The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1904-08-04
ST. PETERSBURG HAS NO NEWS

81 believe that the Russian position
will be unlenable tomorrow"
ST. PETERSBURG HAS NO NEWS
Belief Prevails That Decisive Battle
OF Campaign Is Being Fought.
81 Petersburg. Aug. 2.-Tho great
cat anxiety prevails here for news OF
the general advance against the south
orn and eastern positions of General
Kuropalkins army. The public be-
lieyes that the decisive battle Of the
campaign Is being fought but this
has rot yet been established. Indeed,
the Associated Press hears from the
keenest military attaches in ST Pc
tprshurg that for several days the
main body of the Russian army has
been moving north towards Mukden.
and that when tho present line 10 the
southeast is forced the japanese will
find that they have crushed only the
she'll Should this prove 10 be so.
General Kuropatkin will doubtless be
Obliged to destroy the immense guam
tity of stores accumulated at Lao
Yang
Shrowd military critics. however.
do not believe that General Ruropat-
Kin can escape n general engagement.
His army forms 4 wedge. with Gen.
eral Olu hammcring away at the point
and Generals NOdzu and Kuroki oper-
ating with driving movements Of great
force against the sides. II one of the
latter should break through the south
ern force would be doomed.
The general staff seems amazed at
the immense strength of these coop
Grating Japanese armies. The Japa-
nese evidently have succeeded in con-
cealing the real number OF their men
and guns. which the general staff now
believes must be in excess Of 100000
men. with between 300 and 400 guns.
While General Oku is holding the
Russian army at Haicheng in check
General NOdZu is evidently trying 70
work around the vital position at ST.
moucheng At the same time General
Kuroki is trying to flank the first 81
bcrian army corps, which was conf
manded by the late Lieutenant Cen
oral Count Keller at Yanzalin, on the
main Feng Wang Cheng road. and IS
also pushing a strong column through
direct toward Lao Yang on the Sal
matsze road. There is a road leading
north from Simoucheng which strikes
the Feng Wang Cheng-LiaO Yang road
west of Yan2alin If Simoucheng
should be forced a rapid advance along
this road would pocket the First sibe-
rian army corps.
The report received from Toxic late
last night that SimOucheng had actu.
ally been forced did not become gen
orally known. The general staff re-
NAMED i'm session until almost 2 a. m.
and on adjournment IL was stated that
nothing beyond the days official dis
patches had been received. 1t is thus
impossible to confirm or deny the
Toxic report. but If il is true as point
cd out in the foregoing it leaves the
Russian forces in an exceedingly ser
l0us position.
According 70 KurOpatkin's official
dispatch to the emperor. the battle be-
gan for the possession Of the important
position at Simoucheng, which IS To-
Gated at the juncture OF Feng Wang
Cheng and Sluyen roads, Two separate
armies were launched from the east
above the two roads, while a third.
under General Oku, moved up east of
the railroad from Tachekiao. to try
to cut off the Russian force there from
Haicheng. If the latter move is sue
cessful this force will be crushed.
Kuropatkin's Report.
The emperor received the following
dispatch, dated July 81, from General
Kuropatkin:
Three japanese armies have re-
newed offensive operations on our
southern front. Our rear guard made
an obstinate defense until the appear
ance of considerably superior forces OF
the enemy, and then gradually retired
in the direction of Haicheng.
"A detachment near Simoueheng. Is
miles south-southeast of Haicheng,
successfully withstood the enemy until
3 in the afternoon.
1.-THE attack was directed against our
right flank, which from It's position at
Yangze Pass inflicted great losses on
the Japanese.
"The efforts OF the Takushan army
and General ORu's army today are be-
ing mainly directed in cutting our COM
munications between Simoucheng and |
Haicheng, their operations starting
from a line trayersing Yanskukan, Ia
puntse and Liaoehantse,
ION our eastern front the Japanese
began the offensive this morning
against our Ikhayuen position, the enc
my's main concentration being against
its right flank, which was turned.
1.-THE enemy is also acting on the Of
fensive between Liayang and Saimats-
"a. almost due north of Feng Wang
Cheng against our troops posted at
Houtsiatze, 25 miles from Lao Yang.
Intelligence has been received of a
considerable number of Japanese land
ing off finkow under the cover of sew