THE WAR.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume VI, Issue 8, 21 January 1905, Page 1

THE WAR.

London,, January 17. Heavy guns have reached Marshal Oyama. The first exchange of Russian and Japanese officers taken prisoners has been arranged. Reuter’s correspondent with General Nogi declares that the surrender of Port Arthur was unneces sary. General Stoessel had 31,000 effective troops. Correspondents at Port Arthur concur that the surrender was disgracefully premature. The fortress was capable of resisting for months. The troops were indignant. They threw their rifles and

ammunition into the harbour, looted the warehouses, and refused to obey their officers, Disgraceful scenes ensued.

The Daily Telegraph’s St. Petersburg correspondent reports that Germany is arranging for Russia, France and Germany to act together in beating down the Japanese peace terms. Reuter’s Agency reports that the latest events, including the protest regarding China’s neutrality and the unfounded allegations of Japanese designs on Indo-Chiua, are interpreted at Tokio to mean that Russia is trying to involve other Powers with a view of escaping a disastrous campaign.

The Dutch steamer Wlhelmina, carrying Cardiff coal to Vladivostok, was captured in Thusbima Straits.

January 18. General Stoessel’s 250 officers eave sailed for Europe.

The Times Port ■ Arthur correspondent reports that the Russian warships Peresviet, Poltava, Pallada, and Bayan may be refloated but at great expense, that the Retvisan is a hopeless wreck, and the Pobieda doubtful. All the turret guns were blown up before surrender, but some of the secondary armament is intact

China gives a general denial to Russia’s charges of breaches of neutrality. Mr John Hay, Secretary of State for America, has invited the Powers to assist in inducing the belligerents to respect the agreement limiting the field of operations.

Russia has expressed regret to the Press that she accused Britain ’ of allowing the Japanese to establish a base of Labuan. I The London underwriters fear that the Japanese may capture in i the Thusima Straits 50 British 1 ships which are approaching Vladivostock, and which are insured for £2,000,000. General Stoessel, interviewed by the Daily Express correspondent, 1 said that until October he bad great hopes that the Baltic fleet would relieve Port Arthur. A council of war unanimously agreed to surrender. The other officers declared that Admiral Alexieff was a coward for quitting Port ' Arthur, and Admiral Uchtomsky i was a coward for returning after a i general sortie made by the war- ' ships. All the regimental and naval flags had been conveyed to ' Chifu. None of the ships were scuttled; all were sunk by the ] Metre Hill guns. General Kon- i drachenko, who was in command of a brigade of troops at Port Ar- I thur, was the soul of the defence. < Frightful excesses were committed ' after the surrender, and the offi- 1 cers’ lives were imperilled. Ulti- i mately the men were starved into ; submission. Before the Japanese : entry there was only enough am < munition left to resist one more ( general assault. i Russian sources are responsible i [or the story that the gases from Japanese mines, which exploded during the attack on Sungshushan Forts on December 31st, collected in an underground passage, and fired the magazine, causing the entombment of 300 Russian officers and men. Advices from Mukden state that forty thousand troops from Port Arthur have reinforced Marshal Oyama. The Chinese have fied to the mountains, fearing that a battle is imminent. A Japanese staff officer states that Chinese raiders accompanied General Mistcenko’s raiders. January 19. The Japanese captured the British steamer Rawtry, in Thushima Straits. She was carrying (provisions and shipbuilding materials to Vladivostock. Japan is building a first-class armoured cruiser at Kure. . America regards the reported Russian invasion of Kashgai and the alleged intention of the Baltic (fleet to seize a Chinese port as ominous. It is reported that Admiral Dewey has advised President Roosevelt to send two additional battleships to the Far East Mr John Hay, American Secretary for State, reminded Russia that she is expected to abide by the engagements entered into at the beginning of the war. The Hamburg-American liner Bengalia, which was carrying coal for the Baltic fleet, was wrecked at Madagascar. j It is reported at Kiel that the

supposed Japanese torpedo boats participating in the Dogger Bank incident were really Russian, which returned to Liban secretly, and wei e repaired. St. Petebtburo, January 17. A number of eminent citizens at St. Petersburg intend to present to the Ozar an address respecting the , uselessness of the Government con- o tinuing the war, which they declare she is unable toconductsuccessfully. Representative citizens in the capital and principal towns are signing the address.

The Czar has increased the tax on telegrams one-fourth to provide funds for the Red Cross organisation. Owing to distrust of the present administration of the funds private subscriptions have almost ceased.

January 18, General Kuropatkin reports that a strong Japanese detachment of infantry, cavalry, and artillery, on the 14th, under cover of a mist, outflanked a column of Russian cavalry, who were about to retire northward. A battle ensued. The Russian guns inflicted heavy losses at a range of 1000 paces, then retired in good order. The Russian casualties were five officers and 50 men killed.

’ Nbw York, January 18. The New York Herald’s Tientsin correspondent reports that Russia (threatens to invade Northern China if China continues to discriminate against Russian contraband in Japanese favour. Paris, January 18.

Matin’s St. Petersburg correspondent reports that General Rozhjestvensky and Admiral Foelkersahm have joined fleets at Madagascar and are sailing without awaiting the ships under Admiral Botrovosky. PEACE CONFERENCE PLANS. The postponement of The Hague conference has increased instead of * diminished public discussion of its proposed object and scope. The • most noteworthy contribution on the subject is an able article in the Spectator, entitled “ Roosevelt’s Opportunity.” The views there set forth are those held by theasost practical statesmen of Europe, who sincerely desire to restrict and mitigate the effects of war. It is pointed out that no conference can insure peace in our times. If, therefore, says the paper, it dissipates its energies in vague professions f brotherly love, it will avail nothing. The last Hague conference, having too wide a survey, left many practical questions unsettled. If President Roosevelt insists that the next conference shall confine itself to practical questions, unencumbered by impossible idealisms, it will command confidence everywhere and it will deserve well of humanity. Continuing, the Spectator -says : . “ The first point to be considered is the present constitution of prize courts which, according to all principles of justice are a . meaningless an nialy. President Roosevelt’s conference should make prize courts international tribunals, sitting either at a neutral or a belligerent port, according to convenience, and provided with a personnel that is really international.

“ The second point that the conference should settle is the vexed question of the duties of a neutral. These include the treat merit of a belligerent ship which takes refuge in a neutral port and the question of giving coal and food supplies to the same, as well as the whole question of contraband of war. It is not desired to turn international practice into a rigid code. It should be elastic and expressive, according to the changing conditions of the times, but it is also desirable that its provisions should be as clear and as binding as possible. This result can only be obtained by the creation of a permanent international committee to issue rulings on matters referred to it. “ Such a committee need not , always be in session, but its po”«r and recognition should be permanent. Its business should be to mark out the ring and lay down i the rules for the fight, also to keep the public out of it, and restrain ' i the combatants from doing damage Ito spectators. Belligerent and neutral representatives would appear before it at the outbreak of a > war and settle by consent the most urgent questions, such as unoondi- ; tional contraband, the use of neutral ports, and the rights of coaling and provisioning. Once i the rules were settled the council would provide for observation, I arrange prize courts and deal I with breaches of neutrality by : individuals.’’

The Spectator, in conclusion, says it trusts President Roosevelt will see to it that the conference he proposes shall make these practical reforms the chief object of its labours.