Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-04
FIND CAUSE FOR SATISFACTION.
Russians Comment Now on Japs' Slow
Advance

ST. PETERSBURG, August 4, 800 pm
General Kuropatkn's official details of the
fighting. July 81. at Simoucheng say that
only a division and half were engaged.
The report does not mention the loss OF
guns. neither was Lieutenant General Alex
ieff in command. as stated in the dispatch
from Tokyo yesterday. General AlexiefT,
who commands the fifth east Siberian divi-
sion of General Stakelberg's corps. was
posted ~on the other side of Haicheng
July 81
The war office does not intend to publish
the name of the actual commander at
diencV.
The war Office does not expect the Japa-
nese to resume their advance for several
days. They are always slow and cautious
and make the most careful preparations be-
fore striking Now they are probab bly,
again preparing for fanking movement on
a large scale, and possibly awaiting the
marching up of strong column from Niu-
chwang
The failure of the Japanese to follow up
their success Is evidently the cause OF
great satisfaction to the general stan here.
Whether this feeling is due to the fact that
the delay will give General Kuropatkin
breathing space and enable him to ar
range his concentrated dispositions for the
coming battle, or because it will allow him
the requisite time to effect his withdrawal
northward, is Of course unknown, the gen.
eral staff not even admitting that the COM
mander-in-chief is contemplating escape:
In either event, however, the Russians Will
profit by the declination of the Japanese 10
pursue their advantage.
Paper Talks Of Jap Purposes.
The army organ makes no effort to fore
shadow events of the immediate future in
the far east and gives no clue to Gen.
kuropa tkins intentions, but 1t declares
that the events of the last ten days demon
strates conclusively that the japanese op-
jective since the beginning OF the war hao
been to strike the main army of the Rus
slams and not. as popularity supposed, to
take Port Arthur.
The paper says the Japenese general ad-
vance began July q, the taking OF Tat
chekiao being a signal for the final SIR
gle in the valley of the Lao river On
July 81. after SIX days preparation, .Iie
armies of Gems. Oku and NodZu moved
against Haicheng. The same day Gen.
Kurok began his advance upon Lao Y ans.
rushing the position of the Russian eastern
ermy at Yangze pass and that of Gen. Her
schelmann a Yushu pass. equivalent 10 the
japanese "YshulintZi."
This paper estimates the strength OF
kuroki's army at 12O,OOo men, OF Wnlch
rumber 80 600 are on the high road TO Lao
Yang 10000 on the SaimatsZa-LiaO-Yan ang
road, 10000 on the roads to Mukden aud
10000 in reserve The paper does not give
the figures of Gems. Okus and Nodzu's
armies. which are believed to bering the
total close to 2OO.OO0.
The sailing of the cruiser division of the
Baltic squadron has been postponed for
fortnight. The cruiser Oleg and the trans
port Kamtchatka are ready to go into COM
mission. The vessels now commissioned are
the battle ship Alexander II. the battle
ship Borodino the armored cruiser Admiral
Nakhimoff. the battle ship Navarin, the
battle ship OSliabia, the protected cruiser
Audora, the battle ship Souvaroff. the battle
ship Orel and two other cruisers, with quite
a fotilla of torpedo boats and torpedo boat
destroyers.
Dowager Empress Saint Day.
This being the saint day of the dowager
empress a general holiday was observed
throughoA Russia. All the members of the
imperial family assembled at the Villa
Alexandra, at Peterhof. to extend their
congratulations. but on account of the con-
dition Of the young empress the usual re-
ception was not held.
All the shipping on the Neva was dressed
in bunting and st. Petersburg was gdily
decorated. The streets were filled with holf-
day crowds intent upon pleasure, and the
tragic events reported from the seat of war
saamed teYnnOrar rily tn he Forgotten