Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-28
WAITING FOR .KUROKI
MODULUS ARMY TO UNITE WITH
FORCES FROM EENe-WANo.
Kuropatkin Neglected to Seize the
Junction of the RoadsrThe Cam
paign's Lessons.

TT the commander Of the Russian forces
in the far east said The Stars military
expert today, will turn to the campaigns
of u. 8. Grant he will find food for reflec-
ton and a useful point for use at this stage
Of his career. It will be remembered that
Grants movement to the rear of Vicks-
burg was made without consultation with
Washington. When discovered 1t almost
caused panic with the President and his
advisers who had sent to Banks orders to
take command of both armies. The astute
namesake Of Ulysses, whose clearness of
vision often rivaled that Of the tabled
hero, did not fall into the trap. He had
been careful not to have Geographic
communication with Washington, and
when he started 1t was too late to recall
him.
Changing Plans.
Rejecting upon this incident, 1t may oc-
cur to us that II Kuropatkn had wisely
employed some friendly Chunchuses to keep
the telegraph line out of commission for a
while he would have saved himself in many
things. The plan which he has been fol-
lowing for several weeks differs so essen
TALLY from what he started to do that 1t
will not be accepted as his own. 1t is evil
IDENTIFY an afterthought, planned and ex-
ecuted after the chance for brilliant re-
suit had passed. If Kuropatkin had plan
ned this recent advance he would have
done 1t when the armies Of Nodzu and Ku-
roki were far away. and before Oku had
struck the blow at Nanshan hill.
The Russian commander is now accept
ing battle, 1t appears, under exceedingly
difficult conditions. In the words of the
books, he is forming front to flank that
Is. his lines Of battle are parallel to his line
In
rally away from his base, and in case his
line Is broken there Is danger that a part
Of his force may be isolated. At the same
time occupying a central position against
converging columns, he has the opportuni-
ties for concentration and attack 30 bril-
liantly used by Napoleon in 1893 and by
Stonewall jackson in our civil war.
Nodzu Awaiting Kuroki.
"One of these chances he appears to be
ignoring at the junction Of roads from
Feng-huang and Siu-yen, few miles
southwest from Hatcher. This point. Su-
mu-chen, appears to have been occupied by
Nodzu's troops from Siu-yen several days
back without serious opposition, and he Is
there awaiting the arrival Of Kuroki from
Feng-huang. However, that opportunity
has not yet passed.
The right of the Russian line appears to
be at Tashichow. fifteen miles south-south-
west from Haichen. This covers the rail-
road to Yinkow in its rear, blocks one road
from Siu-yen in front and opposes the ad-
vance of Oku from Kinchow at the south.
The Russians retreated to Ta-shi-chow,
from kaiping, fifteen miles away. At kai-
ping the junction Of the japanese forces OF
Oku and Nodzu could have been opposed,
but Nodzu was moving column to the
rear Of Kaiping or Ta-sht-chow, SO that
chance was given up.
Loss Of Yinkow Involved.
Further retreat on the part of the Rus
slams involves the loss of Yinkow, which
they evidently do not intend to convert
into an intrenched camp. 1t is an excellent
harbor, at the mouth OF a great waterway,
and would be Immediately used by the Jap
anese as a base Of supplies for their north
ern armies
with the meager information at our
disposal 1t is natural to withhold common
dalton of the strategy of General kurokl.
From the first he has been directing his eff
forts to the north and northwest instead
of toward Hai-Chen, where he Is now NOV
ing at last. He has been the longest on
the ground and yet the general movement
seems to be waiting for him. 1t is his de-
cisive attack on the Russian left flank near
Hai-Chen from which the greatest results
may be expected
TT is said that the rains begin about
June Is. After that every field becomes
bog and every road a quagmre. The diff
Guilty of transport for the Japanese armies
must have been immense, but now every
day must make them worse. 1t is COM
mon saying in Manchuria that wherever
the rains catch you there you stay. 1t is
this fact which causes the feverish activity
on both sides at this time.
Effectiveness of Artillery.
Every war brings its lessons and its sur
prises. This war seems to register a great
boom for artillery. All recent wars seemed
to mark a gradual lessening in the i'm
portance of this arm. l believe the last war
between Japan and China gave few in
stances of the effective use of any artillery
except mountain guns. Modern armies have
been considering the ACCESSIBILITY of decreas-
ing the proportion Of field guns for thou
sand men. The Russians, owing to difficult
ties of transport, have left their artillery
behind, in order to bring up men. They
have probably not more than two guns per
thousand men, while the Japanese seem to
have at least four guns per thousand men.
With remarkable energy the Japs have
artillery, and have everywhere used it as
the principal arm of attack. In this way
they neutralize the defensive power Of in
trenched infantry. Possibly 1t is too soon
to draw such broad conclusions, for the
great battles of the war are yet unfought,
but the tendency seems to point that way
Machine guns have not added to their
record so far. Unable to oppose artillery
or to take the place of infantry they seem
to have been unfortunate in every action SO
far.
The use by Japanese of shells filled with
an explosive like lyddte or melinite is an
other matter which will be watched with
interest. We are given contradictory ac-
counts on the subject-some saying that
the destructive radius was not large, while
some accounts are that they have an an
Initiating effect. 1t not supposed that
the modern shrapnel would be soon dis
placed. and If the Japs have superior
shell it must be terrible indeed. A shrapnel
with more than four hundred bursting
fragments and a destructive radius that
would reach every man in a battalion of
troops in line of battle several thousand
yards away was certainly bad enough"
Building Permit Issued.
A building permit was issued to G. P. &
E. ]. Newton for two three-story brick
dwellings, Nos. 251O and 2512 10th street
northwest; cost, SIS 900. -s
New Galleries to Be Opened