The San Francisco call., 1904-09-02
Nippon's Populace Expects News
of Utter Rout of Kuro-
patkin's Army.

TOXIC, Sept 1, s p. m.-Tokio rings
with shouts and cheers for victory at
Liaoyang Lantern bearing crowds
swing through the streets and surge
around the staff offices shouting, Ban
zsi"
The details of to-day's fighting are
scanty. 1t is only known that at dawn
to-day General Oku's army was hurled
against the Russian right center on
the southern line and that the Rus
SLAMS were forced to abandon their line
? and positions and retreat. The pursuit
is now in progress. This pursuit ana
the result Of the fierce battle waged on
the eastern line, where General Kuroki
is assaiIing the force which has long
screened Liaoyang. together with the
abandonment of the Russian right CEN
ter on the southern line, expose the
Russian left But here the Russian
force is so heavy that il may be able
TO protect and extricate itself
The question of the occupation OF
Liaoyang by the japanese is in doubt.
The official dispatches do not make
mention of such occupation, but it is
assumed that the Russians are with
drawing through Liaoyang and that
the japanese possibly occupied it late
to-day.
Tonight no estimates are obtainable
Of the losses on either side. Field
Marshal Ovama describes. his losses in
the morning assault as heavy. The
early success Of the attack was some
what unexpected on account of the
. strength Of the Russians and the ma
ture Of the. Russian defenses. II is con-
fidently believed that Field Marshal
. Oyama will press the pursuit with des-
perate vigor and infiict on General Ku-
ropatkin the most crushing blow pos
sible II is believed that his trophies
viii prove valuable.
II is the opinion here that the Rus
slams W ere not able 10 carry many guns
with them and that they were forced to
abandon or destroy vast quantities OF
stores.
Victory was in the balance and the
= Liaoyang battle was a draw when the
weary soldiers bivouacked last WED
nesday) night
Following the preliminary successes
Of the 29th, south Of Liaoyang, Field
Marshal Marquis Oyama, the COM
mander Of the japanese forces in the
field. promptly sent the united armies
forward and at dawn of August 80
= desperate attack upon all the Russian
positions was made.
The japanese found the Russians
holding q long chain of splendidly for
tilted positions. with a tremendous force
Of artillery. The Japanese artillery
. opened the way. but these preliminary
attacks generally failed to give an op-
portunity for an open assault.
The japanese First Army, after oc-
cupyine the right bank of the Lam
River on August q, continued its for
ward movement and renewed the as
sault against the remaining Russian
positions at Hungshaling, where the
enemy held out the longest and the
most stubbornly. They finally took the
Russian positions at this place and on
an 'eminence north of Sunchiassai. Fol-
lowing these successes the japanese
Immediately advanced. driving back
the small bodies of Russian soldiers
sent out TO impede their movement.
RUSSIANS DRIVEN FROM RIDGE.
From the night Of August 27 to the
morning Of the. 18th the Japanese at
tackled the Russian positions on the
ridge to the east Of SanyutZu. The.
Russians finally were dislodged from
these ridge positions, but the Japanese
left was unable to advance on account
of the forceful resistance made by the
Russian troops who occupied the
heights to. the southeast Of Hsiang-
shantzu. TWO divisions of Russians,
which. previously had been driven from
HanpOlin,- crossed a bridge constructed
over the Taitse River to the north of
SiaotantzU- and retreated to the right
bank Of the river.
Continuing the attack, the Japanese
center advanced and occupied a line
extending from Sanyutzu to the west
OF Shihchutzu. while the left, on the
morning of the 29th, after dislodging
, the Russians at Tashihmenling and
J. Siangshantzu, advanced to- Yayutaf
and Tengchiafang, where it was rein
forced
. The Russians checked the advance
Of all the japanese forces coming up
from the south along the Hsicheng-
. Idsoyang road.
The Japanese resumed the attack on
the 18th. The japanese right took a
line extending from Leichapao to Hell
nfuchuang, while the left occupied
line from point west of Heiniuchuang
70 Yayutai A detached column from
the Japanese right advanced toward
Weijagou and co-operated with the left
column of the First Army.
The Russians on the Hiacheng- Lao
wang road appeared TO be occupying a
line Of ridges extending from a point
south of Shoushanpao to a point east
Of Hangchiatun and running through
Hsinlintun. These eminences were
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