Evening star., 1904-02-29
HE EASTERN WAR.
EXPERT CONSIDERATION OF THE
RUssIAN-JAPANEsE CONFLICT.
Bv FRANKLIN K. YOUNG.
(Copyrighted, 1901

The late news from the theater of war
shows the Russians understand war as an
art. Their main army of attack remains
securely posted to the west of the Yalu
river. The reinforcements upon reaching
Harbin have been pushed to the front. In
consequence Il strong force now occupies
the country about Liau-Yang. town on the
railroad between Mukden and Port Arthur.
To the south of the Yalu the Russian light
troops have advanced as far as Ping-Yang.
OF the supporting column the most notable
is a large body of Russian infantry and
cavalry and fifty-four pieces of artillery,
which is said to have taken post at Anju.
The Russian light cavalry is said to be ad-
Vanced to point ten miles east of Ping
Yang and detachments of infantry are re-
ported within twenty miles of this town
from the north. The movement is also re-
ported by the outposts of the Russian army
from Vladivostok. The outposts of this
army penetrating as far south as Hamy-
engdo have, cut the telegraph line from
Chemulpo to Won-San. There is further
news TO the effect that a japanese force in
northeast Korea is marching on Kirin and
new Russian force is reported near Psing-
ihlnStung. On the water the bulk of the
Japanese fleet seems to be still engaged in
biockading Port Arthur The Japanese
squadron lately dispatched to the sea of
"HR'i - INV ItCOTIeu as DlOckaClnE Nlali-
NoStok The japanese army is said to be
posted IN the country about Won-San on
the east coast and Chelulbo on the west
coast of Korea
Tie only military movement made by the
Japanese seems to be the occupation Of
Ping Yang by about 5000 troops AS d
usGal. this detachment at Ping-Yang al
ready Is seemingly almost surrounded by
russian troops. The constant advance of
the russian light troops to the south in the
present situation seems to indicate the pos
sIhlity or more or less important fighting
but the general Russian position as a
"i-ole III that OF the strategic defensive: a
the same time there is reason to believe
that their army today massed behind the
4alu river and in the vicinity of vladiyos-
tok has been largely augmented Accord-
ing to the semi-ofhcial news a Berlin the
Russians have In hand today about 23O., $50
men In Manchuria and eastern Siberia it
Is clear at this time that the Japanese have
no nope at the moment OF effecting a per-
manent landing on the Liao-Ting penin-
sCla or OF attempting to invade .Manchuria
from the direction OF Port Arthur II
would seem that both armies are doing
nothing more than concentrating their
troops. The position of the Russian army
on the Yalu. while Ii is the base line of any
operation which they may project on Korea.
Is at this moment supplemented py the
fact that the Russian advance bodies are
apparently in possession of the most north
erly range of Korean mountains II is
clear that the Russians will make no at
untii after they have assembled at the
Yalu river a body of reserve troops entirely
adequate to defend this basic line in case
the advance army is routed.
1t appears that both the Russian and
Japanese generals recognize the futility of
any attempt of the Japanese to occupy
this mountain range for defensive pur-
poses In consequence the Russians are
giving the Japs every facility for assuming
this false position The presence of the
Russian army about Liau-Ying seemingly
insures the safety of Port Arthur of
course, 1t may be possible that the Japan
larly favorable prospects left to them at
carry II by storm by combined attack by
sea and land: But this latter process seem
iEgly Is made invalid by the presence of the
Russian army just mentioned, which OBJ
viously is so posted as to make futile any
attempts of the Japanese to OCCUPY a po-
siti0n on the mainland cutting off Port
Arthur The blockading japanese fleet an
parently has made a brave and energetic
battle to capture Port Arthur by SURPRISES
and direct attacks from the sea All OF
these have failed. st the present moment
this Japanese fleet is weaker than when Ii
made Its first fight and il Is obvious that
Port Arthur Is really stronger defensvelv
than at the outbreak of the war 1t is Of
interest to note that military authorities
seemingly are agreed that the Trans -Si-
berlan railroad can readily be protected
from the attacks of hostile detachments
and that its easy capacity of 300 cars a day
each way will AFFORD ample means for pro-