THE DOOMED FORTRESS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 272, 21 November 1904, Page 2

THE DOOMED FORTRESS

PROGRESS OF AFFAIRS WITHIN ANI) WITHOUT. SUGGESTIONS OF EVACUATION. I.ON LON, Nov. 18. Tokio reports tluit Japanese shells exploded another Russian arsenal at l'ort Arthur. The .1 upanose concentraied ilieir liiv t>u tliv arse Gal, 200 shells being thrown before it was destroyed. Mr Dennett Hnrl«i("h (Dally 'Mograph correspondent) states that the Russians at i'orL Arthur iiftnllgjy sortie nightly in bands of tifty, Uirowinig hand grunnde's atwl storming the out works with the bayonet. Tho daily niortulily is seventy,and thu .1 apunesK losses are greater. Admiral Togo inieivuel oi-ders to lose no ships, ami all have bef>n kept out of range of the land batteries. The .\-iegu devolves on tho army alone. The Japanese have carried only a few advanced field works and lunettes. Their tunnels against the outworks of tho East Keekwan, Erlungshuti, mid forts 20.') and Sliuv Hill are progressing. The huge inner fort ilications at Bordi and Keekwan a'.e untouched. Even the outer l'ort at Paniung has not teen taken. The Japanese, owing to a blunder, brought 80 feet ladders for 50 feet wide moats, arid Uw supports were unwble to advance. The defence has greatly changed, and its exact character is unknown to the Japanese l ., Cleneral Stoessel's silence about events since then is interpreted in Tokio to mean that his uiiijjjiblishiud despatches will disclose a shortage of food and ammunition. Russian prisoners rate stories of increasing hunger. It is* asserted that tho Russian Commanders are divided on the quttStion of continuing the defence.

An unconfirmed St. i\'tei"Kjljurg tuessage published in Rome siays that tho Czar and a Council of Grand. Dukes, Generals, ami Admirals havo authorised General Stoeflsol to destroy the forts, dock, magazine**, gnd ve»siels, and retiiv; with 5000 men to Liaoti-shan. Mr Fowler, American G'onsul-G6ue-ral at Che-foo, yesterday telegraphed to Colonel Hay (United States Secretary of State) that the situation at ,rt Arthur Is exUvntely critical. The outer forts ore in posseo..lon of the JapauoWv The Standard says that there was a heavy bombwdinent and hard lion of Port Arthur on tho laill. I'he Japanese havo made slow progress, and their lwcent losses have boen heavy,

The Daily Mail says Uio Japoaato sustained serious losses in the uttiick on ErlUTigalium owing to an enfilading (ire and the reappearance of a strong force from the adjacent forts after false rejwrta of u Russian ieUrcmont.

The Daily Telegraph says the outer, forts mentioned' by Mr Fowler are probably those of Erlung a jid AUuchnn, the paper considering linotl--shan and Tiger's Tail as Uio mins 1 defences. '

The International Committee 4t Shangtai is equipping a hosiftal uhip for Tort Arthur.

The Moctauls of Port Arthur lias lately been much relu.xed, an:l ingress and engross of mercJijuitnien has not been diilicult. Part of Adiniiral Togo's fleet lias Wm f>.nt to Japan for ropairs, in u i"U«.-r to 1* in reajdincssi to meet (he Hal tic Eloet. Advices from Mukden state that (ho Japanese torpedo boat flotilla at Port Arthur lias been ordered to an unknown destination, after tukln* Ui a full supply Of coal. It is Blip. kv « s °" f ' lo THE UNDAUNTED STOEBSEL. SAYS HE CAN HOLD OUT FOR SEVERAL MONTHS.

(Received Nov. 20, 9.27 am) , LONDON, Nov. 19. J he .Japanese attack on Loneiv Hill was repulsed. ' 1 Tho Berliner Tugoblatt's Toltio "espiomdenit states that tho glow EST", Of + tho '»" mont of t& rt . h ."'""t of the Port Arthur tv ol io tho superiority of the Russian 28 and ao metre naval guns, which have conveyed to the forts. „r„r'^'i B fc T' lCy > v l>orts that GenCW I , 7 S h to «£ fo« n, ' S ftble t0 h«ld ttaJ town, fol . a.venti months. co.i'espoiKlv'nt , OV^ UCnt ,ms tihom to be supp.icd at any cost. MORE JAPANESE SUCCESSES REPORTED OCCUPATION OF SEVERAL POSITIONS. (Recoived Nov. 21, 0.50 a.m.) • n SHANGHAI. Nov, 30 Humours are current that after'rf funous attack on the 17th tho Japanese occupied some underground -hauliers and importunt positions at i 011 Artour.