The San Francisco call., 1904-03-22

ST. PETERSBURG, March 21-The
following official dispatch. dated Muk-
den. March %. was received to-day:
General Zninsky reports as follows:
The troops are in good spirits and there
is no sickness. According to reports re-
oeived from the frontier guards on the
Eastern Chinese Railway everything is
in order there. At Udyeni station Cap
tain Uksemoff, with seventy cavalry
men. has driven off a band Of 100 Chi
nese bandits.
The occupation Of the towns OF Anju
and Pingyang by the enemy's infantry
and artillery is confirmed. An increased
movement Of troops and transports on
the road between Pingyang and Anju
iE noticeable. Thirteen Of the enemy's
transports recently unloaded at Che
mulpo.
According TO reports there have been
no preparations for a landing near
KinchOw. All reports appearing in for
eign newspapers Of the landing of Japa-
nese troops at different points on the
coast are inventions"
Official advices report the concentra-
tion OF armed Mongolians disguised as
pilgrims at Venkuren, south Of Lake
Bafkal and a few miles from the Rus
sian frontier.
Captain William V. Judson, United
States military attache to the embassy
here, has arrived and will proceed to
the front as soon as possible to observe
the military operations for his Govern
ment.
In Government circles there exists a
strong belief that whether China will
observe her neutrality understandings
win depend largely upon the result Of
The first heavy land fighting. big
victory by the Russian army, il is be-
lieved. viii insure the acquiescence Of
The celestial empire, but there are
grave fears as TO what might occur in
the event Of a signal japanese success
in the early stages OF the land opera
lions.
For the time being the situation ap-
pears 10 be satisfactory, and il is Ger
tainly much better than IL was three
weeks ago. The natives manifest a
rriendller disposition than they did at
the beginning Of the war; but the Rus
slams know the Oriental character as
r1 other Europeans do. They know
h0v deep seated is the hatred Of for
eirners in China and that the only
prestige Of the Russians is their strong
arm.
The recent naval success Of the Jap
anese has not greatly impressed the
Chinese. but il the Russians should
sustain really disastrous defeat on
land the Chinese might suddenly be
aroused. with the cOnnivance or even
with the consent Of Japan, against
Russia and. perhaps, against all for
cigners.
Russia's present plans are based on
the appreciation Of the supreme i'm
portance Of the first land battle, and
ro fighting on a large scale Will take
place. if ii possibly can be averted.
until the Russians feel morally certain
that they can deal the enemy a crush
ing blow
General Zlinsky's official confrma-
ton Of the reports that the Russian
outposts abandoned Anju on the ap-
proach Of the japanese in force causes
no surprise here. as such action is in
perfect accord with the Russian plan of
campaign. The Russian skirmishing
and advanced outpOsts, thrown forward
solely for the purpose Of harassing and
worrying the japanese outposts, will fall
back as the main body Of the enemy
moves forward until the strong posi-
tions al the Yalu River are reached
The fifty miles Of country between
Anju and the Yalu is very difficult foi
the movement Of a large force. There
may be some lively skirmishing as the
japanese advance progresses, but the
Russians are resolved TO avoid a deci.
sive engagement until certain of vic.
tory.