Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-07
RUSSIANS CONFIDEN
Believe That the Crisis of the
Retreat is PAST
ARMY NEAR MUKDEN
POSITIONS BEING TAKEN OUTSIDE
THE CITY.
japanese Actively Engaged in Ha-
RAISING Their opponents-Rejoi joic-
ing at Tokyo.
ARMY NEAR MUKDEN

ing at lohyO
The St. Petersburg authorities today ex-
press themselves as confident that the crit
ical stage of the Russian retreat is past
and that Kuropa tkin is no longer in danger
of losing any part of his forces to the pur-
suing japanese. 1t is also given out in st.
Petersburg that the bulk of Kuropatkin's 8
army is now near Mukden. where it is taxi
'ng up prepared positions, but dispatch to
the Associated Press from Mukden filed
yesterday. says that the main Russian
army was then pushing northward and
e,acuating Mukden.
While details of the situation are lacking
dispatches indicate that the Japanese are
still harassing the Russian rear. Gen.
kuroratkin is now at Mukden. Tokyo pre-
serves an absolute silence regarding the
operations of today and yesterday
Kuropatkin Reaches Mukden,
~ST. PETERSBURG September 1856 p.
m-The bulk of the Russian Manchuran
army is near Mukden, where it now ap-
pears, Gen. kuropatkin has been since Mon
day. His troops, it is understood, are not
entering the city, but taking up pre-
pared positions around Mukden. While there
is no specific information on this point the
general staff believes that onlv small rear
guard is IN the neighborhOod of Yentaj
NO further fighting of Importance is ex-
pected south of Mukden. The critical stage
lS regarded as having passed, and the an
Louhcement was made this afternoon that
the war office will no longer give out two
bulletins each day.
Gems Euroki and Knrona tkin b.,o hoo,,
marching northward along parallel lines
both armies being greatly hampered by
ntdVy ROADS. the Japanese in rough re-
glon and the Russians along a fiat country
but embarrassed by the high Chinese corn
Whlch prevented marching on the side of
sxe sx5oIill nam "a roads No difficulty is being
tNptrlenced az the Hun river few miles
south OF Mukden. where bridges had been
Provide0 for crossing the stream There
raau mas oeen constant lighting at the Russian
rear anu aiong the eastern wing, but so far
as known by the war Office EOthng of inn
began. ''e ie'iea'
May Make Stand at Telling.
The geenral staff naturally is reticent
aoout EUROPA tkin's plans. especially wheth-
er ne intends to stop at Mukden His de-
elsloh- probably will depend upon the in
tentons of the Japanese Contingent nren-
arations probably will be made to evacuate
Muhden, and there is considerable evidence
tudt huropatkln If compelled to go north
VII make stand at Telling where the
russians ,i1a Wintered last year. Telling is forty
Is narrow defle with the Lao river on
one side and mountains running almost
down TO the railroad on the other Steps
are belng taken to guard against a nossjhle
attempt to cut the line there.
Kuropatkin Praised.
AS the russian newspapers begin to re-
alize more fully the catastrophe which Cen.
huropatkin avoided at Liaoyang and the
skillfui manner in which he upset Field
Marshal Oyama's plan to surround tho
RUSSIAN army they take a more cheerful
view OF the result, and are beginning to
bestow upon kuropatkin great praise
II Is now apparent that Oyama's purpose
Dy pressing the Russian positions in front
OF Liaoyang was to hold Kuropatkjn's at
tention while the Japanese right wing was
thrust around the Russian rear to block
.i,e az RUSSIAN Ilhe OF retreat But Kuropatkin,
az lts very inception, had his eye upon this
marking movement and countered bv early
withdrawal of his main army TO the RIGHT
@ o@ank OF the Taitse river, changing his
'front.' 10 meet and hold Gen KuroK In
check while Gen. Zaroubaief's corps at
i-iaoyang. crossed, burning the bridges be-
hind him and placing the river between
MIN and Gen. Oku Both the Russian and
japanese accounts seem to agree in Ga wing
that until the withdrawal of the main Rms,
sian army from Liaoyang began Kuropat-
kin had beaten off the Japanese assaults In
front of LiaOyang and that the Russian
commander = in chiefs first movement
against kurod was also measurably sue
cessful.
Regards Retreat as Successful.
While not Understanding the difficulties
attending the task of the retirement or the
army northward nor the continued threat
from Oyama's right, the Noyoe Vremya
evidently considers that it already has
practically been successfully ACCOMPLISHED.
The Novosti says
In England, France and Germany the
serious nature of the consequences OF the
defeat of the Russian army Is fully appre-
ciated, and as the views of their military
exist no reasons why should give way
to despair over a defeat which never took
place"
The Invalid Russ. the army organ. also
continues to maintain that Oyama met with
strategical defeat but itsexpresses the
opinion that Oyama has not yet given up
hope of thanking Kuropatkin, for which he
Is strengthening Kuroki and diminishing
the pressure against the Russian rear.
The Novoe Nremya, reviewing the situa-
ton, declares emphatically that neither
mediation nor peace are now even
thought of.
The Losses.
No further details of the losses suffered
by the Russians during the ten days fight
ing have been received. How long the roll
of casualties ultimately will be can be esti-
mated by the official report or the num-
ber of officers killed or wounded between
August % and August 81 in q single divi-
sion.
This division that of Gen. Kondratsvitch
which is under Gen. Zaroubsieff. and which
formed part of the Russian right below
Iiaoyang lost twelve officers killed, thirty
five wounded and one missing.
Kuropatkin's Report.
The following dispatch has been received
fIom Gen. Kuropatkin:
To-day september % the army is ad-
vancing northward. 1t has extricated IT.
self from the dangerous position in which
1t was placed. being threatened ty the ene-
my and having a narrow front The
enemy throughout the day cannonaded our
rear guard, especially its left flank, but
without much effect We lost about one
hundred men today
A telegram has been received from Vice
Admiral Skrydloff asking that 300 dock
yard workmen be sent to Viadivostok to
repair the cruisers Rossia and Groinoboi