78
**
In next year's estimates I hope there will be some allowance made for Police Court im- provements." The present Police Court was condemned some 17 years ago, and nothing seems to have happened since. Although it is wholly inadequate for the present requirements. some of its defects, at any rate, can be remedied without much expense. At present the magistrate sits at an ancient desk, before a patched-up wall that is covered with
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
the Government grave anxiety. The signs, however, indicate a favourable issue.
ANOTHER SHIP RELEASED.
LONDON, 26th July. The steamer Ardova, seized in the Red Sea, has been released by the Russians.
THE KNIGHT COMMANDER."
LONDON, 26th July.
The Times describes the sinking of the steamer Knight Commander by the Vladivos- tock Squadron as
a gross violation of internation law.
TACHICHAU TAKEN,
cobwebs. The floor of the court is dirty. At two small tables, immediately in front of the magistrate, sit the lawyers, policemen, sanitary inspectors, men from the Opium Farm. newspaper reporters, and others. There are twelve seats in all, and sometimes these are all occupied. The back part of the Court, behind the dock, is so small that the usual mob of Chinese spectators have barely standing room. The dock itself, where a herd of Chinese prisoners
LONDON, 26th July.. Tacbichau has been captured by the is usually to be seen, is in such a decrepit condi- Japanese, after hard fighting, in which each tion that a few days ago a prisoner had no diffi-side lost about 3,000 men. culty in removing a couple of the rails and making are marching on Liaoyang in two columns, The Japanese a bid for liberty. Concerning those cobwebs, I am told "they" dare not attempt to brush following separate routes.
them off for fear the wall will misbehave itself. If the Government has issued new orders enforcing economy of such stores as whitewashı, disinfectants, etc., it cannot mean that no soap and water is to be applied to the floor. It seems very strange for a magistrate to punish a man for not keeping his premises clean, while him- self dispensing justice, salutary and sanitary, beneath a canopy of cobweb and congregated
dirt.
BANYAN.
THE WAR
[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS]
THE "
MALACCA.”
RUSSIA TO PAY DAMAGES.
LONDON, 22nd July.
The Malacca has not been released.
A
reply to the demand for her release has nut yet been received, but it is confidently ex- pected that the demand will be complied
with.
LATER.
Russia will not take the Malacca before a court for the formal examination of her cargo.
The Russian Government has undertaken that there shall be no repetition [of such seizures], and has agreed to pay damages.
On the question of the status of the steamers of the Russian Volunteer Fleet, and the passage of two of them through the Dardanelles, the Government is still in correspondence with the Government of Russia.
RUSSIAN CRUISERS TO DESIST. LONDON, 25th July. The Malacca proceeds to Algiers. The Russian "Conference at St. Petersburg has decided to withdraw its authority from the volunteer cruisers to make such seizures. Meantime, the Smolensk has seized the British steamer Ardova in the Red Sea. The German steamer Scandia, which was taken to Port Said by a Russian crew, has been released there.
THE VLADIVOSTOCK SQUADRON,
LONDON, 25th July. The Vladivostock squadron, during its last excursion, bas sunk the British steamer Knight Commander (which left Manila for Japan on the 11th instant), and taken British and German steamer (un- named) to Vladivostock.
THE DARDANELLE“.
LONDON, 25th July. The Right Hon. A. J. Balfour, the Prime Minister, has stated in the House of Com- mons that the Dardanelles affair is causing
|
[July 30, 1904. the Russians retired, confused and broken, towards Anping. The Japanese casualties were 72 killed (including two officers) and 452 wounded (including 16 officers.) The Russians left 131 dead on the field, and their total casualties are estimated at over a thousand. In this engagement the Rus- sian forces consisted of the infantry of the 34th and 36th regiments, and one Cossack regiment, with 32 field guns.
on:
THE BATTLE OF TASHIKIAO.
TOKYO, 27th July. General Oku reports that on the 24th ustant, the Japanese army attacked the Russian forces posted on the Tapingling and other eminences near Tashikiao. The enemy had prepared strong defence works, and its line of operations extended about had about five Divisions so posted, with ten miles, east and west. The Russians
at least a hundred pieces of artillery. ANOTHER SEIZURE.
