The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-03-06
Heavy Land Fighting viii
Not Occur for
Weeks.
four Army Corps Expected to
Drive the Enemy Into
the Sea.

NT PETERSBURG. March 5.-AI-
10 though almost four weeks have
elapsed since the japanese first at
tackled Port Arthur. here the war is
considered hardly begun. Heavy land
/ fighting. upon which the fate Of the
/ campaign depends, is not expected
much before the end of April BY this
/ time Russia Will have in the field. ex-
elusive Of the large army of men re-
Quired to guard the railroads. four army
corps, each with a cavalry division and
an artillery brigade. All that has hap
pened 50 far, or is going TO happen
until these forces are in the field is
considered. according TO the Russian
view, to be l4Othing more than the pro-
! logue 10 the real drama.
Unfortunate Beginning.
The cripplirg Of the Port Arthur
fleet was unfortunate in that il gave
the enemy command Of the sea at the
very outset. 1T is however. of rela-
lively small Importance from the
standpoint Of the main strategy Of the
war whether Port Arthur stands or
/ falls. But as long as il holds out and
/ the feet is harbOred there IL will con-
stitute "a potential menace which viii
restrict and hamper Japan's operations.
ard the Russians are determined to
defend Port Arthur as herOicaly as
/ they did Sebastopol. No large garri-
sons Will be retained there; 10000 men
/ are as good as 100000 for defense. while
the more men the more mouths to feed.
There are enough provisions there now
/ to last for eight months In addition.
there viii be a division of Cossacks
: with mountain batteries on the peUtnsU-
\ Ia TO oppose the landing Of the Japan
! csc and harass them if they succeed in
investing the city
Only One Road.
/ Viceroy Alexienf retains his head
/ quarters at Mukden through which
5000 or 1900 soldiers are passing daily
/ TO the positions which the main armies
/ viii occupy. The Russians believe that
! for military purposes there is only one
J road over which the Japanese can
come from Korea. All the troops land
ed al ChemulpO, MokpO and Chimapo
must use the Picking road" Couse-
quertly the landings at Plaksin Bay
and the other places on the east coast
I OF northern Korea are not considered
/ important. the absence of roads pre-
I venting these forces from combining
with the main body
Cossacks in Front.
! The Cossacks. mounted infantry and
2 light guns now across the Yalu river
: VIII serve to haTass the enemy in every
/ possible way, as wei as to hold him i'm
check until the Russian main armies
/ and reserves are concentrated and dis
posed. Sharp fighting may occur be
/ tN cen the advance parties, but nothing
I of 4 decisive character is anticipa ted.
The Russian plans contemplate tax
/ ing no chances on the score of inferior
numbers. BY sheer weight Of men and
guns, if nothing else. when the proper
/ time arrives. Russia counts on over
whelming the Japanese and rolling
/ them back through Korea. 1t is real
/ lied that the vastness of the theatre Of
! war will make the protection Of the
railroad. the sole means for the trans
pOTtatiOn of troops and supplies from
Europe, one of the most difficult
I phases Of the Russian military prob
lem With the japanese in command
Of the sea there is always the POSSIBLE
ity of their landing small bodies of men
| in unexpected places TO make incursions
/ into the interior 10 cut the railroad and
! telegraph lines and blow up bridges,
but adequate measures are believed TO
have been taken 10 guard against such
misfortune.
Give Japs Full Credit.
Tt is a mistake to suppose that the
Russians underestimate the prowess OF
( their adversarleS. on the contrary.
z AlGN dulUlL Allt me maj h-.ilo4AsAhAt va
the japanese and their marvellous abil-
! ity in determining ranges, Vet the Rus
slams 90 not believe that the Japanese
can successfully face the legions of the
ear On the sea the maritime life ~
I the Japanese gives them "A natural adj
vantage. but on land, where belong all
the traditions of the Russian army, the
men of the empire have perfect faith.
J borne of their numerous experiences
with pagan tribes and the fatalism n
! herent in the Russian character They
I believe that Asiatics cannot meet Eu-
/ rOpeans in battle array that yellow
race cannot triumph over white, or
| heAthens over Christians
I General KUrOpatkn. who will leave
( for the front March - is expected TO
be on the ground before the real cant
paign opens He has purchased milk
white horses from an officer of the cav
/ airy school to ride in the far east, thus
following the example of the famous
| General SkObelOff. with whom he fought
at the siege Of Cock Tepe.