The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1904-10-20
Gloom In ST. Petersburg.


st. Petersburg. Ry cai,le.-The great
feeling Of concern which exists In eirs
cies IN the Russian capital by 40 meat
equals the fo:eboding nf coming dla.
astsr reryaiing The general public
which is Indulging in the deepest peH.
sinlsm. In The absence Of Official
news. the pnkiec Is being fed on Ia
widest rlInorg of defeat suffered ~
General ku-oratkin. The fact that
nc word regarding the battle has been
Officially given uEt onlY confirms ths'
popular fear. The explanation offered
that IL was holiday does not sufties
to ally the apprehension.
General kuropatkin's report Of tho
result of the days operations has
reached Emperor Nicholas nj Tasaf.
koe Sclo. but II had not been returned
here before the war commission
which sat oily until Q O'Clock. had adj
Icurned. The Emperor himself Is rep.
resented as being bitterly disappoins.
cd. and spending hours with bls eabi.
net ttudyIng out, with the help ot
Lis military aids. the reports Of thu
battle. The general staff. however. b.
no means despairs. Though admit
ting uat tire tide In the iast tws
days has been against General Rgrs-
patkin, the general staff says the bat
tie f. not yet over. aud thai In anv
event there ig no question Of rout.
The depressing feature Of The sIta-
alton is that everyone Is willing 10 be-
lieve tho worst Thus. reports from
Toxic and elsog here, stating that the
japanese are advancing aud thak ths
Russians are falling back are accepted
with faith based upon the previous
Russian retreat.
Naturally many reports are current
as to the genesis Of the forward move
ment IL is freeiY stated that General
kuropatkin was forced into taking the
offensive by uressure By the authors-
ties here. This has been ofticla.iy
denied, and as General knrOpatkin's
order 10 advance was gwen over his
own signature. II seems likely that 10
will have 10 bear all tho Responsible
ty, whether the situation Is Of his osH
making or not.
Friends OF General Kuropatkin said
the present offensive movement WAS
inspired from 81. PetergbuTg. as was
doubtless General Stakeiberg's move
ment for the relief Of Port Arthur. aEsf
that IL Kuropatkin's star las set.
Others higher than he are respoazihIe.
81 the same time. the supporters ua
General Kurcpatkia argue that. What
ever may be the direct oatcorne C
the pas. few days fighting. IL u not
likely TO be an irreiyfegabie diEassfr
10 tie Russian army.
Dispatches from the front give q
vivid picture Of the desperate charac-
ter OF the fighting along The whois
line The Russian piaiEsneu have
been again forced to engage in hill
fighting, which is little q their liz
Ing. There have been desperate and
repeated attacks upon almost inacezr
sibie positions. which leave no ones
tion Of the resolution and gaIlanfry
Of the Russian forces. Guns have beet.
captured ana re-capsured IN ficrcs
hand to-hand conflicts.
The latest word directly from ,hs
field Of battle II the Makd'sn dispatch
to the Associated Press. in which Il
IS stated that 5000 RusiaEs had
been wounded, which. together with
the days casualties. wouid make TIA
total probably exceed the figures of
Lao Yang. and make the light rank
as one OF the bloGdis.t battles In his
tory.