rapidly across the Tai-tae. General Kuio«u expelled General OrlolFs 12,000 at the Yentai mint's, aud then threatened the Russian line of retreat, but General Stackelberg's 20,000 Iteld him off. Mean while, General Kuropatkin, with 120,000, attacked and dislodged General lvuroki's main force from the Sikheights, but General Nodzu, bringing up 70,000 men, combined forces with Kuroki and captured the heights. A Russian correspondent at Yentai reports that General Kuropatkin attacked General Kuroki in the rear and on the east, and ordered General Orloft to attack from the south, designing to march along * the Tai-tae River and cut General Kuroki's communications to the easrt. However, the Siberians oi. the left wing failed to withstand the Japanese, whereupon General Kuropatkin, to avoid being foit'e-u into the river, abandoned his plan and reformed his front. The Japanese failed to push the victory home. They -found the Russian bayonet an insuperable obstacle. General Orloff left 500 wounded prisoners in the hands of the Japu- 1 nese.

HEAVY REARGUARD WORK. OFFICIAL JAPANESE CASUALTY LIST. , (Received September 12, 9.28 p.m.) LONDON, September 12. :i A Mukden telegram, dated the Bth inst., states that the Russian reai guand alter a week's figl iting savei most of its transport and guns. Th, Japanese were advancing along tli. railway, and General lvuroki had occupied a hill east of the town. General Kuropatkin reports : " Th. Japanese have been inactive for tr.. last, three days. Heavy rains con ' An official statement of the Japa nese casualties since August 26t places the total at 17,539. General • Kuroki lost "4866, General Nodzi 4992, ind General Oku 7681. Th, casualties include 136 officers killtv and 464 wounded. ; AN AWFUL FIELD. DBAS TOUCH EACH OTHER FOII 1000 FEET. (Beceived September 12, 10.55 p.m.) LONDON, September 12. Reuter's Liao-yang correspondent reports that the fighting on the 81flt around Shu-shan was indescribably furious. The dead lay touching each other for 1000 feet covering the approaches to the fort. J a panese officers,.., with sword-pricks, forced the tainting troops to aa ; vance. The Russian rifle and shel. fire waa badly directed, thousand: of shells tailing in the valley, when there was only the Japanese Reii Crotfe camp. General Kuroki was allowed to cross the Tai-tse River, end capture the magnificent defence? at Pen-si-hu unopposod. While the main army was in retreat General Kuropatkin sent fresh troops to hold liao-yang, and their artillery (the gunners having measured all the positions) wrought terrible destruction upon General Nodzu's troops. The fighting near Yentai on the 2nd was so fierce that a precipitate Russian retreat was only averted by thie recapture of a hill causing the relaxation of General Kuroki's eßorts. TROOPS DEMORALISED. RUMOURED RESIGNATION OF PRINCE ALEXIEFF. LONDON, September 12. The railway is proving insuffician: to supply tl*» army. The Russians are much demoralised, the officers especially, plunging into dissipation ut every opportunity, even on the eve of battle. Many famishing Japanese soldiers looted food from a store in Liaoyang, and some, gutting out o control, stabbed Doctor Westwater. il distinguished Stotoh missionui-y. Japanese reinforcements are hurry ing-to the north. The Mikado's tofother accompanies them. It is understood in St. Peters burg that Prince Alexiefl has tendered his resignation. OYAMA'S REPORT. MAlsf RUSSIAN FORCE RETIRED TO THE NORTH. (Received September 12, 11.2 p.m.) LONDON, September 12. Field-Marshal the Marquess Oyama, Japanese Commander-in-Chief telegraphed to Tokiio on Friday that the .main force of Russians appeared to have retired north of the Hun-ho (river), though some troops still remained at Ku-chia-tun, and Pa-chia-tun, Ling-chang, aind Kuan-glin-puo. ■General Kuroki's left wing occupied • Z&n-ni-pu om the 6th, and his right •occupied Yurnen-shu-shan after a tight. KUROPATKIN'S RETICENCE. JAPANESE BELIEVED TO BE NEARING MUKDEN. (Received September 13, 1 a.m.) LONDON, September 12. St. PeterfJbung correspondents of French newspapers state that a telegram received from General Kuropatkin at midnight on Saturday mentioned a certain activity of General Kuroki's vanguard, but no serious. attempt to attack. It is considered certain in St. Petersburg that itho Japanese are advancing from the jjorth-eaft on Mukden.