The St. Louis Republic., 1904-07-31

sian Army in Manchuria.
Mukdcn Monday. MAY 3o.-For the last
iwo hours the air has been filed with the
whistlinc Of locomotives on the railway,
which runs at a short distance from the
Lama temple. in which I am writing; and
this sound Will probably continue, with
hardly break, for the rest OF the day
and for all the coming night, as it has
continued for months past.
Sometimes it is q short. sharp scream;
oftener it is a prolonged wall. But. what
ever form it takes there is no sound,
save the sound of guns, that eNcttes more
interest and apprehension III Nukden at
the present moment than The whistle Of
the ordinary railway locomotive.
| need not point out why this 10 the
case, for in no war that ever was waged
has the railway been such an important
factor as in the present conflict On a
single line of railway Russia depends en-
tirely for success; on the chance of that
railway proving Inadequate Japan de-
clarcd war i'll February last
Russia has accordingly told off an
army merely to guard that long railway,
while all Japans efforts. the attacks on
Port Arthur. the invasion of Manchura
and the landings along the Liao-Tung
coast have had for their object the cut
ting of that fyail but formidable line Of
steel.
THE EUROPEANS GOD.
The attention the Russians have be
stowed on their railway since the out
break OF the war has been such that the
Chinese might be excused for believing
that the railway locomotive is the "Eu-
ropean's god" and that if not watched
day and night by fervent worshipers with
rifles in their hands that iron deity might
infiict some dreadful punishment on its
recalcitrant worshipers.
After Japan began the war something
like a panic seized upon the Russians
with regard TO their railway. and Cos
4 sacks used TO ride along the line by
which they could ascertain if the rats
had been tampered with anywhere.
Admiral Alexief even issued a procla.
nation calling on the Chinese to protect
the line, but | do not think that this
proclamation had the slightest effect.
The elaborate measures taken TO protect
the Bridges are ALREADY known To the pub
lie considerable body of soldiers Is
generally stationed on each side of a
bridge, which is also protected by at least
one field piece. The approaches 10 the
bridge are lined by sandbags. which some
times extend down the river bank for
distance Of several hundred yards. NO
body Is allowed TO approach the brlnp" uii-
less he If 4 Russian officer in uniform ana
is provided with all sorts of permits signed
and countersiGned by dozens of officials
Every beam Of bridge is watched day
ami night by anxious eyes, the owners of
which well aware of the fate which
awaits them in case the bridge sustains
injury while they are not looking
Even little bridges only a few yards
across are protected by two soldiers, who
watch in turn, the man off duty reposing
in little straw hut just capable of accom-
modating two persons and a tea Kettle
built close to the railway track.
AN ADVENTURE. 49,
Although provided with full credentials
as war correspondent and with con-
spicuous red brassard. | have twice had
difficulties in crossing the line because
crossed it within about half mile of one
of these tiny bridges. What would have
happened to me If l had crossed within
sight of a big bridge l shudder to con-
ON one of the two occasions on which l
passed near a small bridge | had with me
like japanese. being small. wearing cor
duroys and generally wearing his queue
wound M inside of European hat.
As soon as the soldier on guard at the
bridge saw me cross the line he summoned
his companion. and they asked me VINO
was.
I explained to them in my best Russian:
and al a distance Of about a hundred
yards that | was a war correspondent and
that everything was In order. But they
were not satisfied.
They wanted to get a nearer view Of
me. and accordingly ordered me to come
closer. l obeyed with alacrity, as they
had guns in their hands, but l wondered
what would happen to man who. unGer
similar circumstances, did not know
enough Russian TO understand them and
continued TO ride on.
NORTH OF MUKDEN.
n About the time l was thus stopped on
Z tod
Japanese, each party numbering several
Thousand, had actually found their way,
: in direct imitation of Dewet when he in
yaded Cape Colony, as far as thirty miles
10 the north of Mukden, their object being
presumably 10 ascertain as much as they
could of the disposition of the Russian
forces and at the same time to injure the
railway.
Repeated attempts were made by them
to carry out this latter part of their pro-
gramme, and although these attempts in,
variably failed, they naturally Increased
the soiicitude with which the Russians
looked after their line.
Similar attempts were made between
Mukden and Liao-Yang, and only few
days ago six Japanese cavalrymen were
captured In the vicinity of the latter town.
The japanese not only send inuunte q
scouts in uniform to attack the railway
they also send peaceful and heavily paid
Chfnamen as well as japanese dressed
as Cinnamon, and bands of Chinese rob
bers to attempt the same delicate opera
Sometimes the encounters between the
Russians who want to guard the line and
the Bunghuses who want to wreck II at
- tain serious dimensions. About week
ago a band of Chinese Hunghuses at
tackled a Cossack detachment and did not
retreat until they had lost twenty of their
number.
These attempts make everybody in Muk.
: den anxiously listen for the whistling OF
the railway locomotives. So far. as
have already remarked, that whistiing
has been almost continuous In fact. the
= railway has fully justified all the hopes
placed in 1t.
PRINCE KHILKOFFS WORK.
1t is a marvel, and If it continues to dc
its duty for another four months the Rus
slams should treat il as the japanese treat
mountains which have rendered dis
tinsuished service to the country" by
ornamenting the landscape, and should
make ii henceforth incumbent on every
loyal subject of the Gar to speak of the
railway as Monsieur the Railway in the
same way as the japanese speak of fuJi-
yama as Fuji-san.
Prince Khiikoff certainly deserves the
decoration he recently received for the
4 magnificent work the railway is doing un-
der his mana cement. The amount OF that
.Nork is not properly appreciated by any
Aody who does not see the trains go past.
have never seen a more imposing
Exhibition of the power and might OF
DRussia than / have witnesser day after
day during the last four weeks at Muk-
den.
The endless procession of implements
of destruction and Of men to make use of
them dwarf into utter in:ignificance any
procession that L have ever seen. although
at times / cannot help asking myself as
/ watch them rolling swiftly past. how
many OF these brave young fellows will
ever come back.