New-York tribune., 1904-09-23
NEARING N0UKDEN.
japanese Vanguard Only Thirty
Miles AsCay.

St. Petersburg Sept. %. $40 a. m.-The Jap
spese advance toward MoulIden continues slow
In according TO Information received by the
authorities here. Both official reports and press
dispatches place Marquis Oyams's advance
guard thirty miles south OF Moukden- While
stories printed in the foreign press that great
hattie at Moukden has already begun are dis
rrcved by actual Development at the scene OF
sperations, there is no question IN the minds OF
Russian authorities Of the importance OK MouE-
den 10 the Japanese as q winter basA 1t Is
believed the japanese viii exert every effort 70
push out the Russians, but IL IS thought a seri-
ous struggle for the possession OF the town is
stIl some bays distant The japanese probably
will have 70 reckon first with a stubborn defence
OF the Fushan mines, where the next important
fight is expected to take place.
Judging by present developments. Marquis
oyama is giving up the idea OF cutting General
Kuropatkin's communication TO the northward
and contenting himself with advancing upon the
Russian front and flank in such fashion as TO
force the evacuation Of the town and compel the
Russians TO retreat further north The whole
plan OF the japanese advance shows consider
able difference from the operations at Lao
Yang At the same time Il IS possible the Jap
anese ara again making undisclosed movements.
as they have successfully done IN the past.
three armies concentrated south and southeast
Of sroukden. a fourth corps. consisting Of two
divisions, composed Of men drafted from the
armies Of Generals Kurod. Nodzu and Oku.
being detached 10 Dzian-Chan. and thence send
ing out aanking columns northward and north
eastward with the object OF protecting oyama's
right ana AZ the same time driving in the Rus
sian outposts. An enveloping movement on such
large scale as General Kuroh essayed at
Liao-Yang IS not expected. Evidently the Jap
snese realize that their strength Is inadequate
to justify another attempt 10 surround General
Kuro9afkin. who now IS stronger by two army
corps than he was at Liao-Yang.
The report has gained some credence here
that it is the intention Of the japanese to winter
81 Moukden IL they can take the town. and then
hold on until an accumulation Of Russian forces
on their front compels them to retire to the
Liao-Tung Peninsula and Corea. the retreat IN
this direction drawing General Kuropatkn after
them.
A detachment under General RennenkampH.
while reconnoitrlag yesterday. lost two officers
and nine men killed and had three officers and
twenty-three men wounded
During the repulse Of the recent japanese at
tack on Da Pass General Peterhof took several
prisoners and captured a quantity of arms and
ammunition The Russians lost captain and
tnEee men killed and had forty-hvs men
wounded.
There is no further news from Port Arthur,
but the anxiety as 10 the fate Of its gallant de-
tenders has been relieved by foreign kilograms
received here announcing that the japanese
have not captured any important positions
Field Marshal Oyama's long report OF the re-
Pulse Of what he calls the Russian counter-at-
tack on Pintaitzu is classed here being moth
ing more or less than the japanese version Of
the reconnaissance Of Generals Samsonon's and
hennekampn's forces north OF Bentsiapudza,
detailed from here IN the Associated Press dis
patches Of September 10. Oyamas report at
tributes undue importance 20 this operation.
huropatkn obviously did not contemplate press
Ing home his attack, since he sent a compara-
lively small force against the japanese main
army.
Orders have been issued here to prepare seven
rife brigades for service in the Far East