The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-05-17
NEARING MUKDEN
Both Armies Are Still Playing for Po-
sition Near LaO-yang.

beflln, May l1.-COlOn6l Gaedke,
war correspondent of the Tageblatt,
telegraphed to-day to his paper from
Mukden that the Japanese are advan-S
cling against the Russian line at Lao
yang, Hai-cheng and Niu-chuang.
The Japanese right wing is pushing
forward hesitatingly, but the left wing
Is moving with greater energy. A
strong Russian cavalry force is hang
ing upon the Japanese TANKS observ-
ing the enemys movements.
The weather Is rainy and the roads
are in the worst possible condition.
All Is quiet at Mukden.
Mukden, May 1.-THE fighting line
is steadily nearing Mukden, where
Viceroy Alexieff's headquarters still
remain. Little reliable information
correspondents. who are forbidden to
proceed to the scene Of operations and
official information is withheld until
advices are sent to st. Petersburg.
1t is now known that the Japanese
are almost within striking distance OF
the Russians and that the forces pro-
tectfng Liao-yang are stretching east.
ward from the railroad along the Mao.
ten mountain range.
The Japanese are advancing in three
columns and are now north of Siu-
Yen and Feng-huang-cheng. Two
further to the no Inward with the OBJ
| ject Of turning the Russian position
s, sn gl aayans ss NJ Sc MAsa e. ~.
fought, but no decisive action has oc-
Icurred.
Port Arthur is now completely iso-
lated by the Japanese expedition at
/ Po-lan-dien.
Character of the Country.
The Japanese are now operating In
a rugged country Well suited to the
yang to Mukden the country is a fiat
plain, intersected by rivers. The
weather recently has been hot and dry.
but the rain which has fallen in the
past two days has made the roads al.
most impossible for vehicles, and
end Of June this plain will be COM
verified into a morass. This condition
| will probably result in the practical
suspension Of operations.
| Mukden Is now the receiving center
| for the wounded from the various en-
gagements south Of the Mao Tien
mountains. A hospital has been estab.
! skirts Of the town and a field hospital
has been located in a wood near the
military camp around the station.
The Chinese Barometer.
A significant feature Of the situa.
ton is the demeanor Of the Chinese
population, which may be said to be a
barometer Of the military weather. A
close observer Of the attitude Of the
Chinese can tell how the fighting q
hundred miles away is turning. They
have rapid and mysterious channels
Of information thru which the result
Of the battle at Feng-huang-chen8
spread and could be suspected from
the outward manner Of the Chinese
before the Russians made 1t known
q here. The cutting off Of Port Arthur
Is another instance in point.
Newspaper Correspondents Bottled Up.
i The newspaper correspondents are
most courteously treated by Colonel
4 Poestich, the officer whom Viceroy
Alexieff appointed to attend them, but
they are chatting under the restric-
tons imposed, which prevent them
from seeing anything OF the fighting.
General Kuropatkin is evidently un-
willing that the foreign correspondents
shall witness the present phase OF
operations, tho he may accept them in
tho indef1nita future when the Rus.