Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-06
RETREAT IS ORDERLY
Russians Fighting a Contin-
uous Rear Guard Action.
DETAILS ARE LACKING
EXACT POSITION OF OPPOSING.
ARMIES NOT KNOWN.
Whe her Kuropatkin Will Make An
other Stand at Mukden is Not
Indicated by Reports.

Fighting a continuous rear guard action
with the Japanese who hang to his fanks.
kuropatkn continues TO fall back over
roads made sodden by two days heavy
rain. The heads of his long commissa.y
trains have passed through Mukden and
continue northward 1t is reported that in
spite Of the bad roads and persistent at
tacks on the Russian rear. the retreat is
orderly, Details of the fighting and the
exact position of the opposing armies are
lacking. The Russian general staff while
admitting that it has received no official
auVlces since last evening. denies the re-
port that Kuropatkin's rear guard has been
annihiated.
From Tokyo comes the official report hat
the bulk of the Russian forces is still at
Yentai.
Whether or not Kuropatls will make an
other stand at Mukden is not indicated in
today's advices. In ST. Petersburg it is
argued that the fact that his commissary
trains passed on through Mukden does not
irdicate that the Russian commander pro-
poses to evacuate the city without a strug-
gle, but only that they are taking up their
proper position in the rear.
Retreating in Good Order
ST. PETERSBURG. September - G:25
P'hi'-A ppdithtS the war office is not
greatly disturbed by fear that Field Mar
shsl Oyama will cut off Gen. k11ronatkin
before he reaches Mukden According
TO the latest advices the Russian retreat is
beng erected in good order. The heads of
transport trains passed through Mukden
yesterday at noon. and the fact that the
baggage trains continued on their way
north OF Mukden. the office explains
does not mean that Kuropatkin is bound
further north at this time but is simply a
natural, precautionary measure. even if he
Intended to hold Mukden. the Russian for
nation during the operations of an army
locating the baggage train fourteen miles
and the ambulance corps four miles in the
rear OF the main body of troops
Quite Severe Actions.
Private reports from Mukden say that
some Of the rear guard actions in progress
are quite severe, but no details have been
received.
The news from the front indicates that
Oyama, having failed to surround Kuropat
kin at Liaoyang. is pressing Kuropatkin's
rear with all the power of his tired troops
while hurrying forward column which
crossed the Taltse river at BenSihu, thirty
miles northeast of Liaoyang and five miles
? due east of Yentai station in the hope of
cutting the Russian line of retreat below
Mukden. This column may consist of fresh
troops In light marching order.
The BensIhu road Joins the main road
IRON fentai where the latter is intersected
. by the Hun river, three miles below Muk-
den once this point is passed Kuropat-
kins army will have IT, Hun river be
tween it and Oyama. The only uneasiness
Is due 10 the possibility that japanese
HSht-draft gunboats, which, according to
reports, are coming up from NuichwanE
might suddenly make their appearance,
the river being navigable to this point
As kuropatkin was just north of Yentai
when the heads of transports entered Muk-
den yesterday, ii is evident that the re-
treating column IS over fifteen miles long.
No Russian Force Cut Off.
The Associated Press is authorized N the
name Of the Russian general staff to deny
the report which was in circulation here
last night of the annihilation of Gen. Kuro-
patkin's rear guard. According to the latest
advces Of the staff no Russian force was
cut off, and it is believed that there is little
danger OF the Japanese interCeDting kuro-
patkin below Mukden. The information
here Is that the Japanese forces at Bensinu
does not exceed two divisions at the most
1t is added, however. that the staff has rot
yet received news from the front under to-
days date.
Russian Press Disappointed
While insisting that Marshal Oyama
missed his main object at Liaoyang most
of the Russian papers do not disguise their
profound disappointment over the result of
the battle of L:aoyang. The Russky In
valid, organ of the army, however is Of
the opinion that Gen. Kuropatkin, both
suategically and technically, got every
thing possible out of Liaoyang saving.
1T enabled him to cope with an army
very much superior to his Field Marshal
oyamd was compelled To waste several
tens OF thousands of men to capture a po-
Sluoh wmch is cf no Importance now that
kuropatkin has left. 1t is evident that
oyamas plans n~scarried. since he failed
To surround and inhict a decisive blow on
the Russian army"
The other view is renrssepted IN. ~.
Russ, follows: ~
The fact that Wuropatkin was COM
PEELED to leave Liaoyang has NOT ~
military but political significance II io ,o
use concealing the fact that the evacuatinn
OF Liaoyang was surprise for the Rus
si sIahS, everybody was led to believe that
Ihe hour had arrived for decisive
struggle 1t was thus we interpreted Kuro-
patkin telegram saying the men We're
thlrstlng Tor an opportunity to meet the
Zoe Dashtng our hopes means prolonga.
ton of the campaign.
Effect of the Retreat.
THE fact that Kuropatkin was co,,
is now indehrstely postponed. This will
inevitably influence the fate of Port Ar
thur and the further development of the
Japanese operations. The evacuation of
Liaoyang Will also have an effect upon
China, which is already in state of
nervous tension under the influence of JAP
anese agitation. The Japanese, of course.
will do their, best to restore Mukden TO
China and China must foot the bill We
cannot deceive ourselves any longer with
the idea that by retreating into the heart
OF Manchuria We are gaining time and
adding TO our forces; whereas the Ian
anese are lengthening their line of com
munications and therefore losing strength
Our ideas of the( military strength of
Japan were far from correct II is now
known that they can increase their forces
as well as we can. We fully believe in our
ultimata success, but 1t is idle to blink
at facts. We shall have to make heavy
sacrifices in order to protect the vital in
terests of the empire"
Rumored Fall of Port Arthur.
The NnYoe NremYa this morning got onf