The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-09-05

OF. PETERSBURG. Sept. ), 800
y a. m.-There is bitter disap-
pointment tonight probably the
keenest of the whole land CAM
paign, over the situation at the
front. Up TO Lao Yang the retreating
from and the abandonment of positions
had been expected, and that much the
public and the officials thought they
knew OF General Kuropatkin's plan OF
campaign. Had Liae Yang been aban-
doned without fight the public az
least would have looked forward pa
tiently to a decisive stand at Mukden,
but after a desperate battle, with vic
tory for the instant apparently in sight,
10 find Lao Yang abandoned, its i'm
mense stores captured or destroyed and
the retreat continued under most ad-
verse conditions, severely tries public
confidence in the commander in chief
War Office Knows Little.
At this hour even the authorities
know little more than what has al
ready been given 10 the public. There
Is still much doubt as to whether Ku-
ropatkin is continuing his retreat or
whether, indeed he has been able u
do so. but the public so far is not aware
of General Stakelberg's narrow escape
from being cut off.
The situation as it is known to date
* that the Russian army is south OF
the branch railway connecting Yentai
station, ten miles northeast of Lao
Yang, with the Yentai mines, where
s~rI,f inc g,oc in,
Longest Single Battle.
Actual fighting seems to have been
suspended for the moment the armies
probably resting after their terrific and
continuous exertions OF the past ten
days, the longest single battle in his
tory and il will depend upon their re-
spcctive recuperative powers as 10
which will tirse be able to resume ac-
tivity
The country is III suited to military
operations II is fiatter and more open
than the region south of Lao Yang,
but is covered at this season with dense
fields Of Chinese corn, growing higher
than a man on horseback. Il is more
suited to surprise tactics and to Of
fensive operations than TO an orderly
retreat.
Last Russian Hope.
One feature of the situation, however,
has apparently been overlooked by tine
local critics In their recent eagerness
20 chronicle a decisive engagement,
namely, that Kuropatlxin is still In
command Of the railway and apparent
" has saved a majority OF the rolling
stock This is chiefly in requisitiOn dt
present for the transportation of the
wounded, but Mukden. with strong de-
lenses. Is less than thirty miles north
Of Yentai. What force kuropatkin is
holding in reserve there even the au
thorities do not exactly know. but II
Is believed that it must be considerable.
while the European achievements.
which have been rushing east for weeks
past. are pouring in there daily.
The Japanese army is cOnfessedly eX-
hausted and is getting further from It's
base OF supplies. If it reaches Mukden
without dealing Kuropatkin a crushing
blow-and Field Marshal Oyama seems
10 be not yet able 10 envelope the Rus
sian force-the Japanese VIII md them-
selves in front of a fresh and strongly
defended city, where the Russians VIII
be sure OF warm welcome and re-
rewed supplies. and against which IL
seems impossible that the Japanese
commander will be able 10 hurl his
brave but worn out and possibly stary-
Ing forces.
Only Two Days March.
II is possible that even now Russian
endorsements may be descending
from the north TO aid their retreating
comrades at Mukden, which is less than
two days ordinary march distant even
ignoring the railway.
What effect the present result will
have on kuropatkin's reputation at
home il is impossible to say. II may
be remembered. however. that before
starting for the far east General Ku-
ropatkin said that he fully expected
his reputation TO sink lower than his
friends even dreamed. but that there
after there would come a turn and It
would rebound. He was unwilling. 10
predict where the turn would occur
The battleship Orel has gone to Cron-