Rocky Ford enterprise., 1904-09-02
RUSSIAN ADVICES
FoREsHADow A GREAT BATTLE
Japanese Armies Closing in.-Havs
Captured Many important
Positions.

POSITIONS.
St Petersburg. Aug. 80. 1853 o. NJ
certainty prevails regarding the actual
situation at Lao Yang. There is In.
tense anxiety for definite news from
tho front, but even the authorities arc
practically ignorant AZ to whether or
not the long.expected battle will be
fought Mt Lao Yang or further north.
II IL expected that a great battle Is
now proceeding and there are many In.
dications that such Is the case. II this
is true. the fate OF this years cam.
paign may be settled within forty
eight hours.
Al tho same timc opinion In almost
equally divided. many believing that
General Kuropatkin will not mako q
| determined stand and that the Japan.
csc will crack the shell only to ind
tnat tho bird has flown.
Ono OF the Russian correspondents
OF tho Associated Press says that the
fighting SO far has been confined
wholly to rear guard actions. Tho
Russian force In now concentrated In
. series OF exceedingly strong posi-
tons around Lao Yang. but the whole
withdrawal was In accordance with q
prearranged plan.
1t Is certain that tho armies arc now
In close touch. The Japanese arc nd-
vnncing In great force along both OF
the roads converging on Lao Yang.
but tho crucial question. whether II Is
tho main Russian army that In concen.
trated there to receive them. or mere.
| ly a strong screen. has not been IN.
| swercd up to date.
Much depends upon tho weather. II
is possible that the recent rains may
have made General Kuropatkin's with.
drawnl impossible even " ho desired
to withdraw, or that further down.
pour may dIsarrnn.c the plans OF both
sides; but tho latest indications that
| tho weather and the roads are improy.
Ing. should force n rise OF tho curtain
within twcnty.four hours.
General Kuropatkin since yesterday
| morning has been drawing up nll his
forces from his eastern and southern
! fronts toward Lao Yang.
Anping. Tscgow. LIandinnshnn and
AnshnnShnn. constItu,in. tho main po.
nitionS Of tho outer defense limo ot
Lao Yang. have been abandoned.
Tho heaviest nshtlns occurred on
tho extreme left. where tho Japanese
advanced to tho assault again and
again with bayoncta. Tho positions nj
Txegow and Anpins wcro held by tho
Tenth European corps.
Tho attacks wcrc delivered with IA
| nAticnl bravery. The Russians lost
large proportion OF officers. ton guns
| and from 800 tn 1000 mon. but tho
i Russians hayc bccn generally kuccchs'
| full in beating on tho assaults all nlons
| tho long line and the Russians declare
that tho order to retire came an n sur
prise. just when they were expecting
orders for general advance.
This 10 considered To bc PROOF thai
General Kuropatkin. finding his main
/ positions mcnaccd on the Hank. and
| anticipating difficulties In withdrawing
/ owing to tho condition Of -shc roads
which have suddenly been transformed
/ into mud bogA by tho rain. considered
that retreat was imperative. The
retirement from the east front was
greatly impcdcd by the convcralon o'
tho Ian river into mountain torrent
ana this probably also accounts Tor the
failure Of the Japanese TO follow up the
rctirin. Russians.
Tho japanese column moving up The
Lao river and threatening General
4 Kuropatkin from tho west In regarded
as being extremely dangerous. and
general kuroki'a extreme right seems
also to bc working around General
hrtfCnrltnuHH UbaAAAo" - ss"tss."
and TO bc making toward Mukdcn. The
4 strength of tho cnvoiopins Japanese
armies may DO Judged from tho fact
that General oku alone. who Is coming
from tho south. Ia officially reported te
have 1900 mon.
4 whether General Kuronatkln In
tends to accept battle at Lao Vans
may not be known positively for sos-
crai days. but tho belief several times
indicated in these dispatches prevails
here that no Will withdraw northward
having found that he Ia not strons
enough TO cope with the japanese and
realizing that Lao Yang In made no
longer tonabic on account OF the Japa-
ncsc threats n, his west rear.
His retirement undoubtedly VIII
cause keen public disappointment. as
Il was generally believed that he at
last had sufficient rcinforcemen's TO &C
ccpt decisive engagement. and by tho
military critics his retreat In inter
prc,cd to mean great proiongaton
, OF tho war.