New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-07

Is net revealed Dy ti. authorities. who viii
only .oy that u IS adequate for defensive pur-
POSES 1t is not believed that the .oroe there
exceeds 10000 soldiers. = larger force is not
considered necessary. as MAS shown from The
recent withdrawal O. some OF the troops. who
were simply a orata the resources Of the
farrisen.
The feet mus- rev ;al.e secondary position
Hr5 the sailors VII - used to man the shore
guns. g necessaIr-.
vice-Adnairal sE--d'or and vice-Adniral
BezcbrazoH cannot now reach Port Arthur and
vii probably go ~ viadiyostok to join the
cruiser squadron there. Rear Admiral Wittsoeft'
WHO was left in charge OF the feet by Viceroy
Alexiee VIII direct naval operations at Port Ar
thar wittsoe.t is a good officer. end IT is be-
i.cysd ne viii render excellent service
MAY ABANDON OUTLYING FORTS.
Despite the number Of japanese. the general
stan believes that Port Arthurs formidable
for.ifcator.s stin leave the defensive superiority
with the Russians whose staying qualities, it is
confident. will insure their holding out as long
as necessary. While the outer line OF fortifca-
tions extends TO Kin-Chow. unquestionably no
determined effort will be made TO hold them. nor
IS :, expected thst = desperate attempt TO retain
Dalny will be made.
The main defence win be at Port Arthur
where since the harbor has been occupied by
the Russians. steady work has gone on to com
plete the system of defence. which is just as
effective on the land as on the sea side
Lieutenant General Stoessel will have sn-
Tp1,s vi
scribed as high class commander His recent
proclanations show that he is inbued with
determination TO hold Port Arthur until the
last man is killed.
KUROPATKIN'S PLANS.
Officers OF the general staff say that the land
.nE Of the ia panese army on the peninsula ana
the investment OF Fort Arthur clarity the stu
elton and the problem General huropatkin must
solve. Had Kuropatkin had his way before the
war. it is said ne would have abandoned Port
Arthur, withdrawn further 10 the north. and
waited until his army had become overwhelming
sn its strength, when he would have moved for
ward. hut this WAS made impossible in conse-
ouence Of the injuries sustained by the Port
Arthur feet and the impossibility of the de-
parture Of the feet from Valadivostok with a
superior Japanese force outside that port There
fore. the commander in chief is waiting at Lao
Yang until the enemys plans shall have de-
~eloped sufficiently to show just what line it
IS proposed TO pursue
Caution forbade attempt in force to pre-
.ent General Kuroki's passage of the Yalu, as
the troops landing at Pitsu-Wo might have
been diverted TO take the Russians on the flank
or in the rear.
Now that the uncertainty is partially dis
PEELED. Kuropatkin, from the interior lines is
free TO act. That he intends To move ener-
cetically is shown by the fact that he has sent
reinforcements to Feng- -Cheng. The in
dications are that he intends Immediately TO
assume the aggressive, and 10 strike General
Kuroki's army before il can be reinforced
through Corea- Should the Japanese landed at
gNitsu-Wo begin a northward movement, enough
Russian troops are stated 10 be I'm the vicinity
cf New-Chwang TO hold the Japanese in check
until conclusions have been tried with Kuroki
1t is not anticipated, however. that the Jap
anese viii march northward, but they will. it
is believed, devote their energies to effect the
fall Of Port Arthur.
RUMoRS OF BATTLE NORTH OF YALU.
The receipt of news at any time of a decisive
hattie near Feng- Wang -Cheng will not cause
surprise here, and already rumors are being
circulated i'm the city-which. however. lack
Notification. and are believed TO be untrue-that
battle has been fought that the japanese
have been defeated with heavy loss, and that
General Kuropatkin was wounded. Another
rumor is in circulation that Port Arthur has
been captured. but this also is secuted in re-
sponsible quarters.
News of the landing at Pitsu-Wo. received
early to-day. said that according TO information
brought TO Port Arthur by the Chinese. sixty
transports disembarked two divisions, number
ing altogether thirty thousand men.