The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1904-05-21
ton Of palny Complete.

Relieved From command-oestrve'
ton Of Dalny Complete.
81. Petersburg. May is-The com
plete withdrawal Of the Russians from
Newchwang rs believed to have follow
ed the strategic command Of the port
by the columns sent westward by Cen
eral KurOki. The exact conditions IN
der which the evacuation was wrought
about are not known here. a. all the
official dispatches have been forwarded
10 the emperor The foreign Office II
not advised as 10 whom the admins
tratiOn OF Newchwang was handed
over. but the authorities express con-
fdence that The Russian commander
arranged for the safety Of the foreign
ers before bee departed.
Adyices received by the general stan
show that the japanese are practically
masters Of all OF the southern end "
the Lao Tung peninsula save Port Ar
thur and the territory commanded by
It's guns. This result, 50 promptly
brought about. Is due 10 the failure u
the Russians 90 make opposition OF any
consequence 10 the japanese advance.
4 member of the general stan said
10 the Associated Press that the re-
moyal OF the guns from the fortified
lions erected AZ Kin Chau and the de-
strurtion Of Port Dalny We're primarily
for the purpose Of concentrating the en-
tire Russian force at Port Arthur II
the men and guns were scattered the ef-
feet would have been 10 distribute the
means Of defense Of the fortress over a
number Of points strategically weak.
The destruction ol Dalny was the re-
suit of no sudden determination. but
was due 10 the probability that a force
attempting 10 hold this place could b.
separated from Port Arthur and cap
tured thus inGicting further loss OF
prestige 10 the Russians. which could
not be- permitted at this time. To de-
fond the whole OF the southern end Of
the Lao Tung peninsula il would have
been necessary 10 have an army equal
To that which Japan could have landed
The weakness of the Manchurian
army said this officer. left only one
course to pursue. namely that Of mo-
billing sufficient troops at Port Ar
thur 10 hold Il until relief came. aban-
doning every point outside which did
not contribute 10 the strategic defense
OF the fortress. II has been learned
that the ground over which the Japa-
npse must charge 10 capture the for
tress IS heavily mined. II they do cap
ture II. the officer said. they will pay a
friphtful price
Tie destruction OF Dalny is complete
the breakwater and the buildings. as
we'll as the piers and docks having
been blown mp.
General Zassalitch Relieved.
II Is announced that Lieutenant Gen
oral Zassalitch has been relieved OF the
command OF the second Siberian army
division. and that Lieutenant General
Count Keller. former governor OF Eka-
terlnoslay, has been appointed to sue
coed him
Since the battle>of the Yalu IL has
been predicted that General Zassalitch
would not long retain his command,
but there lns been no disposition TO act
hastily The emperor's advisers could
not forget that while General ZaSSa-
Itch did not carry out the plan OF OPP
erations which had been previously de-
.ermined upon. he had displayed stub
born resistance which showed TO the
enemy and To the world that the Rus
slams had not lost the courageous spirit
OF past generations.
What will become OF General Zassa-
Itch. whether he will remain In the
Far East or be assigned To a less inn
portant region. cannot be learned, but
It is emphatically stated that there Is
no intention to disgrace him, and that
II he returns from the Far East II VIII
be on leave and nj his own request II
is generally believed that he will md
It convenient to make such an appll-
cation.