The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-09-17
CL OSER GL|MPSES OF THE
WAR IN ORIENT FILES
Novk and the Detained Steamers---Kuropatkin's
Position -- Russian Prisoners Togo's Narrow
Escape AT Port Arthur and Elsewhere in
War Zone.

chow during the day two gunboats were
placed outside the harbor to provide
against any emergency during the night.
The Cesarevitch is very seriously dam
| aged. The survivors of her crew are
said to have expressed their admiration
at the excellent craftsmanship of the
| Japanese gunners, who at distance OF
1000 metres seldom missed the mark
The vessel had one-third of her fore
mast carried away and had very big
hole in her aft funnel. In addition her
i bridge was riddled, the engines were
rendered useless and the rudder was de-
stroyed The vessel was also damaged
at three places below the water line,
which necessitated the constant work
ing of the pumps 1t was only because
the vessel was a twln-screw one that
she was able to Jorge ahead, though at
the low speed of knots an hour. DIR
ing the engagement of the 10th inst, the
Japanese shell fire was concentrated on
the bridge of the Cesarevitch. The
commander-in-chie of the Russian
squadron and the captain of the vessel
were watching the fight from the bridge,
when a shell struck near them and both
were killed instantly. The assistant COM
mander-in-chief was also wounded at
the same time All the officers of the
Cesarevitch with the exception of few,
were either killed or wounded in the en-
gagement.
On the 18th the armament of the
Cesarevitch was sealed by the German
cruiser Hertha Both the Japanese and
Chinese were prohibited from visiting
and photographing the vessel, though it
seems that this permission was not with
held from the Germans. The British
ers were also not allowed to visit the
vessel
1t is stated that the Novik had hoisted
the japanese flag till she reached some
distance from Kiaochow, thus effecting
her escape.
GENERAL KUROPATKIN'S POSI-
TON.
The Jiji's Shanghai correspondent
states that Mr.. Willard, Scribners' cor
respondent, who had been with General
Kuropatkin's headquarters for several
months, has been interviewed by
Shanghai Journalist, whilst visiting
Shanghai en- route from Liaoyang to
Japan. Mr.. Willard states:
General Kuropatkin's positions are
strong and are effectively defended. The
Japanese generals are exercising the ut
most precaution in order to defeat the
Russian strategam. General Kuropat-
kin, General Sakharoff and General
Chalkeritch are assiduously training the
newly arrived troops and will not enter
into any offensive operations until they
become convinced of their success.
General Kuropatkin's greatest object
has been to obtain the largest possible
amount of necessaries for a great army,
so that nine out of ten trains coming
from Europe have been loaded with
provisions, ammunition, clothing, and
medical materials, of which a fairly
large quantity IS now in store at Lao
yang. OF these stores, provisions con-
stitute a comparatively less important
part as they can be abundantly obtained
in Manchuria itself Under the circurn-
stances, troops are carried bv only one
or two of some eleven trains leaving
Europe for the Far East, the remainder
being appropriated for the conveyance
of military stores. During the CORE
spondent'S presence at Yiaoyang, the
troops of the 10th army corps arrived at
Llaoyang at dailv rate OF 5000, but this
rate was reduced during the transporta-
ton of military stores
Should Russia adopt the American
railway system, or still better engage
four or FIVE American managers and
some 200 experienced American assist
ants. it would be easy for her to double
the efficiency of the railway Practically
half the value OF the latter is at present
reduced owing to the confusion and de-
lay caused bv several branch lines Rus
STA is now confronted by the question of
better railway administration rather
than by that OF better offering OF her
troops. |
When the correspondent left Lao
yang, General Kuropatl1in had under his
command not much more than $4,000
troops, who were stationed in the neigh
borhood of Liaoyang, while a force not.
exceeding 10000 were Quartered at Lao
yang. 1t was expected that large REIN
forcements would arrive from Europe
towards the end of this month or the
of next. The Russian artil-
lery possesses guns of the latest pattern.
and occupies one of the most important
positions in the Russian army
PRISONERS AT MATSU- ;
YAMA.
The Russian community at Matsu-
yama and neighborhood-we mean the
prisoners of war-was recently consid-
erably augmented by the arrival there of
the Goo hundred survivors of the cruiser
Rurik, sunk during the naval engage
ment on the 18th inst, and the follow
ing particulars concerning both the new
corners and the older arrivals will doubt
less be found interesting:
Rotelberg %, a member of the
Rurik's band, one OF the new prisoners.
has high opinion OF the japanese blue
Jackets He states that he had long
heard OF the bravery and discipline Of
the latter, but the heroism and skill
shown by them in the recent naval en-
gagement, which was fatal to the Rurik,
was far beyond his conception OF them.
he self-sacrihcing manner in which the
japanese sailors engaged in the rescue
OF the Russians. who had but a short
time before been their enemy, was. says
the Russian musician. really worthy OF