New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-18
KAI-CHOW AND NEW-CHWANG.

"
The salient features of the days war news are
that the Japanese have landed in force at Kali
Chow, and that in consequence the Russians
have hastily evacuated New-Chwang. On sun
day last Major General Plug was half COM
planning that the Japanese advance from the
Yalu was marked with indecision. so that the
Russians really did not know what they were
doing or where TO expect them to strike. We
suspect that the Japanese were not suffering
from INDIGESTION so much as they were keeping
their enemies in the dark as TO their plans. In
tie latter they seem 10 have succeeded admi-
rably, for we are told that the Russians were
completely surprised by their appearance at
Kai-ChOw. That seems little strange, seeing
how many rumors Of Japanese descents upon
that very place there have been in the last few
weeks We should have supposed the Russians
would be looking for the very thing that has
Low happened. Perhaps, however, it is n case
OF crying Wolf" too often. At any rate. the
Russians have FASTENED out of New-Chwang
and the japanese will probably occupy that
place promptly without opposition. Perhaps it
may be we'll to explain again in passing that by
New Chwang is here meant the port of New
Chwang, otherwise known as Ying-Kow, at the
mouth of the Lao River. As for Kai-Chow. il
also figures as Kai-Chau. hai-Ping, Kiaochou
and even CaipingeutZe! tits an important town
about twenty-five miles south OF Ning-Kow. on
the railroad TO Port Arthur, at point where
the railroad runs close TO the shore Of the Gulf
% Liao-Tung.
The Russians, we are told, have retired 10
Hai-Cheng. That IS the next important place
Oh the railroad north Of KaLChOw, thirty-ilye
miles from the latter. at the point where the
railroad crosses the Halo Chow River. which IS
that small tributary OF the Lao on which the
city of New-Chwang stands-the real city OF
New Chwang, not its port, Eing-Kow. The dis
lance down the river from IIai-Cheng 10 New
Chwang is only ten miles. Just east OF Hal
Cheng are the Mo-Tien-Ling Mountains, through
u pass in which road from Feng-Wang Cheng
Genes to Ha-Cheng. Obviously HaiCheng IS
q place OF strategic Importance. and the Rus
slams might well make stand there. as It is
now said they will do But then. there is the
uncertainty, TO which General Plug referred
concerning the movements OF the Japanese
army which is coming over from Feng-Wang-
Cheng, and which is doubtless so timing its
progress rs 10 meet the army which has landed
at ka-ChOw as it moves uOrthward II the
Russians stand at Hai-Cheng, therefore, they
VIII be exposed 20 attack 10y one japanese
army from the east, and to another by one from
the south at the same time. Moreover. there is
no telling whether the army from Feng-Wang-
CLeng will come straight across TO HaiCheng
O. will go up to Liao-Yang and then come down
and take IIai-Cheng in the rear. The Russian
stand ut Hai-Cheng viii thus be n perilous one,
unless the army is strong enough to resist two
Japanese armies at once, from different quar-
tiers. 1t is scarcely supposabe that it is strong
enough for that and so we are not surprised to
hear that the stand at Hai-Cheng viii be per-
fCnctory one, and that the Russians will thence
fall back again 10 Hao-Yang, where really de-
termined stand viii be made at last with an
army of seventy thousand men. Liao-Yang is
n the r1ilroo1 tbrtV-fiV miles north Of al
ChenG, and similar distance south of Moukden.
Cit while you're a-gittn!" was the sage
counsel of the old woman In the story. The
Russians seem TO have taken n leaf out OF her
book Their plan Is 10 retreat while they are
retreating. \ little while ago they were prom
Using to have n force sufficient TO Tepulse the
japanese wherever they tried to land: but they
have fallen back and let them land. They have
retreated from New-Chwang They are plan
ming to retreat from Hai-Cheng and while they
promise to make resolute stand at Liao-Yang,
they are already telling what they will do when
they retreat thence. They will not they say
attempt to make Il stand at MOukden, but will
continue their retreat to Telling. That place
Is about thirty-five miles north Of MOulIden Mt
the point where the railroad touches the Lao
River, and is at the head OF navigation on that
stream. Beyond that there is nothing OF impor-
lance until the boundary OF Shinp-King is
reached. AS a result therefore, Of the Japanese
victory on the Yalu and their landings at Pitsu-
Wo and Kai-ChOw. the Russians are actually
contemplating the practical abandonment of the
southernmost OF the Manchurlan provinces 10
them. After more than three months of war
the greatest force they can muster against the
japanese advance for the defence of the Man
churlan capital is said to be seventy thousand
men. That Is an amazing revelation Yet the
japanese may do we'll not to trust TO IT and 70
hRi iul ton
at Liao-Yang and even at Moukden they will
stlll be within reach of their feet Beyond that
point their advantage would decrease and that
CT the Russians would increase