The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-01
100000 LAPS ARE HURTING
 ACROSS YALU Russians Believe General Kuro- patkin is Leading Them
 B|indIy Into a Trap HAVE BLIND CONFIDENCE
 IN HIS MILITARY GENIUS Official Finding In PetropavIovsk Dis aster Places Blame on Japs for Laying Mines in the
 Harbor.

St. Petersburg, April 9O SS0 D. m.-A1l news from the front indicates that the armies of General kuroh and Gen eral Oki, comprising about 100000 men, are rapidly pushing forward and will be thrown across the Yau as speedily as appeared at the mouth of the Yalu river, and supported by a few warshlps will assist in the operations. The Japanese seem to be following closely the tactics pursued by them during their Chino Japanese war, having already. occupied Kulien Ching above Antung, where they crossed in 1895.
 The beginning of serious land fighting is thought not to be far distant al- though heavy movement of troops may not begin for several days, notwithstand- ing the Japanese are crossing at several points above Wiju. It is believed that the Japanese anticipated more resistance on the Yalu than they met with and that for this reason their armies were not in position to cross at the moment the advance 1orced passage. With the advance bod some guns were Hurried over, and tbr Japanese outposts were entfenched
 nesultory picket firing Is occurring con- stariis but no importance is attached to it. While the Russian commanders never contemplated strong resistance to the Japanese on the Yalu, it is evident that the Japanese expected a show of de- fense of the river, and some surprise IS manifested, even here, that almost no at tempt was made to impede the enemys forces In explanation of this it is signi- ficantly intimated by members of the general staff that General Kuropatkin has some secret plans and that the Jap anese may soon find themselves in a trap.
 Blind Faith in His Skill. General kuropatkn's skill at a strate- gist is a thing on which the Russian army reposes a blind faith. Wait until the denouement," officers of the general staff say. They believe that General Kuropat- kins skill as a tactician approaches real genius. Many officers say that as chief of staff, Kuropatkin was largely instru- mental in obtaining the victory of Gen eral Skobetoff and delight to tell how years ago, during the big field maneuvers at Moscow against Grand Duke Sergius he drew the whole of the grand dukes artillery into an ambuscade, ending the campaign at a single stroke.
 It Is estimated that 1t will take the Japanese at least a week to bring over their men and baggage and to prepare for an advance on the first Russian line which is strongly posted near Feng Huan Cheng, fifty miles west of the Yalu on the PelSn road. The general staff does not believe that it will be possible for the Japanese to deliver a successful frontal attack on this position. the coun- try being exceedingly difficult and also favorable for disastrous ambuscades. The members of the staff are inclined to think that the Japanese may try flank ing movement to the northward, but say that if they do so, 1t can only be a diver sion, owing to the bad condition in which the roads will be for the next fortnight. It is said that General Kuropatkln on his arrival at Liao Yang doubted the ex- pediency of holding that place. but he Is now convinced that it should and can be held.