Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-27
TO CUT RUSSIAN LINE
Purpose Of General Kuroki's
Latest Movement.
OUTPOSTS DRIVEN IN
JAPANESE ADVANCE TO FOUR
MILES OF LIANDIANsIAN.
Anshanshan Not Yet Taken-Little
Progress Made North of
Haicheng.

the eastern front. A strong japanese 1orce
attacked the Russian positions at Mao
pass eleven miles east OF Anshanshan, and
at Sandatzi and Tsegow. ten miles north
east of Liandiansian. Nine batteries of six
guns each bombarded the Russian outposts.
At these points the combat repeatedly de-
veloped hand-to-hand fighting. The Rus
SLAMS stubbornly held the outposts the
whole day. falling back on their main po-
stion at night The chief artillery engage
ment was In front of Liandiasian, the Jap
anese concentrating the fire of ten batteries
and simultaneously advancing to Torintspu.
four miles southwest OF Liandiansian, but
they were arrested by Cossacks who were
afterward reinforced by infantry and artil-
lery.
Japanese Guns Dismantled.
The Japanese resumed the bombardment
early August 20, devoting most Of their at.
tention to Liandansian. The Russian field
guns were very effective. They dismantled
thrtytwo Japanese guns, mostly mountain
pieces.
The casualties have not been ascertained.
Siege guns have been sent by the Jap
anese from finkow to Tatchekiao, intended
for use against Gen. kuropatkin's positions.
curious indication at these positions of
the methodical preparation for big battle
is the fact that 10000 wooden boxes, in
which it is intended to place the ashes of
the killed. who are to be cremated on the
battlefield, have been delivered in the
neighborhOod of Lao Yang, and that 500
Chinese have been engaged to burn the
bodies of those of whom may be killed.
The present disposition of the Japanese
forces is as follows:
Gen. Kuroki. with 100000 men, is be-
tween khoyan and GutzatZy; Gen. Nodyzu,
with 10000. is on the line between Smou-
cheng and khalin and Gen. Oku, whose
force has been greatly depleted by with
drawals for the Port Arthur siege, is at
Haicheng.
The weather is improving greatly and be-
coming favorable for active operations.
Anshanshan Not Occupied.
BERLIN. August 27.-Dispatches to the
Lokal Anzeiger from Lao Yang indicate
that the Japanese have not occupied An
shanshan. but on the contrary have ad-
vanced barely beyond Haicheng on the
south front. One correspondent under date
OF August 26 says that the Japanese hold
fortified line one mile north of Haicheng,
and that on August 25 thrty-twO japanese
cannon were destroyed in battle to the
eastward
To Assemble Another Russian Army.
dispatch to the Tageblatt from st.
Petersburg says the Russian government
Is determined to assemble a second great
army in Manchuria, consisting of three or
cour corps under the command of Gen.
Baron Kaulbars or Gen. Soukhomlinoff. Its
headquarters will be at Mukden. The OBJ
tect of this step Is to meet the situation
that will arise should Port Arthur fall, thus
releasing the besieging army for operations
northward The Tageblatt's correspondent
names the various commands out of which
the new army will be formed, and says he
believes that more rapid transportation of
troops Will be possible, owing to the ap-
preaching completion of the railroad around
Lake Baikal
The View at st. Petersburg.
ST PETERBURG, August 27.-It is evil
dent, according to both official and unof
ficial advices, that a Japanese movement
against General Kuropatkin is rapidly de-
veloping Whether or not the belief of the
war office that the eastern movement Is
feint is we'll founded, 1t is evident from the
Associated Press dispatch from Kantzertun
seven miles southeast of Lao Yang, that
heavy fighting Is now in progress on the
eastern front of the Russian army. If the
Japanese, following their usual custom, are
preceding a real attack by feint so heavy
as to simulate such an attack 1t should not
be long before deadly battle develops on
the southern and western frontr
1t is evident that the heaviest force is
that of General kuroki and that probabl
the main attack will be driven in from the
southeast against Liandiansian. In the
meantime IL the precedents of the cam
paign count, the activity of Port Arthur
should experience a let up, while the atten-
tion OF the japanese Is concentrated against
Lao Yang.
Russian casualties are placed at over a
thousand In the report of General Kuropat-
kin relative to the 1ghting around Lao
Yang yesterday. The japanese also sus-
taned serious losses, while twenty-four of
their guns reported to have been put
out of action.
General Kuropatkin reports that the fight
ing OF August 26 was In all parts of the
theater of operations, the heaviest being
east and south of Liao Yang in the vicinity
OF the Ian river and at Liandiansan.
Reports at st. Petersburg.
The first battle of what may be regarded
general advance OF the Japanese on
Lao Yang fought yesterday, with the
result that the Russians at the close of the
hghting still held the positions and had in
ficted great loss on the japanese, complete
ly dismantling several batteries which at
tempted to lombard the main position at
ILandiansian. The Russian losses alto
gether were 4J0 killed or wounded.
\ long official telegram has been received
at the war office, but IL does not give hint
of what is transpiring today. 1t is more
than probable. however, that the japanese
have resumed their attempt to reach Lao
Yang The silence on this point of the
special dispatches filed at Lao Yang this
morning rather confirms this view
The hottest lighting occurred in the VAL
ley OF the Ian. small tributary of OF the
Taitse. around Tsegow. a place between
Anpng and Liandiansian. General Kuro-
ks tirst aim apparently was to separate
the two principal Russian positions as
1orecasted In these dispatches yesterday
Inc Russians in the valley of the Ian lost
14o men. General Kuroki's army ad
Vanced In three strong columns. one north
ward along the valley of the Sindahia a
tributary OF the Taitse. as far as Ljaodin
tan, whence a portion of this force marcbad
westward to Mao Pass. threatening A.
shanshan. the other portion pushing up the
stream TO Tunsinpu, four miles southwest
of Liandiansian, where Il was stopnad a.,
General Kuropatkin's Cossacks "
The second column marched along the
high road and occupied Erdahe whence the
Japanese batteries shelled Liandiansian, a