The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-09-04
ONCE THE BEAR TURNS
But the Rapid Advance of the Japanese
in Thanking Movement Forces Him
to Wheel and Continue His Lumber
ing Flight--Kuropatkin Declares
That if StakeIberg Had Crossed the
Taitsa When Thus Ordered His Corps
of $4,000 Men Would Not Have
Been Cut Off.
(By the Associated Press.)

st. Petersburg, Sept. 4.-12:15 a. m.
(Sunday) all Russia will learn by
the morning papers that General Ku-
ropatkin's army is in full retreat to
the northward, that Lao Yang has
been abandoned and that General
Stakelberg's corps is surrounded and
cut off.
The hopes of success raised in Rus
sian breasts by the telegram from the
commander-in-c/e published this af-
ternoon, saying that the Russians had
advanced against General Kuroki on
Friday and that an attack on the Rus
sian right had been repulsed, proved
short-lived General Kuropatkin had
scarcely begun the offensive against
General Kuroki's army when he was
compelled by the overwhelming force
of the Japanese thanking movement to
give up all tides of continuing his adj
vance, and hurriedly withdrew in the
direction of Mukden.
How About Your Own Legs, Bruin?
The retreat is the logical conse-
quence of the Russian plan of lead
ing on and firing out the japanese at
the successive station of the road
northward, thus placing their foe at
the constantly growing disadvantage
of heightened lines of communication.
The success of this plan was marred
by a blunder of General Stakelberg,
Wro in the words Of General kurOpat-
kin, insisted on placing his own in
depreciation on orders instead of full
filling them. General Stakelberg erred
in failing to cross the Taitse river
when General Kuropatkin decided that
the whole army should retreat to its
northern bank, as was exclusively re-
ported in dispatches to the Associated
Press on September 1.
This bunder. it is feared will in
volve the loss of the whole of the first
Siberian army corps, consisting of the
first second and sixth rifle divisions.
the Usuri Cossack brigade, the first
Siberian artillery brigade and sap
Der battalion.
stion at Lao Yang involves the loss
of a great accumulation of stores,
though it is believed that many OF
these already had been sent north be-
fore the commencement of fighting.
1t is more than possible, however,
that the Russians destroyed what they
could not remove.
Disaster that Makes EN- Blue.
Something akin to CONSERVATION
prevails among Russians who have
learned of the disaster to General
Stakelberg's corps
All realize that there is small hope
now for the relief of Port Arthur, but
the military officials are unanimous
i'm the belief that it would only be fol-
ly for General Kuropatkin to remain
and run the risk of being surrounded
with his whole army, and that the
commandments by his Withdraw
al north has actually converted what
might have been disaster to himself
into what is regarded as a reverse for
the Japanese, for the failure of the
Japanese to hold General Stakelberg' S
army and infiict a decisive blow, it is
claimed, cannot be regarded other
wise than a reverse. Field Marshal
Oyamas tenciouS frontal attack and
the clever flank movements could not
have had any other object than to COM
pei the Russians to accept a decisive
engagements.
General Kuropatkin's retreat will
undoubtedly have discouraging eff
feet on the garrison of Port Arthur
which can no longer hope for relief
from this quarter. 1t is doubtful. how
ever, if the Japanese are in a position
to press the Seige and it is more than
probable that they have diverted a
portion of the beSeiging army to rein
force their corps operating in Man
churia. This would account for the
temporary lull in the fighting there.
1t is noticeable that the seige renorts
reaching here do not mention further
assaults on the fortress, but only speak
of bombardmentS.