Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-09-15
HISTORIC MUkDEN.
Strategic Point of War Is Tomb of
 Ancient MantchoO Kings.


 Ancient MantchoO Kings.
 Mukden, the ancient royal city of the Mantchoos, is the focal point for the worldwide attention centered in the Russian-Japanese war. h success i've stages the field of operations has swept across Manchuria. Defeated, yet strategically the victor, says the Philadelphia Ledger, Kuropatkin has reached Mukden.
 Will he make stand here or will his weary army take up the march again to position farther north? This is the question Qf the hour. A few miles north is Tie pass, a position adapted by nature for defensive operations. This, say rumors, Is in reality to be the scene of the next great battle. No one knows, and, meantime, it is pos sible that a storm of shot and shell may break over ancient Mukden. ponderous walls are familiar to g Here centered centuries ago the CT of that warrior race that hum l China and swept unconquered to the heart of Asia. Battles ragged here in forgotten years, when primitive weap- ons decided the day and men fought hand to hand. Should an ancient Mant- choo come out of his grave to see the struggle that may rage about his rest ing place he would, no doubt, sigh. for the good old days of bludgeon, lance and arrow and count the noisy cannon too great tax on the nerves.
 Mukden, which in times of peace has at least 100000 inhabitants, is situated in the center of an immense alluvial' plain, about three miles from the Hun ho, tributary of the Liao river. It is about forty two miles north of Port Arthur, forty 1.-two miles north of Liao- yang and $50 miles south of Harbin. General KuropatlSin discovered early in March that Harbin was too far north to serve as a military base for the campaign in southern Manchuria, and he selected Mukden for his head quarters because it Is favorably situat- ed on the railway and on the Picking road
 The city of Mukden has an outer wall of mud and lofty quadrangular inner wall three miles in circuit, built of brick, fanked by lofty towers and pierced by eight gates protected by lofty brick bastions. This wall, on which three carriages could drive abreast protects the commercial and official part of the city. which is dense ly crowded.
 Mukden, besides being the great grain emporium of Manchuria, is the center of the Chinese fur trade and at tracts buyers from all parts of the world. Fine streets divide the city into nine wards or districts, the cen- tral district containing Chinese pal ace with much decorative yellow tiling and a public examination hall The Russians have erected spacious bar racks, with accommo odations for more than 100000 soldiers. There are said to be now more than 6O,O00 Russian troops at Mukden.
 Mukden is the ancient royal city of the Mantchoos and the former burial place of the rulers of China. Four miles east of the city is the tomb of the founder of the Mantchoo dynasty Nurachu. The sepulcher itself forms great mound built up over the coffin In front of this stands funeral haIl the whole being surrounded by high wall pierced by one grand gateway, which holds three arehed portals. The avenue of approach is spanned by two lofty and elaborate arches of carved stone, the bases of their columns rest ing on carved likenesses of frogs.
 About the city and about the tombs centers the veneration of China's mill lions. This fact may have a potent influence in determining whether or not this be chosen as a battle-ground. The Japanese himself feverences the ancient and may prefer to spare this holy of holies. The Russian, knowing how violation of this spot would em- bitter the orient against him, may keep on to Jess per1lous spot to prepare for the last stand, it may be-
 Whether battle-ground or not, Muk- den itself is city of the deepest in- terest, an old city even in the cradle of antiquities. The whole world might well unite in a wish that it be spared
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