The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-02
The Great Battle at Liaoyang.

When these lines meet the readers
eye the third day will have closed on
one OF the most tremendous and event.
full battles recorded in the history Of the
world. Not even yet is 1t possible def
nitely to announce the outcome of the
concerted and resolute attack by the
three Japanese armies under Gems.
KURoKI, OKu and NopzU upon the Rus
sian forces concentrated and strongly
posted by Gen. KuRoPATKIN. The Lat.
est reports at the present writing are
of Russian retreat.
Meanwhile, it is worth while to indi.
cate by some comparisons the grounds
ON which the collision between the JAP
anese and the Russians at Liaoyang
should, in respect of magnitude. be
placed in the front rank Of the battles
that have been Witnessed during the
last fifteen hundred years.
We premise that the Japanese were
credited with the ability to bring into
action on Aug. 80, when the fight began,
no fewer than 240 100 men According
to the news which the Russian censor
permits to leave st. Petersburg, tho
forces under Gen. KURoPATKN did not
some weeks ago exceed 10000. but 1t IL
known that large reenforccments have
recently arrived on the scene Of hostili-
tiss, and there ID some reason to believe
that tho Russian War Once lie inclined
to understate the facts, In the hope Of
Turing the Japanese to assail positions
deemed impregnable. Accepting the
figures a. they GENE to t,s, however, we
see that the total number Of soldiers who
are. Or may be, engaged at Aaoyang b
about 10000. This number has been
rarely exceeded in verihable military
history. DARIUS u said to have had
000, 600 follower at Iasus, and suhse-
quently at Gauganela a still larger
number: but In each case only frac-
h6Aof the levies were disciplined troops
6ed to cope with the Macedonian
Nh and cavalry. In the desperate
struggle on the Catalsunian Plains,
Which has been often described as one of
the seven decisive battles of the world,
ATTIIA is said to have brought 100000
warriors into the field, including not
only Huns, but also Ostrogoths and
other subjueated Teutons. The Roman
General ETIps and his Visigethic ally
are supposed to have had at least half as
many fighting men.
The wars between Christians and
Moslems afford no authentic example
off, combat on the same scale. Nof was
anything approaching the proportions
Of the present combat at Liaoyang be-
held in modern Times until NAPOLEON
was beaten by the allies at Leipzig. Pass
ing over Austeriits, Jena and Waterloo,
where the total number Of men engaged
fell short Of 100000, we may note that
even at Smolensk the aggregate was
little short Of 800 ,oO0 and later at Boro-
dino 1t was but 1000. Az Leipzig, on
the other hand, the allies had about $780,
600, and NAPOLEON could array about
lso, 900 against them. 1t viii be remarked
that the total b larger by 10000 than
that which Is reported to have been
mustered in and around 1iaoyang. In
our own civil war there were many
great battles, but none on anything like
the scale Of Leipzig. The whole number
OF troops present, for instance, at Gettys-
burg fell short Of 10000. In the last war
between France and Germany, on the
other hand, we again get SOME imposing
figures. For instance, in the fierce en-
gogements around Metz on the 14th, the
18th and the 18th of August, 1870, it is
known that BAzArNE had nearly 100000
men, while the German commanders
had brought together larger number.
In the ensuing battle of Sedan a French
force of 100000 sucoumbed to $50, 600
Germans. 1t is not true, then, that the
action now going on at Liaoyang is I'M
precedented in point of magnitude; but
it is plain that tho precedents are few.
As regards the duration of the fight,
ing, the battle which has now proceeded
Tor three dsys IN Manchuria IN meuora-
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