Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-30
EVENTS IN MANCHURIA
RUSSIANS APPEAR TO HAVE AD-
VANTAGE OF POSITION.
What The Stars Expert Says Of the
Recent Movements by Both
Armies.

ITO understand the events in Manchuria."
said The Stars military expert today. 1t
is necessary to explain that the railroad
from Mukden to Kaiping runs through the
higher levels Of the valley between the
Lao river and the Fin-Shui mountains.
Along the railroad for something over a
hundred miles are distributed the Russian
forces while from the south and west the
japanese are breaking through the noun
tain passes to attack them.
The widely scattered position of both
forces Is d!sadvantageous. The Russian -
in danger of being driven away from his
line of retreat his army broken in two ard
part overwhelmed. while the jap Is IN
danger Of having some Of his many col
urnns attacked in detail as they issue from
the mountains. The present position there
fore affords more opportunities for great
leadership than ordinarily occur in modern
CO rnpadgns.
Advantage of Position.
'The advantage Of position, notwith-
standing the Disadvantages mentioned Is
in favor Of the Russians. The army Is bet
ter in hand, communication is perfect, the
railroad can be used in carrying troops
from one point to another. On the other
side the Japanese detachments are widely
separated by most difficult country. COM
munication must be almost impossible TO
maintain, hospital service. train service.
ammunition and food supply for these
great armies in the rainy season must tax
to the limit any system OF logtstics In The
world. 800
I'm numbers the Japanese are greatly
superior, with sufficient preponderance to
undertake an offensive campaign. The
main question is whether they have been
able to bring UP their artillery In sufficient
force. The Russians, although greatly In
ferior in that arm. can undoubtedly utilize
what they have in their present position,
while the Japanese. with greatly superior
artillery: may not have been able to get II
to the front. Upon that point. as upon
many others. we shall not be informed un-
til the battle ID fought.
Kuropathn's Dispatch.
The remarkable dispatch from Kuropat-
kin. in which he acknowledges the bss Of
three passes, without comment. and ap-
parently as a matter Of course. Is not I'M
derstood. OF course, a mountain pass is
merely a temporary defense. They can al
ways be flanked, and the defending force is
then In great danger of capture-witneSs
Shipka pass in the Russo-Turkish war. Still.
this abandonment of these passes, with APP
parently mere show Of resistance, Is hard
to comprehend just now.
1.-THE passes taken by the Japs are on the
roads from Feng Tuang and Sin-yen. Their
value may mean everything or nothing to
the uctors. depending upon the size of
force which can be deployed at their front
mot only must the Japs threaten the
Russian rear, but they must put a force
there that cannot be defeated. Stonewall
Jackson with 1900 men descended from
Thoroughfare Gap upon Pope's rear. but
came near being eaten UP before Lee could
help him. Vandamme, with 1900 men, was
sent by Napoleon to attack the allied rear
at Kuhn and was annihilated. Therefore
we must wait to see how well Kuroki has
massed his forces before We can predict as
to the value Of the Molten pass.
The forts reported captured at Port
Arthur are probably detached forts in the
hills east Of the place. The names Chick
| wan-shan. Chit-an-shan and So-cho-shan do
not appear on the line of denfenses. but
Chick-wan-shan does appear on the Tiger
Tail promontory in rear OF the principal
battery. The capture Of that hill could
hardly have been secured without the cap
ture Of the fortress ITSELF"