The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1904-05-14
RUSSIANS
Zssssliteh Ordered to Make No Fight
at Fene Wang Chen.

ST. Petersburg. May 1.-Two official
dispatches calculated to increase the
depression existing among all circles
in Russia were given out last night.
:rom The pJint of view of the pro-
sress OF the campaign, the most inn
portant is regarding the capture by
the Japanese, without opposition, OF
Feng Wang Cheng on hIay G. The
second gives details Cncerning the
killed, wounded and missing among
the troops under the command OF
Lieut., Gen. Z~assalitch, as the result
Of the fighting on the Yalu, the num-
her of which totals 2,379 officers and
men.
Gen. K~uropatkin forwarded a mes
sage from Gen. Zassalitch, who had
been left in charge of the column re
firing from Feng Wang Cheng, which
described the movements Of the army
in connection with the occupation OF
The town. The information caused no
surprise to officials. who had already
been advised of The decision that no
rttempt would be made to hold Feng
Wang Cheng, the superiority OF the
Japanese in all fighting arms ins1ring
I disaster similar to that at kiulien
| Cheng. Therefore Gen. Zassalitch was
yiven strict orders that there should
he no fight of the rear guard. The
Russians left while Gen. kuroki was
making his dispositions for a big bat
tie.
The Japanese approached from two
directions, along the main road and
up the valley, placing batteries so
as to command the town. This pro
aedure on the part Of Gen. Kuroki
shows that the entire Japanese plan
of operation had been thoughtfully
prepared and that every division com
mander knew exactly what he should
10.
Now that Gen. Kuroki is established
at Feng Wang Cheng, the Russians
are puzzled as to what move he VII
make next. The fact that he sent
two companies to Dalien Fiapu Use
ten miles north-northeast OF Feng
Wang Cheng, might indicate his pur'
pose to proceed along this road 10
Ting Chan Glen. ninety miles north
from where he would march west 10
the Lao Yank. This would permit an
effective thanking movement, but II
is not considered probable. the like
Iihood being that he will along
the road by w~hich-the Russians re
treated toward Lao Yang. This o a
branches off at Chats-Chang, twenty
miles westward from Feng Wanf
Cheng. and continues almost directly
west of Hal Chang, which was cap
tured by the Japanese during tns
Chino-Japanese war, A march OF
this place would compel the seYacua
ton OF New Chwang, as the force
there would be in danger of destruc
ton. or of being subjected to a sleg'
by the armies cOnverging from ia
Chang and the southern part OF TN
lao Tung peninsula.
There is no confirmation up to tn
present of the report that the nus
SLAMS are preparing to evacuate NeV
Chwang, but few would be surprise,
If IT should turn out to be correct
The effect of a march along the roa'
, IN Hal Cheng would be to place aDsC
/, ,ute]v in control of the Japanese a
Manchuria between the Yalu n IN
q, Lao Tung peninsula, with the eXceI
| ton of Port Arthur. The RUSSIAN
admit that at this stage OF the wa
the Japanese control the terrltor
r mentioned.
The Russian Invalid, the army o.
, gan. makes this concession.
The remainder Of the press Is 3
t lent.
Only one afternoon paper referre
p tn the abandonment of Feng wan
> Cheng, and that one inconpicuousI,
y It is believed that Kuroki, instead I
' proceeding to Hal Cheng. will NOV
| northwest along the road to Lla
Yang. He will find the Russians II
E trenched at Tien Chori Chan pas
west of The Mao Tien line pass.