Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-05


across, but marched at high speed thirty
miles to Yentai. actually arriving in time
to come to the support of the hard-preSsed
Orloff
The war Office processes ignorance of the
losses of guns and men sustained by the
Russians. but there is no doubt that many
thousands have fallen.
The retreat of Kuropatkin has evidently
thrown everything into confusion at the
front and the reports are meager and In
complete.
Chief Russian Hope.
The military expert of the Novoe Vremya
says the chief question of the moment Is
whether Kuropatkin will succeed in collect
ing all his forces from Liaoyang and e1-
fecting a retirement to Mukden, in we"
of the flanking position taken up by the
Japanese.
"Reinforcements" the paper says, are
undoubtedly arriving at Yentai from the ,e
north. Our main hope lies in the probable
exhaustion of the japanese after the pioouy
and unprecedentedy long and severe ngnt.
ing which practically continued oay anu
night from August "a to September o.
The emperor has undergone great strain
during the past week. His main rear uui =
ing the last few days has been that huro-
patkin would be cut off. Like ms supJects
the emperor has taken kuropatKins uei.a %
army organization has been great M relleI
and his answer to the battle OF Llaoyahs
will be the mobilization OF TWO more ain,S
corps. So far as can De leai ineu ny 10
neror shows no disposition to blame huio-
patkin.
Intense Interest Shown.
All classes of the population are a"al'ihs
with intense eagerness the receipt oi 'iie
details of the battle and estimates and par
.3S hn q
the bulletin boards The wives and fami-
lies of many of the lower classes OF the
people spend most of their time In the
churches. praying that their loved ones
may be spared
The accounts of the battle published In
the newspapers here are very incomplete.
Some of the papers evidently have not yet
awakened to the full force of the disaster,
but without exception they try to put
brave face on the situation. There Is not
the slightest suggestion OF yielding. Inc
cry of the papers is that the war must go
on until Russia is victorious, II not TINS
year then next year.
Report of the Fighting.
A dispatch to the Official Messenger, filed
at Mukden Sunday, says:
The bombardment of Liaoyang, which
commenced last Thursday, continued Fri
day and Saturday. On those days the forts
surrounding the town withstood the heavy
fire of artillery and a brilliant assault by
the Japanese infantry. All the attacks
We're repulsed, mines playing an important
part in the discontinue of the assailants.
Nevertheless, the Liaoyang fortfications
finally were cuated, and the remainder
of reserve supplies destroyed by fire.
During the three days bombardment the
railway station and suburbs of the Chinese
town suffered the most. The latter was
abandoned by its inhabitants after the
town was ablaze in many places.
To the east, in the neighborhood of Yen
tai station and the coal mines, there was
not hghting on Friday and Saturday. Both
sides, according to latest information, were
quiet. On Saturday trains from Mukden
went south as far Yentai.''
The Gear May Go to the Front.
The report that the emperor will go to the
front Is again revived and seems to have
foundation. 1t is known that the imperial
train has been fitted out for a long journey
North of the City.
YENTAI September DELAYED in trans
missioD.-The Russians evacuated their po-
sitions around Liaoyang during the night Of
September 3 crossing the Taitse river and
burning the bridges behind them. In the
meantime strong force was holding Gen.
kuroki back from Yentai
During the combined attack on Liaoyang
Which commenced August So by Gen. Oku
Nodzu from the southwest, The shell fire was
terrific, in one instance tifty-siX shells
bursting at the same time
The Japanese made a fine infantry at
tack. They succeeded'in reaching the Rus
sian trenches, but were repulsed with heavy
loss. The japanese shrapnel. as a rule
burst too high on the whole the day went
well for the Russians. The Japanese We're
driven from the villages along the railroad
on August 81 the Smelling commenced at
daylight from all sides, but the Russian
infantry pressed forward. Late that after
noon the news came that kuroki was
threatening the railroad at Yentai and the
Russians began to retire abling the jap
anese to bring up two batteries and enfiade
the Russian force along the railroad. Dur
ing the night the transport moved into
LidOyang.
On September l the Russians retreated
from their main positions, which formed
circle around the city, while the transport
crossed the river. At o'clock the Japa-
nese succeeded in placing two guns in posi-
ton and shelled the railroad station re-
sulting in many casualties. At the same
time the Japanese infantry attacked the
inner Russian position, but was repulsed
In the evening the Japanese brought up
heavy guns and used Shimose powder to
shell the Russian town. The Russians held
the position till the night of September j.
when they retired across the river
On September 2 a strong Russian force
was moved east from Yentai to hold Kuro-
ki back. kuroki attacked it and was re-
pulsed. being driven from his positions on
the left. The japanese poured in a terrific
shrapnel fire. at one spot annihilating two
Russian companies. In the evening the
Russian artillery, which had been REIN
forced, sheled the Japanese position and
kuroki pushed his right forward and got
within twelve miles of the railroad at Yen-
tai. Later he was driven back to his origi-
nal position. Desultory fighting occurred
September 3 in the vicinity of Mukden.