330
At the Robinson Road-Chater Road corner, Kowloon, there is a building site now used as a vegetable-garden. I am told that during wet weather-and the south-west monsoon is near at hand-the place is unendurable. What with odours from sodden leaves, and warm vapours from loose earth, to say nothing about the mos- quito-breeding facilities, neighbours, it is said, have a distinct grievance. At any rate, the Sanitary Board should investigate the matter. As the weather of late has not been very wet I cannot judge myself, although I visited the garden. In dry weather, certainly, there is not much amiss. One cannot advocate Chinese vegetable gardens in town.
THE WAR.
BANYAN.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENTS.]
LONDON, 28th April. A Japanese detachment has crossed the Yalu by a pontoon from a point to the South of Wiju.
LONDON, 28th April. Admiral Skrydloff has started on his journey eastwards.
TELEGRAMS TO SHANGHAI,
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
[May 2, 1904.
steam rising up from her for several minutes. injured, and an officer and foar private Thereupon the crews of the Japanese destroyers | slightly injured.” all stood up and clapped their hands 'oudly."
"Tokyo, 20th April.-Upon bearing of the death of Admiral' Makaroff, the Japanese men-of-war held a memorial service. It is reported in the despatches from Saseho that the martial spirit of the squadron is running higher. Officers and men, including the Admiral, are dressed for action even in the open sea, and never get regular sleep; yet their health is unaffected."
"Toko, 20th April. It is reported from Gensan that 35 more Cossacks arrived at Syongchin yesterday afternoon, and immediately burnt the Japanese houses there,"
Tokyo, 21st April. It is reported that 33 Russians who arrived at Syongohin on the 16th instant hav reached Frukchyong, midway between Syongching and Geusan,"
excitement.
Tile
THE GENSAN AFFAIR.
As we suggested in our leading article on Saturday, further details pat a different com. plexion on the incident of the sinking of a Japanese transport at Gnsan. We have received from Mr. Noma, the Japanese Consul. the following copy of a telegram received by him on Saturday:-
44
Tokyę, 29th April. 10.55 p m.
Death
second lieutenant, one ensign, 73 privates, and two interpreters Of surviving soldiers, ten slightly, one serious'y wounded.
THE RAILWAY AT NEWCHWANG
In a letter from a Newchwang man which we have seen he says the place is alive with repor ters who have nothing to do but report a lot of
As the 9th Company of the 37th infantry regiment (on peace strength) were returning to Gensan on the transport Kinshu-maru, regis- tered tounage 2379, after reconnoitring Yiwon and the neighbourhood of the province of Haugyongdo, they were stopped, at 11.15 p m. on the 25th inst., off Sinpho, by three Russiau cruisers and two torpedo-boats. The cruiser Rossia then approached close up to the Kinshu- Tokyo, 21st April.-It is reported that the maru. The captain of the transport, accom sudden sinking of the Petropavlovsk was due to panied by the superint ading naval officers and her striking the mine forward of her powder two others, went on board the Rossia, where
they were apparently detained. magazine."
Tokyo, 21st April.-The Japanese people render, but the soldiers, in strict discipline, The enemy gave an hour's respite for sur- are perfectly free from prevailing idea abroad that the utterances of obeying an officer's order, refused. At 1.3)8.m., the Japanese Pres already suggest a relapse the enemy discharged a torpedo, whereupon our into the chronic disease of pig-headed hatred of soldiers, forming themselves into line on deck, Western nations is entirely unfounded. The exchanged fire with enemy, daring which many enlightened sections of the population urge that of our officers and men perished. At about 2 a victorious end of the war does not imply any am., another torpedo was discharged, and hit- change in Japan's moderate and reasonable ting engine-room split the transport into two. We take the following telegrams from the demands with regard to religious tolerance. It Some coolies and merchants had previously N.-C. Daily News :-
is urged also that the existing system is as taken to boats, and were subsequently joined by Tokyo, 17th April.-The Customs official liberal as possible, and the Government is taking rowed to the westward, and after indescribable some soldiers. Afte explosion, boats then at Syongchin reports that Russian troops have pains to uphold this principle." arrived there, but their number is unknown. Tokyo, 21st April.-In the latest engage sufferings the men reached Sinpho on the 27th. Russians are appearing at Kyougsyong, destroy-ment, the temperature at the time of the They were 45 petty officers and privates, 6 Most of the crew ing the telegraphs. The situation is disquieting. departure of the destroyers and torpedo boats coolies and 3 merchants. The Japanese Consulate and residents at for Port Arthur was 20 degrees below zero. and the coolies appeared to have been taken Syongchin have retreated to Gensan." [Syong The crews were able to stand the cold them-hy the enemy. All military, except above men- chin and Kyongsyong are both in the far north selves, but the compas: es congealing, endeavour tioned survivors, believed to have died. of Corea, in the province of North Hamkyong.].had to be made to warm them. Approaching of Company consists: 2 captains, 2 first and one
"Tokyo, 18th April.-it is reported from the harbour without any lights, they skilfully Gonsan that 33 Russian cavalry reached avoided the enemy's searchlights, which the Syongchin on the morning of the 18th instant, Japanese bombarded as they passed, after com- and immediately occupied the telegraph office.leting the laying of the mechanical min ́s, ou This is considered here as only a diversion on the forenoon of the 13th instant. The Port the Yala operations. The ceparture of the Arthur batteries were unable to fix the range, Japanese Consulate and 58 residents from owing to the very close approach of the Japa-
"rot and lies." The rumour that all the engin Syongchin was made at the eleventh hour, but nese. The fighting capacity of the Russian most composedly. Two Canadian missionaries squadron is now reduced by eighty per cent, and eers on the Chinese Imperial railway had to and a Japanese pastor are remaining at it is believed that Port Arthur will be des retire on Kopantsze was untrue, the report hav- ing emanated from Chinese sources. A fort- Syongchin."