The Japanese right wing debouched the hills to the south-west, about three LONDON, 27th July, The Volunteer cruiser Smolensk has ling. An artillery duel opened the engage. kilometres (nearly two miles) from Taping- seized the P. & O. steamer Formosa, eastment. The Japanese front had to endure & is some dissension at St. Petersburg, and the permitting their artillery full play. At ward bound, and taken her to Suez. There hot fire until dark, the lie of the land not Russian authorities are doing all they can to evade a settlement of the questions raised a series of rushes managed to dislodge the ten p.m. the right wing advanced, and by by Great Britain.
enemy from its main position. Fighting continued until daybreak, by which time the Japanese had stormed and captured all the heights commanding Tashikino. Casual- hundred. The General's last message stated ties were found to be, approximately, eight that the Russians were retiring on Tashikian, with the Japanese pursuit pressing.
A BREACH OF INTERNATIONAL
LAW.
LONDON, 27th July. The P. & C. steamer Formosa has been released at Suez. The P. & O. steamer Malacca has arrived at Algiers.
A sensation was created in the House of Commons this afternoon by an announce- ment by the Prime Minister (Mr. Balfour) that the sinking of the British steamer Knight Commander off the coast of Japan raised the question as to whether this was not a breach of international law. feared it was.
ile
(REUTER'S SERVICE.}
THE TSAR'S INTERVENTION.
LONDON, 23rd July. Reuter's correspondent in St. Petersburg says it is stated that the Russian promise that no British ships shall in future be iuterfered with by the Volunteer cruisers is largely due to the influence of the Tsar, with whom Count Lamsdorff consulted on Thursday after an interview with the French Ambassador.
[JAPANESE OFFICIAL TELEGRAMS.]
ANOTHER JAPANESE SUCCESS. TOKYO, 23rd July. General Kuroki reports that on the 18th inst. a column began operations with a view to occupying Haihoyeng, a place on the Liaoyang road, north of Lienshank wan. The Russians had constructed strong defence works, and were posted on eminences that slope eastward and command the defile. The Japanese main column advanced on this front, and began with artillery at dawn on the 19th inst. The enemy replied with 32 field guns.
The attacking force sent a detachment, meanwhile, over a steep moun tain pass to menace the Russian right flank. The defenders fought stubbornly, and sanguinary battle ensued. By 5.39 p.m., the main force of the Japanese had broken through, capturing the Russian position on the hills north-west of Hsihoyen. The defeated portion of the Russian defence found its retreat cut off by the Japanese left wing; and at eight o'clock, Haihoyen and its vicinity was successfully occupied by the attacking force. The main body of
TOKYO, LATER. Manchuria reports that Newchwang was The Japanese Commander-in-Chief in occupied by his forces on the 25th instant. The first to occupy was a cavalry detach. ment. This, with an infantry detachment seat after it, was subsequently. withdrawn to Newchiatun, about three miles from Newchwang; and Newchwang was left in possession of only such troops as were deemed sufficient to " police" the place.
TOKYO, 28th July. General Oku reports that on the 25th inst, our army pursuing the enemy advanced ed northward. Tashikino and Newkiatun to North of Tashikino. The enemy retreat.
are ablaze.
WAR ITEMS.
RUMOURED SEIZURES.
A rumour was about the Colony yesterday to the effect that the Swedish 8.8. Victoria and the Norwegian 8.8. Daphne have been seized up North by the Japanese.
It is also rumoured that the s.s Fu Ping, be- longing to the Chinese Engineering and Mining Co., has been seized by the Japanese.
The Victoria is a vessel of 989 tons net. She was built at Elsinore in 1884. built at Newcastle-on-Tyne in 1900.
The Daphne is a vessel of 988 tons, and was
LATE TELEGRAMS.
Up to the 18th inst. the Japanese had buried two hundred Russians at Motienling, and made sixty-one prisoners, including thirty-two wound- ød,
H. M. the Emperor has sent a message to the Second Division warmly appreciating its [N.-C. Daily News. Further, telegrams to successful repulse of the Russians at Motienling. the same paper say Port Arthur is to be bombarded soon; that the Vladivostock squadron was demonstrating on the Pacific side of Tsugaru on July 20th; and that the Russians sank the Takashima Maru on the morning of
the same date.
THE “HIPSANG."
It appears the steamer Hipsang_did not have been released.
trike a mine, but was captured. The crew