Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1904-05-19
THE FAR EAST VAR.
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Tho Japanese Very Successful y.
Hiding Their Movements. >'1'p
RUSSIANS 'DRfvEyouT'ur KAT CHIu.


8Ao HtphCuVu AAohuOu IuVWiu1 nbA
upon the appearance Of Japanes
troops northeast of Mukden or Ind
eating by what route they reache
that point so Unexpectedly. The. Japa
nese are so successful In hiding thei
movements that 1t is only possible b
guess at them from the vague indica
fions in Russian Official dispatches.
According to the Standards flemish
correspondent Gen. Kuropatkin ha
left for Hardin, Viceroy Alexieff still
being at Lao Yang with 10000 troops
It Is noticeable that Russian ofiicia
dispatches seldom name the place
whence they are sent. s
A question greatly discussed in ths
London papers this morning 4
whether Gen. Kuropatkin has succeed,
ed in ascertaining that the Japanese
are threatening his rear so near the
Mukden line and has been enabled To
begin q retreat, or whether he has
elected to fight. In any case 1t is con-
sidered that any day may bring news
Of a great battle In this district, %
the transport difficulties are believed
to be 30 great as to make 1t almost
impossible for Gen. Kuropatkin to eff
feet rapid retirement.
Indefinite reports continue to reach
London Of Japanese bombardments
,of Port Arthur and Dalny.
The Standards Odessa. correspond
tent confirms the report that Gen.
tKuropatkin's aggregate forces for the
pending battle do not exceed 100000
men.
Shanghai dispatches report that the
Chinese are greatly gratifed at the
Japanese invitation to the Tartar vice.
roy of Mukden to re-establish the ad-
ministration of Antung and induce
Chinese traders to return and resume
business. af& @LJ5 0
The Daily Telegraph's Niuchwang
correspondent, cabling under date of
May II, says: 1.-THE japanese with a
large fleet Of transports and warships
appeared at Kai Chau yesterday morn
ing and opened terrific lombard
ment against the shore defenses, which
we're silenced by. four o'clock in the
afternoon, the Russians retreating to
Tashichao. The Japanese troops land
ed and are to-day advancing rapidly,
Duthanking Tashichao and Niuchwang.
The Destruction of Port Dalny.
St Petersburg, May 18-Advices
Feceived by the general star show
that the japanese are practically mas !
fers of all Of the southern end Of the
,IAao Tung peninsula save Port Ar
thur and the territory commanded by j,
Its guns. This result, so promptly
brought about, is due to the failure of
che Russians to make opposition Of
any consequence to the Japanese adj
vance Asvit - 'tli'aA' ------' ssi'sa % Z
a member OF the general .staff said
20 the Associated press that the re-
moval of guns from the Notifications
erected at Kai Chau and the destruc-
fion Of Port Dalny were primarily for
The purpose of concentrating the en-
tire Russian force at Port Arthur. II
me men and guns were scattered the
enect would nave peen to distribute the
means OF defense OF the fortress over
number OF points strategically weak.
The destruction Of Dalny was the re-
suit OF no sudden determination, but
was due to the probability that force
attempting TO hold this place could be
separated from Port Arthur and cap
rureo, thus Innicung further loss OF
prestige to the Russians, which could
not be permitted at this time To de-
fend the whole Of the southern end of
the Lao Tung peninsula 1t would
have been necessary to have an army
equal to that which the Japanese could
have landed. ga 81. - r.-
The weakness of the Manchurlan
army, said this officer, left only one
course to pursue, namely, that OF
suiicient troops at Port
Arthur to hold 1t until relief came.
every point outside which
did not contribute to the strategic
defense of the fortress. II has been