T HE Japanese Government believes in secrecy, and the Russian Government
is afraid of publicity, and between them both all war news from the Far East is hidden in a mist of vagueness. It appears to be certain, however, that in three days of desperate and sanguinary fighting, beginning on July 30th, the Japanese have driven in the right and left wings of General Kuropatkin's army, have carried Hai-cheng, and have com- pelled the Russians to retreat towards Liaoyang. It is believed that the Russian General will defend this position ; but it is clear from his own despatches that he considers his force inadequate, and is looking to a retreat on Mukden, if not on Kharbin itself, though the latter movement would amount to an evacuation of Manchuria. Nothing is known as yet of the total losses on either side, though the most trusted Russian General, General Keller, was killed in the fighting, and the accounts of the capture of guns, &c., are confused and contradictory. Both Russians and Japanese are greatly oppressed by the beat, the fighting going on with a ther- mometer of 100 deg. Fehr.; but as yet there is no whisper of peace, and the " great battle " which has been spoken of for weeks is still in the future. If the Japanese are in strong force between Hai-cheng and Liaoyang, General Kuropatkin is lost, but there is as yet no certainty of this.
