The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-09-09
Fresh Reserves for Front.

St. Petersburg, September 5.-G.15 a. m.) -Besluts the formation of two fresh army corps the Russian army at this point will be reorganized probably in command of General Linevitch and Gen eral Baron Kaulbars, respectively, with General Kuropatkn as commander-in- chief General Kaulbers will go with the two army corps now organizing in the governments of Kasean, Odessa, Wilma and EIief. General Lineviteh has been ordered to Mukden This decision Is due in part to the growing unwieldiness of the big force of General Kuropatkins command. which will be largely increased by constant endorsements.
 General Kuropatldn heretofore has handled every detail of the vast organ ization. The work Is too much for one man, and he Is now almost broken down under the strain. It Is known that the chief is personally one of Kuropatkin's strong supporters, and it Is thought that the general will in all probability retain chief command of the two armies.
 kuropatkin Is Criticised.
 Kuropatkin, however, has been adverse ly criticized by some of the czar's close IlluldIy duNlSeFSs ana II IS pTODdDle that he may eventually be superseded.
 There is little information from the front tonight. A despatch from Mukden bearing Thursdays date, repeats the story of bad roads which have hampered the transport and intimates that there is an interesting movement toward Tie Pass, but the nature of this movement Is not disclosed.
 It Is understood that the czars inspec- of ba Raft tol day is the last he will make and that the fleet when it leaves Libau will proceed to the far east.
 Most Spectacular in History.
 General kuroki's Headquarters in the Field, August 30 via Fusan, Korea, Sep tember S.-The artillery battle which thundered before Liao Yang today from early morning until darkness, hiding foe from foe, was certainly one of the stupen- dous and spectacular of history.
 The combined armies of Japan with the exception of part of the force under General Kurolxi concentrated their bat teries against the Russian lines under General kuropatkin, and several hundred guns, probably not less than 3OO upon each side were worked necessarily for twelve hours. Even after nightfall, and in the driving storm of wind and rain that
 
 fliet did not cease entirely for Russian shells are tonight bursting over the hills before the Japanese positions.
 Not only the number of guns in action but their unceasing and rapid fire, made the conflict of today remarkable For several hours the cannonading averaged slxty shots minute and the rate sell aom Tell below twenty shots minute.
 From high mountain almost over the nearest Russian batteries, the foreign at taehes and newspaper correspondents with General Kurokis army had a view ot nghting which probably never will be surpassed
 Is Small Chinese Walled City.
 Llao Yang, small Chinese walled city With gray pagoda towering from it's center, stands on the southern bank of the Taitse river. The observers noted the yellow roofs of military store houses in outskirts of the city. From the city. the river sweeps in broad curve to tba southeast road and then takes q t,,rn to the north. To the northwest of Liao Yang, there extends a great plain while 10 the east and south range unon range are the mountains through which the Japanese armies advanced to the theatre Of one of the decisive battles of the struggle.
 Some of the Russian guns were aligned In an almost unbroken horseshoe around the plain to the south and east of I,iao Yang; others were posted about five miles from the city; still other detached bat teries were facing the west from a eroup of hills on the extreme Russian right while another range of hills behind the city facing the east bank of the river fur nished positions for the Russian batteries protecting the railroad and the rear of the army
 The Japanese guns in the mountains formed an irregular arc, twenty miles or more in length
 The foregoing description roughly out lines the artillery position of the two armies, and the scheme of defense and attack
 Country Is Irregular.
 While the landscape viewed from the elevation where the correspondents and foreign attaches had taken their posi- tions appeared to be modelled on the road lines in reality the country is irregular with many hills and ravines and much rolling plain. all of which affected the strategic disposition of the contending forces. Looking down on so vast scene of operations with so many batteries par ticipating. it was often impossible to dis cern the details of positions or what units were opposed to each other. Tn some places the Russian guns appeared to be arranged in tiers. two or three batteries being placed one above the other.
 Tb- whole Russian front vas bordered