The war news of the week is chiefly concerned with
a cavalry raid made by part of Kuropatkin's army against Japanese communications. The objective was the town of Newchwang, which is the base of the Japanese river transport, and contains a large quantity of stores. General Mishchenko, with a force which is said to have numbered twenty squadrons, seems to have crossed the River Hun about January 8th, and after a certain amount of skirmishing, made his way round the Japanese left and damaged the railway south-west of Liao-yang. The old town of Newchwang was occupied on the 11th ; but the Japanese were speedily rein- forced, and drove out the Russians with considerable loss. The invaders then retired, fighting a running battle, and regained the main army in safety. Such are the bare details of what appears to have been a bold and well-planned, if abortive, enterprise. It is reported by the Japanese— and there is no reason to doubt it—that in the raid General Mishchenko, or part of his forces,. crossed the Liau River and marched down the left bank, a performance which constituted a violation of Chinese territory. Meantime the line has been easily repaired, and the situation remains unaltered by the occurrence.
