New-York tribune., 1904-09-03
VICTORT NOT DECISITE.
British Critics Eager for Further
NezcS from Liao-Y0ng.

London. Sept. 3-English military critics
neither share Tokios iubilation over the fall of
Liao-Yang nor lay any stress on the advantage
which Russian dispatches attribute TO General
Kuropatkins latest move The best Informed
observers here. who have access 10 sources Of
information not revealed il the dispatches from
Toxic and not given cut at 81. Petersburg. say
that the battle of Liao-Yang. however dramatic
and historic In loss of life and tragic Incident,
can have no serious bearing on the eventual
issue unless the japanese have surrounded
Kuropatkin.
The London daily newspapers in their head
lines depict the conditions at Liao-Yang as.
Russian Rout" and Defeat or Debacle." Their
editorials. in more careful vein. point out that
the latest dispatches leave the issue of the
greatest battle OF this generation still in doubt
From the expert British point of view. Mar
quis Oyama's sacrifices will have been in vain
unless he is able TO cut off Kuropatkin from
Moukden. on this point there are chaotic hy-
potheses.
The Daily Graphic frankly says We are in
the dark to the final outcome" adding that
it seems not unlikely that Kuropatkin may still
manage to carry fighting force with him 10
Moukden.
The other critics doubt whether the japanese.
in the face Of 'indomitable Russian pluck" are
strong enough 10 press some of the preliminary
successes already won.
The Morning Post concludes careful and
rather impartial survey of the four days fight
ling with the opinion that the battle of Lao
Yang will take its place beside that of Water
loo, and believes that whether or not Kuro-
patkin's force is able to continue its retreat Il
will be broken and useless for some time TO
come"
The Russian view that General Kuropatkn
by crossing the river divided the opposing forces
-x.-s2A A-1sr~
out that all the japanese units can now attack
simultaneously from different directions which
eliminates any advantage 10 the Russian side
and really aggravates the seriousness of their
position. the Jaranese force being superior in
numbers.
The suspense with which the Developments at
Aao-Yang are awaited could be scarcely greater
in Toxic than It is in London
The Daily Telegraph" which hailed the in
itial successes at Lao Yang with the degree of
finality. now admits that 1T is not inconceiv-
able that Kuropatkin may extricate a portion
of his forces though this is characterized as
the supreme effort of a forlorn hope" The
Daily Telegraph" continues:
One of the most exciting problems over known
in war has been narrowed down 10 one point
viz. whether part of the retreating army will
succeed in tearing through Yentai, leaving
many thousands Of men and some hundreds OF
guns behind them. whether General Kuroki
will rivet the iron ring by hammering blows
Perhaps seventh day battle must be waged
before the issue can be finally declared.
The Daily Teegraph's' military critic, in
common with other English experts sees moth
ing except a superior Japanese force and STRAIT
egy 10 account for General Kuropatkin's present
position. This authority predicts an endeavor
the part of the Russian force to reach
Chinese territory.
The Standard" bluntly voices the thought OF
everybody in England by saying "Is it retreat
rout?' and cautiously says that General
Kuropatkin, in his ''precarious condition is not
without some prospects of avoiding the signal
catastrophe of a surrender en- masse If he can
still get away TO the north. Even with the loss
Of many guns and valuable supplies. the sue
cess OF the japanese viii be a good deal modi-
fed"
THE Times" compares the battle of Lao
Yang 20 those of Wagram. Leipsic. K6niggratz
and Gravelotte but it says. 1--WE still have to
learn whether the japanese reaped the fruits Of
victory in such abundant measure as to make
the battle the thoroughly decisive turning point
of the war. From the news thus far available
there seems to be a strong probability that they
will be able TO DO So"
Coward Adam" caustIe and characteristic ar
tice by Marie Corelli. See The Sunday Tribune to-