perat ly defended by the shore batteries."
the trains were still running. "Peking, 22nd April-Several telograms night ago received from the Tartar Generals of Kirin and What the railway people intended to do was to Feugtien provinces have stated that the Russian give the Russians no excuse whatever to take Government is vexing China whenever and in the line. Orders have been issued that the en. "Tokyo, 19th April.-Japan's military pre- whatever way it can find a chance. The in-gineers have to keep as near the firing-line as is parations are steadily proceeding and the clination must be to make China abandon its consistent with safety, and if Yingkow gets too Japanese military spirit in North Corea is attitude of neutral ty. The Chinese Govora hot to drop back a mile or two, stop the trains running high. The abattis, the wire entanglement seems to have decided to take a strong short, and run to and fro with a shunting engine, A few days ago the getting all available news regarding the move- ments, and the mines laid by the Russians on policy against Russia. the right bank of the Yalu are regarded by the Government telegraphed to Vicoroy Yuan Shi- ment of the belligerent forces and bringing it Japanese as child's play.”
kai to make war preparations secretly, and at to the telegraph office. All the spare rolling the same time telegraphed to General Ma in-stock, engines and engineering plant have been structing him to keep a quiet and careful watch sent well into the interior for safety, so that if and await later orders. A Chinese from Chao- the Russians do commandeer the railway there yang states that General Ma's troops in that is nothing for them to work it with. place are estimated at thirteen battalions, and Hunghutse are guarding the Sinmingting it is believed that as soon as fighting breaks out Railway for the Chinese, and swear vengeance between Russia and Japan near Newchwang, on the Russians if they do take it; and as there General Ma will transfer his camp to Chinchou are 7,000 of them all well armed-though 1,000 have only Mauser pistols-with plenty of to prevent the escape of the Russian troops."
ammunition, they will be a difficult lot to tackle. the Japanese have not come to the neighbour- It is a wonder, says the correspondent, that hood yet. Every day the Russians are pouring in troops and making entrenchments, but all on the south of the town and the Russian railway; nothing but patrol is done on the north side. Two of the engineers of the Chinese Imperial Railway were arrested as spies but were released after the usual apologies. All the women and Martial law has been children have left. declared and the light-ship and buoys have been removed from the Harbour.
fi
"Tokyo, 17th April.-Yesterday the Japanese Government despatched a steamer to Sakhalin to bring back the Japanese who have been win- tering there."
Tokyo, 18th April.-It is stated on good authority that the military situation has been advanced by four months, thanks to the com- mand of the sea having been obtained more early than was expected, and to the smart more- ment of the Japanese troops. This has un- doubtedly caused a considerable disturbance of the Russian plans."
"Tokyo, 18th April. In reference to the latest engagements at Port Arthur, it is under- stood that the laying of the mechanical mines on the 12th and 13th inst. was a resumption of the rather unsatisfactory attempt on the 10th of March. The Russians app rently ignored them, and thus incurred the disasters that befel them. It was a wonderful piece of work. The steamer Koryo Maru, commanded by mining experts and supported by destroyers, satisfac- torily submerged the mines amidst excessively great dangers compared with those incurred in the blocking business.”
"Takyo. 20th April.-It is gathered from despatches received from Saseho that the enemy's searchlights at Port Arthur, hitherto four in number, have been increased to six, but the rain and wind on the 12th and 13th instant suited the Japanese destroyers and torpedo-boats, which approached the harbour more closely than The Russian destroyer Bestrachni received Japanese shells in her engine-room and sank in a few minutes. The Petropavlovsk also sank from striking a mine, smoke and
ever,
"Tokyo, 22nd April.-The proposal is gaining strength to transfer the Imperial headquarters
to Hiroshima."
Peking, 23rd April.-Seventeen mechanical minus have been laid by the Russians in the Liao river, covering a distance of five miles between the forts and the mouth of the river. They are operated by electricity from the forts Twenty-eight guns and two search-lights have been put up on the forts. A foreign journalist who has arrived from Newchwang states that the Russian troops near Newchwang amount altogether to about three thousand men and sixty guus. Te Russian troops over all Man- churia do not exceed 170,000 in number."
*
THE COSSACKS.
The
A Japanese officer, who has had a chance of Tokyo, 24th April.-According to Viceroy meeting the Cossacks in North Cores, has re- Alexieff's report dated the 22nd, there was cently forwarded the following report to the another skirmish on the Yalu on the 21st inst., Government. The Cossacks do not carry any near Yng-ampho. Forty Russians who were baggage. They eat fowls raw and even candles on board three junks were sighted by th when hungry. The Coreans are surprised by Japanese who immedia'ed repulsed them. Two the primitive state of living of the Cossacks. Japanese were killed, three Russian privates The Cossacks wear overcoats of soft leather were killed, -n officer and eleven privates badly lined with sheepskin, and often camp outside of
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