The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-09-19
All Commanders in the Field
Are Connected by Telephone
With Headquarters
RUSSIANS HAVE SHOWN
GREAT BRAVERY IN BATTLE.
Russian Commanders Lead Forces in.
Person While Japanese Leaders
Direct Movements of Men With
Business Like Precision.

BUSINESS Like FreCisioHs
With the First Japanese Army, Tien
Shitien, Mauehuria, August 12.-lCorres-
pondence of the Associated Press. THE
lessons of the campaign are a text con-
stantly before the eyes of the military
observers with this army. They have
made no revolutionary discoveries thus
far; indeed, the lesson has been over
shadowing Importance of that complete
preparation which has made every cog
of every wheel of the great machine slide
quietly into its groove at the appointed
minute. and the attention to details for
lack of which the servants of the car
are wasting so much brave food for pow
der.
The work of the Russian artillery on
the 31st of July commanded the highest
praise from every one. 1t was in strong
contrast to the showing made at the
Yalu. and was in every respect credit
to that arm of the Russian service. Their
gun positions we're selected by engineers
who appreciated the possibilities of the
country as they failed to do at the Yalu
The contour of the hills which push for
ward into the valley on both sides of
Taowan, afforded a line of defense, which
speaking roughly, extended nearly in a
semi-circle. Most of the Russian guns
looked down into the valley, and also
commanded the lower ranges of the hills
beyond it, where the seven Japanese bat
teries must cover while they presented
to the enemy only skyline targets, diff
cult to guage. Consequently they gave
the japanese artillery hard day of 1t,
and compelled the batteries with the
Japanese left division attempting to flank
the Russian. right to shit their ground
repeatedly to avoid the fierce and accu-
rate fire poured upon them wherever they
opened.
Russian Gunners Are Brave.
Moreover, the bravery of the Russian
gunners was beyond all praise. On riding
over the battle ground afterwards. 1t
was seen that although the Japanese
shells had hardly been able to reach those
Russian guns on the high peak behind
Toawan, the other batteries had endured
Il DeT1eCl HdllStOIlIl VI dphCl3 WiiASAA
lay underfoot everywhere, while common
shells had torn gaps every few feet about
the guns. Many statements have occur
red in European newspapers about the
superiority of Japanses guns but their
work so far has illustrated the western
aphorism that Success is not in holding
a good hand, but in playing poor hand
WE'LL"
1t is conceded by the experts who have
seen their work in the field, that the Rus
sian guns are better than the Japanese,
and that the ratio to insure equality
should be about six Japanese guns against
four Russian.
infantry Makes Poor Showing.
But the showing made by the Russian
infantry leaves much to be explained.
If their trenches had been held by marks
men like the Beers, there would have
been no question of the Japanese reach
ing them without heavy loss, if at all.
They were dug in splendid positions on
the, sides, and the submits of hills and
the approaches across the valley and UP
the hillsides had little cover except
patches of corn. Yet the Russian de-
fence was either remarkably weak, or
only demonstration, because the Jap
anese of the central division hit by their
III 2 iAohpti to OHiS d SCOit VI iWD MUTE
over, there was the same blunders In
mangamement that marked the Yalu
The infantry in front of the Japanese
left fought well. But late on the night
of the battle two Russian battalions ap-
peared north of Towan in front of the
Japanese right flank, and then retired
without opening fire, and the purpose OF
their movement is mystery.
Fine Exhibition of Bravery.
At Henling, where thousand were cut
to pieces. and where, as at Hamatan
they had brass band that lefts its in
struments in the field. they gave one OF
the finest exhibitions of bravery witnessed
during the war They were marching In
close columns of fours under destruc.
tive fire, and although they were cut
down by squads they never broke ranks
nor retreated. The great number of cas-.
ualties among the Russian officers, ant
particularly their generals, while no Japa
nese generals have been hit. Is due largely
to different theories of generalship fol
lowed In the armies.
The generals of the Japanese are direc
tors, while the Russians cling to the ole
Skobeloff tradition of a commander al
the head of his men leading the fight
ing. From the Japanese lines we can SCI
the white-coated Russian officers riding
cOHSplcuOuSly DeIOTe Lnelr troops, Wnlis
from the Russian side it must be hard Il
discover the Japanese officers, because
their uniforms are so like those of ths
ranks and because General Kuroki ant
the lesser generals usually are somewhere
behind the fighting line. managing theil
battles by telegraph and telephone.
Electricity Plays Big Part.
Probably electricity has never played sc
great a part In warfare before as 1t Goes
with the Japanese. Every general oi
brigade in the field is like a modern am
bassador "at the end of a wire" which his
divisional commander controls, and the
generals Of divisions are in touch by tel
egraph or telephone with the corps com
mander. The engineers run wires after the
column ahead with marvellous rapidity
Firing is heard somewhere at the front
A detachment of engineers emerges from
headquarters with pack ponies carrying
bundles of light bamboo poles, while
coolies and carts follow them with coils
of slender copper wire. The poles, which
have pointed ends, are quickly planted
the wire spreads out as fast as men car
uncoil It, and a field telephone Is at work
| No evidences have been seen as the army
advanced into the enenys country thai
the Russians employ the Telegraph exclu
sively There are no trace OF wires OF