The river press., 1904-10-26
HISTORIC MUkDEN.
Dtrateric Point of War Is Tomb of
Ancient MantchOO Kings.

Ancient Mantchoo Kings.
Mukden. the ancient royal city of
the Mantchoos, is the focal point for
the worldwide attention centerel in
the Russian-Japanese war. In Success
i've stages the field Of operations has
swept across Manchuri:l. Defeated.
yet strategically the victor, says t.-e
Philadelphia Ledger, Kuropatkin has
reached Mukden.
Will he make stand here or will bis
weary army take up the march again
to a position farther north? This is
the question of the hour \ few miles
north is Tie pass, a position adapted
by nature for defensive operations.
This, say rumors, is in reality to be.
tie scene of the next great battle. No
one knows, and, meantime, it is pos
sible that storm Of shot and shell
may break over ancient Aukden. Her
ponderous walls are familiar to strife.
Here centered centuries ago the pow
er Of that warrior race that humblel
China and swept unconquered to the
heart of Asia. Battles ragged here in
forgotten years, when primitive weap-
ons decided the day and men fought
hand to hand. Should an ancient Mant-
choo come out Of his grave to see the
struggle that may rage about his rest
ing place he would, no doubt, sigh for
the good old days Of bludgeon, lance
and arrow and count the noisy cannon
too great tax on the nerves.
N,,L1nr vx,1oi0h in of hoe
at least 100000 Inhabitants, is situated
in the center Of an immense alluvial
plain, about three miles from the Hun
no, a tributary Of the Liao river. 1t is
about fortytwo miles north Of Port
Arthur, forty-two miles north of Lao
yang and $50 miles south Of Harbin
General Kuropatkin discovered early
in March that Harbin was too far
north to serve as military base for
the campaign in southern Manchuria,
and he selected MulSden for his head
quarters because it is favorably situat-
ed on the railway and on the Peking
road.
The city of Mukden has an outer wall
Of mud and lofty quadrangular inner
wan IAlcc Lll4cS Ill CAlCull, UullL VI
brick, flanked by lofty towers and
pierced by eight gates protected by
lofty brick bastions. This wall, on
which three carriages could drive
abreast, protects the commercial and
official part Of the city, which is dense
ly crowded.
Mukden, besides being the great
ora in, ~ Nforob,,r;o ic ho
center of the Chinese fur trade and at
tracts buyers from all parts Of the
world. Fine streets divide the city
into nine wards or districts, the CEN
trail district containing Chinese pal
ace with much decorative yellow tiling
and public examination hall. The
Russians have erected spacious bar
| racks, with accommodations for more
| than 100000 soldiers. There are said
to be now more than 10000 Russian
| troops at Mukden.
Mukden Is the ancient royal city Of
the Mantchoos and the former burial
place Of the rulers Of China. Four
| miles east Of the city is the tomb Of
the founder Of the Mantchoo dynasty,
| Nurachu. The sepulcher itself forms a
great mound built up over the coffin.
| In front Of this stands funeral hall,
the whole being surrounded by high
wall pierced by one grand gateway,
which holds three arched portals. The
avenue Of approach is spanned by two
lofty and elaborate arches Of carved
| stone, the bases Of their columns rest
ing on carved likenesses Of frogs.
| About the city and about the tombs
centers the veneration Of China's mil
lions. This fact may have potent
influence in determining whether or
not this be chosen as battle-ground.
The Japanese himself reverences the
ancient and may prefer to spare this
holy Of hollcs. The Russian, knowing
how violation Of this spot would en-
bitter the orient against him, may keep
on to a less perilous spot to prepare
for the last stand it may be.
Whether battle-ground or not, Muk-
den itself is city Of the deepest in
terest, an old city even in the cradle
Of antiquities. The whole world might
well unite in a wish that it be spared