The Savannah morning news., 1904-09-26
STRUGGLE IN EAST
WILL BE TITANIC
HORDES OF THE RUSSIANS
WILL DE THROWN INTO MAN
CHURIA SOON.

Nicholas Has Awakened to the
Peril That Confronts His Country.
St. Petersburg, Sept. 26. 2:SO a. m.-
The division and reorganization of the
Manchurian army, regarding which
there have been rumors ever since the
battle of Lao Yang, was officially an
nounced to-day in an imperial rescript
appointing Gen. Grippenberg, COM
mander of the Third Army Corps, in
the province of Wilma, as commander
of the Second Army now being mobil-
lied for immediate dispatch to the
Far East, leaving Gen. Kuropatkin in
command of the First Army.
The Emperor is personally convinced
that the political. as well as the mill
tary prestige of the empire is at stake
and that every other consideration
must give way before the exigencies
of war. The resources of the empire
in men and money must be drained,
if necessary, in order to turn the scale
and vindicate the power of Russia.
The reorganization amounts to formal
notice to the world. as the Emperor
frankly explains in his rescript, that
he intends to vastly increase the num-
Der of troops at the theater of war in
order TO force the struggle to a sue
cessful issue in the shortest possible
time. 1t is intended to silence definite
ly all talk of foreign Intervention by
the announcement that Russia means
to fight out the issue with Japan on
the field of battle.
100000 More Men to Go.
Probably 100000 additional men will
be placed in the field. Five corps-the
Third, Fourth, Fifth, Eighth and Six
teenth-are already destined for the
front, and the talk is that five more
corps will be sent forward.
Eventually, the creation of this sec
ond army involves the selection of
ommander-in-chief. Not only is there
no intimation in the rescript that Gen.
Kuropatkin will have command of both
armies, but he is distinctly placed
upon the same footing at Gen. Grip
penberg. In the best informed circles,
there is little idea that Viceroy Alex
Jeff, the present nominal commander
in-chief, will exercise the actual func-
tions of the commander of the 100000
or 100000 men that Russia has resolved
to put in the field. 1t is the best opin
ion that Grand Duke Nicholas Michael
ovitch, inspector general Of cavalry,
will attain the high command, occupy
ing in the war with Japan the position
held by his father in the war with
Turkey.
There are various reports regarding
Viceroy Alexieff's ultimate destiny. 1t
is said in some quarters that he will
be recalled and Grand Duke Nicholas
become viceroy, as well as command
er-in-chief It is also said upon APP
parently equal authority that Alexieff
will return as chancellor of the empire,
succeeding Count Lamsdorff. None of
these reports is definitely confirmable.
Grand Duke Nichols is still a young
man, not yet As, with much of his faith
er's dash, energy and resolution. There
is reason to believe that even with
the memories of the horrors of the
Shipka winter campaign against the
Turks, of which he was a witness as
a young captain of cavalry, he would
favor winter campaign against the
Japanese.
A ROmanOff Want to Command.
The dispatch of the Grand Duke as
commander of both armies would ac-
cord with the traditions of the Roman
off dynasty, a member of which i'm
perial family has always been in COM
mand in all of Russia's great wars.
1t is agreed by the ablest military
men here that should Nicholas be APP
pointed, despite the fact that his ex-
perience has been as cavalry COM
mander, the selection of his chief OF
staff will become a matter of supreme
Importance. Gems. Dragomiron, Vo-
rontzoff and Sougareffsky, veterans
and heroes of the Turkish War, are
mentioned for the post.
It is now evident that Gen. Line
witch will remain in charge OF the
Amur district, including the defense
of Vladivostok.
Russia's recognition of the fact that
the forces now in the Far East cannot
successfully prosecute the war against
the men Japan is able to put in the
field, and the knowledge that the lat
ter power is now mobiliZing 100000
more men for the front and the de-
cision to reorganize the Russian army
upon a gigantic scale in order to be
able to assume the offensive quickly,
marks distinctly new phase of the
war.
The physical difficulties to be reck-
oned Nth in promptly getting out such
large reinforcements over a single line
of railroad more than 5000 miles long
are fully realized; but with the cir
cum Baikal Railway completed, the
authorities expect to practically double
the present capacity for the transport
tation of men, munitions ana proVl-
sions and send out two corps, instead
of one, monthly. Within three months
three corps are expected to reach Har-
bin. swelling the total number of Rus
sian soldiers in Manchuria TO consld-
erably over 100000. In the meantime
the armies at the front, continually
augmented by fresh troops, will act
as a buffer to hold in check the Japa-
nese until the army will be able to as
sumo the aggressive through sheer
weight Of numbers.
More Guns TO lie Hurried On.
In the reorganization special plans
have been made to overcome the de-
fciency in guns under which the Rus
slams have been laborng. over 500
additional field guns and rapid-fire
guns are to be sent to the front.
The great struggle for mastery IN
the Far East now seems destined 10
assume Titanic proportions.
The reiterations of the now familiar
official statement that the military
situation at the front is unchanged is
believed to Indicate that merely 10
view of the shifting Of forces, prob
ability of fresh important developments
there Is not immediate.
Gen. Kuropatkin deems Il wise 70
make public unofficial advices which
Indicate that Marquis Oyama Is slow
~ continuing to advance. His ten
dency seems to be 10 the northeast
This may be prompted by recognition
OF Chlnn's superstltous reverence for
Mukden, the Japanese being anxious