THE WAR IN MANCHURIA

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7755, 6 March 1905, Page 3

THE WAR IN MANCHURIA

u , TREMENDOUS ENVELOPING MOYE. . THE GREATEST BATTLE IN HISTORY 300,000 Russians and 350,000 Japs. Desperate Bayonet Fighting. ' (Received March 5, 4.15 p.m.) LONDON, March 4. Geiteral Kuroki's Fensihu force captured positions on the eastern heights of Kantulin and Chaukau. A strong Russian counter attack in the night in the direction of the Shaho was repulsed. General Oku sent a detachment to reconnoitre, and the outposts 500 yards north of Apatai trenches were captured after a desperate k\> ■ charge against superior numbers. Oku's casualties on the night of the Ist and, the morning of the 2nd numbered 2000, and those of the Russians were heavier. Tire Russians have been expelled from Changtan and Sufangtai, to the north-west of Chantan. The converging encircling movement on both flanks is being conducted with, great Japanese numerical superiority, and is everywhere succeeding and assuming a more and more decisive character. Along the whole front Kuropatkin's army is being forced back upon its base. Opinion at St. Petersburg is frankly pessimistic. General Oku has occupied nine miles of Russian positions on the right'bank of the Huriho, capluriag Chantain * and neighbouring villages on Wednesday", after desperate bayonet fighting. Gcner»l-Kuruki got across the Sha—fio, despite a determined resistance, and by means of night marches , gained great successes, and occupied on Thursday the Russians' first line of triple defence on the hills beyond the river. St. Petersburg reports imply that Mukden is :Coniplotcly isolated, the Russians retreating to Tieling. There has also been a breakdown of the railway. General Kuropatfin reports that a Russian detachment at Kudiaza on Thursday repulsed a Japanese attack inflicting enormous losses, a whole company being annihilated. .. On Wednesday General Oku opened a, terrific bombardment with hundreds of enormous guns, grculy damaging the Russian defences, and the villages on both sides of the railway. The Russians were, unable to reply. 1 -The Japanese left is twelve miles south-west of MuEdeh, and their ■■■ right near Tamagushan,' fifteen .»■; miles south-east;' of the Russian '" position, and thirty miles due east . of Mukden. ,i It is estimated that there arc 3;>o,- I 000 Japanese and 300,000 Russians engaged, and that the battle is the greatest in the history of the world. A private telegram, received at St. Petersburg statesf,that the -Japanese . on ; Thursday recaptured rPatifoff and Novgorod Hills, after a terrific bombardment with' 11-inch' Mortars. General Renncnkampf's cavalry- division wna almost annihilated, and the Russians abandoned nil their positions on the Hunho in order to escape being surrounded. ASTROLOGY AND THE JAPANESE WAR. A Japanese newspaper tells a remarkable story of the part played by astrology in the present ,war with Russia. It states that Japan has <or many years looked forward to a war with Russia, and the .Mikado got the opinions of the most noted astrologers in his realm as to the most favourable time to begin hostilities. It seems the old science of astrology is still regarded in Japan as a valuable aid in determing the affairs of life,, and the various . aspects of the planets are studied : with great core. In astrology every og£try is ruled by ascertain sign Of the.zodiac, and the fortunes land misfortunes ■of any country can ' be determined by the beneficent or malc- .-, fie planets afi they pass through the " country's zodiacal sign. Itle sign of Aquarius rules Russia, ! and when the Mikado's astrologers were consulted about five years ago tbet at once gave as their opinion that the most opportune time to begin war would' be when the ;evil planet Saturn passes through that sign. Saturn's influence is very malefic, and astrology has it that any •"* person or country afflicted by that planet's - influence is doomed to fail. Satura'passed into the sign of Aqu- | arius last, year, and remains therein I two and a-balf 'years. By retrograde ' motion, thfe planet has now reached the ißfteenth degree in that sign, wielding its powerful influence against the fortunes of Russia in favour of "Japam\ Considering the success Japan has so far had in the war, the prophecy of the Japanese astrologers has been in part fulfil fed. However, Japan must win before Saturn passes ' from Aquarius into the next sign, Pisces, for then the influence ox* evil will have passed away from Russia and Japan's chances against her will not l>c so favourable. In order to accomplish' this, Japan is pushing the war with all possible speed, feeling secure in the belief that the stars are on her side, while Russia, with aW her resources and vast army, is for ?he time helplesb because of the celestial influence operating against her. Students of astrology all the world over arc watching the outcome with great . interest.