New-York tribune., 1904-09-06
RUSSIANS OUTFLANKED.
Karopatkin'S Failure to Protect the
Russian Left.

Russian Left
St. Petersburg Sept. 5-The feeling of ma
tional grief and disappointment caused by Gen
ersl Kuropatkin's unsuccessful attempt to make
q stand at Il Yang, deep and bitter as it is,
was somewhat tempered to-day by the news
that the Russian commander in chief had re-
moved the bulk OF his stores northward before
the battle and that he had succeeded in ex-
Treating his army, especially General Stakel-
bergs corps. from the clutches of the Jap
Rnese.
The War Once here believed that the battle
was virtually ended and that Kuropatkin's line
of retreat was opeu.
While admitting that Kuropatkin sustained
a severe reverse. the War Office held that the
failure of Field Marshal Oyama to hold and
cut of the Russians was a strategic defeat for
the Japanese. The Russian military authorities
figure that Oyama had a numerical superiority
of 10000 men in the operations against Kuro-
patkIn-
The officials OF the War once did not ex-
pect renewal Of the lighting for several days,
which they believed the Japanese would employ
in recuperating, while Kuropatkin collected his
army preparatory to pushing the troops north
ward. He has double track railroad and the
high road. The next fighting was expected to
be in the nature of series of rearguard ac-
tions. There are no facilities for defence at
Tentai
KURoKTs RAPID MOVE NORTH.
According to the military authorities all Ku-
Topatkins hopes and plans for victory were
dashed by the wonderful celebrity with which
Oyama's right pushed northward after cross
Ing the Tai-Tse River. Here Kuropatkin's in
formation evidently faulty in believing that
t.g,,,
forces which had crossed to the right bank. He
had already completed preliminary lombard
ment of Kurokis force or Friday, and was
about 10 strike him when he discovered that
another japanese column had crossed the river
further up stream, and had worked around still
further northward. This column was march
ing with great rapidity westward to cut the
railroad and close the door on the Russian re-
tr=at TO Moukden-
At this point there is hiatus in the reports.
Whether Kuropatkin actually attempted tn de-
liver a blow agains: Kuroki is not clear. At
all eveEts. If he did, he was compelled to desist
upon the discovery OF the northern japanese
column. The latter took him by surprise.
General Orlof's division. which suffered 50
severely. had just arrived from European Rus
sia. Although this division was thrown into
confusion and lost a frightful number of men,
the temporary check it was able to give the
japanese probably saved the railroad for Kuro-
patkin.
sTAKELBERG's NARROW ESCAPE.
In the near time Kuroki. freed from Kuropat-
kin. marched hastily westward to intercept Cen
ersl Stakelberg. who was crossing the river
from the lef. bank. 1t then that Kuro-
patkin thought stakelberg's corps was lost and
so reported to the War Office.
Kuroki was too late. Stakelberg not only
succeeded in getting his corps across, but
marched at high speed thirty miles to Yentai,
arriving IN time TO come TO the support Of the
hard pressed Orlof.
The retreat Of Kuropatkin has evidently
thrown everything into confusion at the front.
and the reports received are meagre and incom-
plete.
The military expert of the ..Novoe yrenva"
says.
Reinforcements are undoubtedly arriving at
1entai from the north. Our main hope lies in
the bloody and unprecedentedy long and severe
fighting which practically continued day and
night from August y to September B.
The Emperor has undergone great strain in
the last week. His main fear in the last few
days has been that Kuropatkin would be cut
Off Like his subjects. the Emperor has taken
Kuropatkin's defeat greatly to heart, but the
preservation OF the army organization has been
a great relief. and his answer to the battle OF
Liao-Yang Will be the mobilization of two more
army corps So far as can be learned, the En-
peror shows no disposition to blame Kuropatkin.
Ali classes of the population are awaiting
with intense eagerness the receipt of details of
the battle and estimates lnd particulars of the
losses. Crowds hang around the bulletin boards
The wives and families 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 incomplete. Some of the
papers evidently have not yet awakened to the
full force of the disaster But without excep-
tion. they try to put brave faSe on the situa-
ton. There is not the slightest suggestion OF
yielding The cry Of the papers is that the war
must go on until Russia is victorious If not this
year. then next yesr.