The semi-weekly messenger., 1904-07-22

St. Petersburg. July 1S.-The fol-
lowing dispatch from General Kuro-
patkin TO the Emperor, dated July
II. on our eastern front" was given
out today:
After the occupation by General
Kuroki's army of the passes in the
Fenshui mountain chain, our informa;-
tion concerning his forces and dispo-
sitions was in general inadequate. Ac-
cording to some reports his army had
been reinforced and he had even ex-
tended his forces towards SaimatsZa.
Other reports stated that a displace-
ment of his troops had been made in
the direction of Ia pass and Siuyen.
There were even indications that Ku-
roki had transferred his headquarters
from Tskhaikhekan to Touinpu.
"On the strength of the information
received. and on the basis of recon-
naissance which had been made, the
hypothesis was formed that the prin-
cipaI forces of the enemy were con-
centEated around Lianshankwan, and
that their advance guards had been
strengthened in the passes of Siakoai,
Wafankowan, Sinkia, Lakho and Pa
pau, as well as at Sybey pass, two and
d half miles north of the road and
half the height of Siaokao pass.
ON July II, in order to determine
the strength of the enemy, it was de-
cided to advance against his position
in the direction of LianShanwkan.
General
been instructed not to start with the
object of capturing the pass, but to act
according to the strength of the force
that he would find opposed to him.
The left column of this expedition
ary force consisting of three bat
taliOns, was dispatched towards Sybey
pass. The centre column, commanded
by Major General Kashtalinsky, con-
sisting of Il battalions, with twelve
guns was destined to attack SiaokaO
pass, the heights suFmounted by the
temple and Wafankwan pass. The
right column, one battalion strong,
was occupying points where the roads
leading to Sinki and Lakho passes
cross, in order to cover the right
flank Of General Kashtalinsky' col
umn. The general reserves was left
at Ikhavuen, and a portion of the
force occupied n position at that place.
AT 10 p. m, July 10th, the head
Of the column advanced from 1khav-
uan. At IL o'clock a battalion of the
second regiment dislodgeG Japanese
outpost at the point of the bayonet,
at the crossing of the Lakho and the
Sinkia roads.
The details of this engagement
have not yet been verified, but it's
general course according to tele-
graph reports sent in by General
Keller. was as follows:
During the night the Japanese had
evacuated SiSokao pass and the
heights surmounted by the temple,
leaving only outposts there. At dawn
General Kashtaliensky's column occu-
pied these passes, driving back the
Japanese advance posts.
AT about $50 on the morning Of
July 18th. the Japanese, in considers
BILE strength and with numerous guns,
occupied Wafankwan pass and the
mountainous bluffs TO the south on the
flank of General kaShtallnsky'S col
umu. From this position and from
the crest of the mountains to the east
of the heights Surmounted by the tenn
pie, he enemy directed a very heavy
rifle and artillery fire.
General Kashalinsky advanced to
OCCUPY the bluffs, sending forward at
first one and then three battalions.
but the attempt failed Notwithstanding
the support given by the horse noun
tain battery as our field guns could
not be brought into action on account
of the nature of the ground.
''At about S 4. m. General Keller,
who was directing the fight around
Ikhavuen, deemed ii necessary to lend
assistance to General KaShtalinskys
column by bringing up from the gen.
eral reserve three battalions TO the
heights surmounted by the temple.
In order to maintain the positions We
had already occupied. it was neces-
sary, owing to the enemy's pressure,
to reinforce Immediately with other
reserves the troops in the fighting line,
uation. were untenable.,
General Keller found the strength
Of the enemw so great, compared with
ours, that he decided not to continue
the fight and not bring up either the
special or the general reserves, espe-
cialiy in view of the fact that in case
of his ultimately taking the offensive,
il would be necessary to attack with
out support of the field artillery.
I'm consequence of this, General
Keller decided about 1880 to with
draw his troops to the positions orig
inaIly occupied in the Yanza pass. The
troops retired slowly, step by step,
and in perfect order, covered by the
fire Of a field battery. which had been
brought into action.
Towards midday an offensive
movement by the enemy in the d1rec-
tion of the right flank of Yanza pass
position developed, and at the same
time a Japanese mountain battery was