The San Francisco call., 1904-09-14
Russian Disasters the Far East Due the Stubborn Bunde
ing of Viceroy AIexeh.

ST. PETERSBURG, Sept. 13.-"One
more defeat and retirement for the
Russian forces in Manchuria and then
the tide will have turned, said a high
OF al Of the War Department to-day.
The defeat will come at Mukden and
the first decisive Russian victory of the
war will occur at Tie Pass, providing
the Japanese continue their advance
beyond Mukden."
The gloom that succeeded the reverse
at Liaoyang has been followed by
buoyancy that indicates cheering news
from the n-chief. By the
expected defeat at Mukden the official
probably meant that General Kuropat-
kin would leave sufficient force there
to check for a time the Japanese ad-
vance and when the attack is pressed
too strongly to fall back to the main
army at Tie Pass. The force that will
defend Mukden will consist Of $4,000
men. 1t is not expected that the jap
anese will attack the city within three
weeks, as that period will be necessary
to enable them to replenish their sup
plies Of ammunition and get their COM
nlissariat into shape for resumption
of the campaign. The bad roads have
Of late delayed the advance Of trans
port.
Tie Pass is the strongest point, from
the standpoint of defensive operations,
in all Manchuria. 1t was here that
Kuropatkin, even before he left Russia
for the front, planned to make his first
stand against the Japanese armies.
There will not be a decisive battle
before December" said Kuropatkin in
before September" said Kuropatkin in
the Russian army will take the Of
fensive."
The programme Of the Russian COM
mander-in-chief was upset as soon as
he reached the front. Viceroy Alexieff
believed that the Japanese advance
should be met at the Yalu River. De-
spite Kuropatkin's protest he was COM
PEELED to attempt with $4,000 men to
stem the brown legions advancing
through Korea and thereafter fight
battle after battle while falling back
} toward the position where he had plan
ned to make his first stand early in
September. Alexieff's policy was popu-
lar with the Car and with the Russian
populace, for the Viceroy told his En-
peror that the Russians would defeat
the islanders, though outnumbered four
to one, and advance to the early relief
OF Port Arthur, which stronghold had
been placed in its critical position
through his blundering.
The Russian heart is set upon the
months has held the Gibraltar of the
East" against the Japanese besiegers.
1t was in the hope of effecting this res
cue that Stakelberg was sent on his
disastrous attempt to pierce the Japa-
nese lines and fight his way to Port
Arthur, and it is the belief here that
the Car himself ordered that decisive
stand be made at Liaoyang in the hope
that at last his commender in chief
Il
feat the combined Japanese armies and
advance TO the relief of Stoessel.
Now General Kuropatkin is just
where he expected to be in September
when he left st. Petersburg to take
command. Through the interference of
AleXieff he has lost thousands of men,
many guns and quantities of supplies.
Moreover, the morale of his men has
been affected by successive reverses.
But the Russian general will retreat no
farther if his own belief in the success
of his plan of campaign prove to have
been correct. 1t is expected that at Tie
Pass the Japanese will receive their
final check. and the reinforcements that
are now crossing Siberia will enable
him to take the offensive, either in a
winter campaign. If the Japanese SO
elect. or next spring. when Russia will
have more than a half-million men at
the front.
In the meantime should Port Arthur
fall that disaster, too, could be at
tributed to the interference of Alexieff
Kuropatkin had planned to give Port
Arthur an enormous garrison and sup
plies sufficient to Withstand a years
siege, expecting to effect the relief of
the garrison no sooner than late this
autumn or early next spring. Alexieff,
stubbornly confident that one Russian
could easily defeat ten japanese, or
dered that Kuropatkin send to the Yalu
the men that he had intended for Port
Arthur. After repulsing the Japanese,
said Alexieff, there would be plenty of
time to look after Port Arthur.
With the knowledge of this situation
at the front 1t is not to be wondered at
that the Russian press is outspoken in
its demand that Kuropatkin be given a
free hand hereafter, nor is 1t remark
able that the rumor should be af1oat
periodically that the blundering Alexieff
had sent his resignation to the En-
peror.