New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-03
RUSSIA'S LOSS OF YALU.
General Stats Outline of Opera
tjOnS on Sundag.

ttOHS on OURdG4.
st. Petersburg May 2-The general staff has
made public an outline Of the operations on the
Yalu River in the last week. The Russian force.
including the reserves. was composed of General
Kashtalinsky's Rifle Division. General Mist
chenko's Cossack outposts and brigade OF ar
tillery. the whole under General sassulitch
The Russian lines were at Kulien- -Cheng
(Turenchen). opposite Wiju and Antung both
on the Feng-wang-Cheng road. A mile north
Of Kulen-Cheng lies the village of Potietinsly.
near tributary Of the Litzavena. five miles up
which is Chin-Kow. On the opposite bank OF
the tributary is the village Of Litzavena Oppo-
site Potietinsky stands Housan (zusan0. with
dominating height Still higher. on the right
Of the Yalu. is the village of Ambikhe. at the
confluence of the Aipfke. The whole course OF
the Yalu between Ambikhe and Antung is divid-
ed by islands the largest being samalinda, fac
ing KuIen-Cheng. Another lies between
Housan and Sindiagou.
The Japanese forces. the staff believes ap-
proxinated a hundred thousand men. of which
four divisions, thirteen battalions and hfty-six
guns were in action.
The japanese prepared for crossing the river
by posting all their available guns (of which the
Russians say the japanese had five times more
than they along the line facing Kulien-Cheng
ard Antung and also landed from their war
ships IL guns. This array of artillery eventu-
ally made Kulien-Cheng untenable.
POSITION RETAKEN BY JAPANESE.
Under cover of powerful batteries north OF
Sindiagou. the Japanese crossed to HOusan. oc-
cupying the height. AS the latter position would
have enabled them to direct a ra4ing fire against
the Russians at KuIien-Cheng. General Sas-
sulitch ordered it to be retaken on Friday.
This was done. but on Saturday the Japanese.
under cover of a battery. reoccupied it. the de-
Tenders falling back across the Litzavena and
continuing the fight with the Japanese. who
We're attempting to flank them from Chin-KOw.
The Russian force at Antuns and Kulien-
Chens had meanwhile retreated TO it's second
lire. a few miles westward. The whole Rus
sian force engaged yesterday formed semi
circle the horns of which were being gradual
ly drawn In preparatory to retiring to posi-
ton further west. This was the situation when
the last Russian official reports were sent.
A member of the staff said that probably
the issue ultimately turned upon whether the
order to withdraw given at the proper time.
A slight delay at a critical moment might have
enabled the enemy's vastly superior artillery to
concentrate on the Russian guns. compelling
their abandonment. The Russian plans. how
ever would not be changed by accidental
losses. General Sassuutch would continue his
retreat. contesting stuhborny possible Japan
ess advance along the Feng-Wang- -Cheng road.
which runs through hilly country. suited to
Russian tactics.
KEY TO THE YALU ABANDONED.
Credence is given here to the figures OF losses
given by the Japanese. the reserves were not
brought up to support the Russian position at
Kulien- -Cheng where the fighting was the heavi-
est. The Russians made a special effort TO hold
as long as possible the heights OF Chosan, on
an island opposite KuIien-Cheng. where their
guns commanded a considerable stretch of river
to the south. but a Japanese battery on a hill
above Wiju dominated the position. which the
eventually were forced to relinquish.
thus losing the key TO the river. The desperats
of the struggle there may have been
due 70 the necessity for gaining time for the
withdrawal or the Russian deuachnents above
and below.
General Sassulitch in command OF the en-
tire force the Yalu. which extended along
front of over thirty miles, with reserve sup
ports fifteen miles back The whole army ac-
cording to the best information obtainabIe dtd
not exceed 1900 men, What was the actual
force engaged Is not known at present though
probably 1t was not more than 5000 men
GENERALS INJURIES NOT CONFIRMED.
No confirmation has vet been received OF the
reported capture of twenty-eight Russian quick
irinS guns OF of the wounding OF General Sassu-
itch and General Kashtalinsky. in command
of the Third Division. East Siberian troops. or
me burning Of Antung. 1t is confirmed that a
village OF thatched huts was set on fire bv a
hell. The statement that the Russians have
allen back so far as Feng-Wang-C -Cheng is said
70 be untrue.
The general star believes that General Ku-
osfs forward march on Feng- -Wanx-Chsnr
VIZ % accompanied by landings at Tatuux-