The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1904-09-03
JAPS TRYING
TO FLANK
RUSSIAN REAR
Battle at Lao Yang Raging
With Unabated Fury.
EACH SIDE LOSES 10000 MEN

Practically the Whole Of Kuropatkin's
Force Is Now On the Firing Line
But the Japs Are Turning Their
Left FIank-Forty Of Kuroki's Guns
Captured.
St Petersburg. Sept with the
knowledge that the Russian and Japa'
nesc armies about Lao Yang are lock
ed in a death struggle, the tension In
St Petersburg Is strained To the ut
most II is believed here that the fight
cannot stop short OF the crushing de-
feat OF one side or The other
All reports 80 far are favorable 20
the Russians. though the suspension
Of all nAws Tor many hours has been
exceedingly trying and has given rise
TO several rlmors. somewhat temper
ing the earlier enthusiasm.
It is stated officially. however, that
the report that the railway and the
telegraph have been cut north Of Lao
Yang is untrue. a member of the gen
eral stan said;
"a can assure You that uD 10 this
hour communication with Lao Yang
has not been interrupted. General
Kuropatkin has taken particular pre-
cautions against any attempt TO cut
the railway. While it is always posi-
Bile thar a small raiding party might
slim through the russian patrols OF
that hired Chinese bandits might cut
the telegraph. It is a fair supposition.
In view OF all the facts, that this has
not been done"
The highest military authorities
here consider that the most critical
stage of the battle has not yet been
reached. and they believe that the
fight may continue for some time be
fore either side acknowledges defeat
This is an important consideration by
the light of which 10 interpret any I'm
mediate news.
IL is thought here that. in view of
the numbers engaged. the desperate
ness OF the assaults and the length OF
the line. about seven miles. the losses
in the two days OF fighting cannot fall
short of 10000 men on each side. Both
sides are straining every nerve. real
lzing that the fortunes OF war for a
whole year are in the scale, and neither
side is in the mood or the position 20
snare men in the effort 20 achieve 4
final victory.
The battle of Lao Yang will prob
ably rank as one Of the great san
culinary battles OF history. 1t Is esti-
mated By The general staff that the
Japanesp armies Engaged number II
divisions OF $1,000 men each. or, allow
ing for inemcicnts, about 100000 men.
Each division has 80 guns. and there
are two independent artillery brigades
of 100 guns each. making a total OF
about 500 guns. The estimates OF Rus
sian CORES pondents range at from GOD
TO 1000 guns per side.
In the preliminary fighting OF Mon
day the Russians captured 200 pris'
oners. who have already arrived at
Hardin. and report persists that they
captured over 40 Japanese guns yes
terday.
General Kuropatkin's effective forces
are variously estimated at from 10000
to 100000 men.
The Japanese on Wednesday morn
ing attacked three sides of the Russian
position. One of the Associated Press
also mentions Jap
anese movement to the northeast OF
Lao Yang, showing that the japanese
we're undoubtedly trying TO work
around KurOpatkin's raT.
One OF the surprising phases Of the
situation is the endurance Of the men.
They have been engaged desperately
for two days after more or less severe
fighting under unfayorable conditions
every day since August "a. IL would
seem that human endurance could not
persist much longer without respite Of
some sort.
The Japanese are using balloons TO
locate the Russian guns and trenches.
One of the Russian correspondents ri
the Associated Press points out that
the Japanese sent up balloon shortly
after daylight to the southeast OF Lac
Yang.
The Japanese are reported 10 be using
mortars to drop shells in the Russian
positions. These are probably the high
angle fire hOwitzers which we're re-
ported in action earlier in the week.
It is plain, however. that the Japan
csc are no longer enjoying the supe-
rlority in artillery which stood them in
such good stead in the earlier months
Of the war. IL was then hill fighting,
and the Japanese mountain batteries.
In which arms the Russians were de-
fcient, told with deadly effect. Now
the contest Is in comparatively open
country, where both the Russian field
guns and the Russian cavalry can come
into more effective use.
Further dispatches from Lao Yang
confirm the report of the capture Of
rs japanese guns which were brought
up to the railroad station, whore Cen
eral Kuropatkins train was standing.
EVERY MAN ON THE FIRING LINE
Russians Make Repeated Rayonet
Charges South Of Lao Yang.
Lao Yang, Sept. 1.-The battle Is
still in progress. but the strength OF
the cannonade does not equal that OF
Tuesday.