Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-06
THE RAILWAY CLOSED
Investment Of Port Arthur
Begun by the Japanese.
HIS BEATEN INFANTRY
KASHTALINsKY HANDLED HIS
FORCES WELL.
Withdrew Without Much Loss In
Prisoners and Carried Of Most
Of His Wounded.
HIS BEATEN INFANTRY

Liao-Tung peninsula, about forty miles
above Port Arthur. The location given In
the Japanese dispatch Is not Tftsewo, but
Kinchau. The apparent discrepancy Is ex-
planned by the statement that Kinchau is
the larger town and that Titsewo is an ad-
joining suburb or hamlet This Is the mar
rowest point on the peninsula, and Its oc-
cupation by the Japanese shows that the
railroad is practically closed and the in
vestment Of Port Arthur has begun.
Report From Gen. Kuroki.
The Japanese legation has received the
following cablegram from Tokyo, under
date of today:
Cen Kuroxi, commandant OF the first
army corps, reports that on May 8 our
mounted scouts, after severe hand-to-ha
fight near Feng Huang Cheng, drove back
the Russians toward Feng Huang Cheng
Chinese say that on May about 2OO0 in
fantry, posted on hill east OF Feng Huang
Cheng fired upon 800 comrades retreating
from the Yalu, mistaking them for the
enemy They wounded 100 and killed sew
enty. The rest of the body fed IN dlsof-
der, abandoning commissary carts A Rus-
sian officer captured there states that the
only bodies which retreated in order on May
/ were five or six infantry battalions and
two artillery companies. Two hunoreo
more Russians killed and wounded were
found in the field and others are being dis
covered.
Infantry Well Handled.
"It is to be regretted said The Stars
war expert today, that Kashtalinsky has
not a more euphonious name, for the hon
ors of the Yalu battle seem to be going
his way and we may hear more OF him. So
far we trace eight battalions of rifemen to
his command, numbering about 6,4OO men.
and they seem to have been the only infan-
try engaged Gen. Kuroki tells Of crossing
the river with the guards division ana
two others, which means more than 40,00o
men. The Japanese Ranking force oyerran
the Tiger mountain, forded the Al river
and rushed the first and second lines OF
the defense in flank, while a line four miles
long charged in front.
commander of the Sd division extricated
his command without heavy loss OF prs
oners lie a mystery. The only captures 80
far reported seem to be the TWO natteries
of artillery whose horses were killed In
addition to leaving the field with his hags
flying, Kashtalinsky brought on apout hW
of his wounded. He seems to be fortunate
in other ways for the responsibility for the
action itself rests on his superior officer
who was present. 1t cannot be 1orgotten
that in the last war the defeated forces got
away In the same unaccountable way.
At Ping Yang the CMnese were auso .ea
lutely demoralized, but were not hindered
in their retreat At Port Arthur, Wniie
nractically surrounded, they found a loop
hole or two and escaped freely. AT Asan 1t
was the same way, and SO II was at tne
former crossing of the Yalu river. 1t is
iust as well to take these facts into account
in our future observations on this cam
paign, and in discounting some OF the rosy
stories we hear. In our enthusiasm over
the marvellous advances of the Japs In the
art of war 1t is possible to go too far.
These points seem to indicate that there is
something lacking, and believe that will
withhold my Judgment on the question OF
military efficiency on land.
Artillery Questions Of the Future.
s'The battle on the Yalu affords good
chance to observe the work Of the latest
artillery. The appearance Of battery OF
siege guns was evidently surprise to the
Russians and exerted a powerful influence
in the defeat and loss of their artillery.
These guns were probably brought up by
the warships and disembarked near the
mouth of the river. as 1t is almost beyond
belief that they could have been brought
up on the Korean roads.
Both sides were plentifully supplied with
artillery and machine guns were used IN
considerable numbers. 1t was an excellent
field for artillery with a good range and
well-prepared positions. Whether artillery
will continue to hold dts forward position,
however, is a serious question. There are
those who believe that the opportunities
for the use Of artillery will be few in the
course Of the campaign. All agree as to
the impossible condition of the roads, which
are sure to continue without much improve
ment until the next freeze.
1.-THE broken and wooded character OF this
country will also restrict the use OF ar
tillery If anything like energy Is to be
introduced into the campaign 1T VIII be
necessary to reduce the impediments to the
lowest limit and In country where even
pack mules have to be replaced by coolie
carriers there seems to be little chance for
the magnificent artillery Of the two armies.
Influence Of Biters and SINGERS to Be
Counted.
"In addition to the disheartening charac-
ter OF the roads. there are other troubles
which are just as bad for the soldier. In
the summer months in Manchuria the
midges and wasps are more dreaded than
the enemy. In numbers they are greater
than the united population Of skunks,
snakes, tarantulas, centipedes, chiggers,
mosquitoes gnats and gadf1ies OF our own
bad lands. In voracity and Industry they
are said to be equal to all of our pests
combined Every man has to wear a mos
ouito-proof veil, while it often happens that
an exhausted horse or mule is stung to
death by their bites
1.-THE question Of sanitation is a serious
one In large aggregations of men. One
recent experience is fresh In our memory,
when our field army was practically hors du
combat on account OF camp diseases, which
the doctors say are preventable. Unless the
hostile armies have been more fortunate
than we were 1t is full time for typhoid to
have appeared
..In this matter there is very little data
available. The reports of travellers are that
the Russians have been building barracks
for an immense number of men and that
they have been fully alive to the sanitary
arrangements of their men in camp as well
as in barracks. But Wa would have told the
same story prior to our Spanish-American
war and we would have said moreover that
our recent experience with million men in
the field had peculiarly fitted us to handle
such questions.
"The most enthusiastic observers Of the
Japanese in the war ten years ago drew the
line on their sanitary arrangements in
campaign. It was reported that the army
OF Yamagata had 1t,000 sick at one time.
and the marshal himself had to be in
valided. Whether they have improved
since then I do not know. They may have
had ample opportunities to see our own