The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1904-10-14
HIS ENTIRE FRONT ADVANCED
AGAINST THE ARMIES OF
OYAMA.
NO FORMIDABLE OPPOSITION
BELIEVED JAPANESE WILL MAKE
A STRONG STAND At LAO
YANG.

While Gen. Kuropatkin has contin-
| ued to advance his entire front
| against the armies of Field Marshal
formidable opposition. However, the
expectation is that a battle of magni-
tude must be fought within a few
days. 1t is believed that the Japanese
will make a stand at Liao-yang. Sew
| eral positions east of that place have
been abandoned by the Japanese.
At st. Petersburg it Is surmised
that Field Marshal Oyama's forces
have been weakened by the dispatch
of troops to aid Gen. Nogi in reducing
Port Arthur, and that this condition
has afforded Gen. Kuropatkin an OPP
pOrtunity to recover ground lost dur
ing the month of August.
StoesseI Sees the End.
London, Oct. IL. - The Morning
Posts Shanghai correspondent says it
is stated that Lieut.. Gen. Stoessel has
reported that unless he is relieved be-
fore December, he must surrender.
Big Battle Is Near.
st. Petersburg, Oct. II. - A battle
upon which the fate of this years
campaign in Manchuria depends
seems only a few days ahead. Ad-
vices from the front are meager. All
that Is positively known officially is
that Gen. Kuropatkin has cast the die
at last, about faced his army and is
marching resolutely against the en-
envy as If resolved to do or die.
According to unofficial reports Field
Marshal Oyama, at the first sign of
Gen. Kuropatkin taking the offensive,
began drawing in his line and concen
trating upon fortified positions north
of Liao-yang. According to the latest
reports which are contained in a dis
patch to the Associated Press from
Mukden, dated at 6 o'clock last night,
the Japanese outposts are being
driven in all along the line.
Russians Take the Offensive.
Gen. Kuropatkin issued an order OF
the day to his troops. dated at Muk-
den, Oct. 2, in which he announced his
determination to take the offensive at
once. simultaneously with his ar
nouncement that the time had come
for a forward movement there ONE
news that the Russians have captured
Bentsiaputze, one Of the straegical
points held by the Japanese. The
event did not precipitate a severe en-
gagement, though the Japanese are
reported to have suffered a considera-
BILE loss, the turning of their position
having exposed them to a severe fire.
In his address to his army Gen. Kuro-
patkin asserts that the Russians have
q force
Numerically Superior
to that OF the Japanese and he pre-
diets a telling victory for his soldiers.
The retirement Of the Japanese on
their position at Liao-yang is con-
strued as evidencing the desire of
Field Marshal Oyama to draw the
Russians into an attack upon a strong
defensive position. The dry weather
Is favorable to military operations.
The feet blockading Port Arthur is
reported to be more than usually alert
watching for British ships which are
planning to take supplies into the
harbor.
Jap Shells Strike Ship.
No information bearing on the mill
tary situation in Manchuria is con-
tanned in yesterdays dispatches either
from Toxic or ST. Petersburg. From
Toxic comes an Official report of the
recent skirmish affairs that have
taken place along the extended front
of the armies, but none of them was
Of IN important character.
Toxic also reports that four Rus
sian warships were damaged by the
fire of the Japanese land batteries
during recent fighting at Port Arthur,
one Of the vessels being
Completely Destroyed.
The Russian admiralty continues
without news of the reported sea fight
OF Port Arthur.
Lieut.. Gen. Hasegawa goes to Korea
to assume command of the Japanese
forces there. 1t is probable that his
appointment foreshadows a move to
expel the Cossacks now operating in
Northwestern Korea.
Mukden Scene Of Activity.
st. Petersburg, Oct. 8. - The val
commission sat until an unusually