New-York tribune., 1904-09-03
THE JAPANESE LOSSES TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND.

Toxic Sept o-The fighting at Liao-Yang was
continued until late hour last night. 1t was
resumed at dawn to-day. The fate Of the great
bulk of the retreating Russian army ninges
upon the bravery Of it's left flank.
Before falling back. General Kuropatkin in
tended that his left, to the east and north Of
Liao-Yang. should be greatly strengthened. in
the hope of checking General Kuroki's advance
around his flank and to protect his line of re-
treat and communication.
The largest part of this protecting force seems
to have been massed in the neghborhoOd of
Hei- -Ying-Tai. twelve miles northeast of Lao
Yang where il was hercely assaulted by Gen
eraI Kuroki at II o'clock on Thursday morning
The result OF this fighting Is not known
KurokPs left began at dawn to-day to press
the Russians toward the Tai-Tse II he can strike
the flank of the retreating Russian army and
reach the railroad it will place the Russians in
serious predcament.
few additional details of the progress Of the
battle reached Toxic at a late hour to-day.
General Kurokrs right is continuing to press
whence the guns viii dominate the railroad.
The troops under General Kuroki are jaded and
weary. They have been marching and fighting
since August a3. but in spite OF this they at
tackled with spirit.
The Japanese are confident that they have al
ready swept back the strong Russian force with
which they have been engaged and il is prob
able that when the details are known it will be
found that great tragedy was enacted to-day
along the Tai-Tse River.
The Tai-Tse is flooded and cannot be forded.
General Oku. i'm command of the Japanese left
army has directed his energies to forcing the
Russians TO the river. and it is probable that
many were drowned there.
The list of Japanese casualties is growing
Twenty-Five thousand have already been report
ed. and the indications are that it will prove 70
be the bloodiest battle since the FrancO-Prus-
sian War The calculations Of casualties must
include the losses since August - for the con-
test has been practically continuous since then
The opinion that the Russian casualties in
the recent fighting will reach thirty thousand is
shat Oyama nor the Japanese army comman-
ders have yet estimated the Russian losses
1t seems that the Japanese avoided direct
assault upon Liao-Yang itself but devoted their
energies to the troops outside the city and an
effort to cut of the Russian retreat.
Liao- Yang is strongly fortified. and it is prob
able that the Japanese will not attack the city
directly until they have succeeded in isolatins
It, should the Russians abandon the town. the
Japanese will. of course, enter.
A private dispatch received here reports that
great fires are raging at Liao-Yans. This state
ment is not confirmed officially. The fires are
believed to result either from the Japanese she'll
ing or from the efforts of the Russians to de-
stroy their stores. preparatory 10 the evacua-
tion of the town. with The additional hope Of
spelling the place a future Japanese base.
Unofficial estimates place the Russian forces
in the vicinity of Liao-Yang at fifteen divisions
OF 10000 men each. These are probably excess
sive. but 1t is evident that numerically the Rus
slams exceed the Japanese.
Field Marshal Drama reports that the Rus
slams began TO retreat on the right centre from
Iiao-Yang early Thursday. They were
thrown into great confusion while attempting
10 cross to the right bank of the Tai-Tse River
The Japanese left and centre pursued them
vigorously. and seized some 1013-centimetre
cannon, which they used to she'll the LiaO-Yang
railway station. These and their own suns in
terfered seriously with the train service from
the town and prevented the cntraining of Rus
sian troops.
Few details of the pursuit of the Russian
right have been received here. II is evident
that the Russians moving back slowly. con-
resting the ground and shielding the movement
as far as possible
Nothing concerning the actual occupation of
LIao-Yang has been received here. official dis
patches indicate that the Russians were stin In
possession of the on Friday morning.
The chief of stan of the centre japanese army