Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-02

x.
been 10000 killed and wounded"
The headquarters of the japanese army,
under Field Marshal Oyama, are being
transferred to Liaoyang, which was aban-
doned by the Russians yesterday. Fighting
between armies beyond LiaoyanE is contln-
uous. The Russians endeavoring to
hold the railway
dispatch from Tokyo via Rome says
that the Russians have set fire to villages
in the ueighborhood of Liaoyang. in their
retreat, with the object of preventing the
Japanese from obtaining supplies from
them -Four already have been destroyed.
rendering thousands of Manchurians home
less and throwing the whole country into
n panic. The natives VINO are able 10 leave
their families are joining the Chinese BAN
dts in the hope OF reVenSlnS themselves
upon the Russians
Retreat Probably Contemplated.
PARIS, September 2.-The foreign off1ce
has no confirmation of the reports of the
Japanese occupation of Liaoyans, but Its
advices lead the officials to say it is proba-
bic that General Kuropatkin decided to
carry out his original plan to retreat on
Mukden This plan, it is added, was tenn
porarily abandoned. as Europatkin believed
that the defenses of Liaoyang would permit
him to hold back the Japanese. This fall
ing, it is stated, the Russian commander
will attempt to revert to his first plan. that
of efecting concentration at. Mukden.
Kuropatkin's Belated Dispatch.
ST PETERSBURG. September 2-4:50
p.m.-At o'clock this afternoon the war
office received a dispatch from the Peter
hOf, sent to the emperor last night by Cen
eral Kuropatkin. dated pm. yesterday.
AS transmitted to the war Office for pub
lication the information is extremely
meager and reveals only the truth in the
light of the Interpretation of those who are
a
1t is possible that this is justifable on
strategic grounds.
AS communicated to the press the dis
patch states that an artillery battle pro-
ceeded till the hour of sending it, and that
the Russians We're retiring upon their
main positions that General Kuroki was
attacking the Russian left north of the
Taitse river; that the railroad station,
which is situated a mile northwest of Lao
yang. had been set on fire by Japanese
shells; that the station had been trans
ferred across the rivsr to a point on the
north bank; that Kuropatkin had passed in
review the Sd Siberian Corps under Cen
eral 1vanoff, which suffered greatly in the
earlier stages of the battle on the east
front. and finally that the Russian losses
for the two days were 5000 killed or
wounded.
The dispatch as given out, therefore, does
not admit that Gen. Kuropatkin is with
drawing across the Taitse river entirely.
Il is possible that owing to the pressure of
the japanese the Russian army, as stated
in the Tokyo d dspatches, was thrNwn into
confusion and greatly hampered In light
of the knowledge that the main positions
of the Russians are on the north bank of
the river, the dispatch becomes intelligible.
Use of the Artillery.
The artillery fight during the day makes
it evident that a screen of Russian guns
was used to cover the movement across the
river. The guns on the north bank doubt
less were also employed for this purpose
being placed so as to protect the railroad
bridge spanning the Taitse.
The review of the Sd Siberian Corps, men
toned in the dispatch, probably refers to
march past of the troops while crossing the
river, it being impossible to suppose that
a formal review occurred while the battle
was in progress.
AT 4:3o clock this afternoon the war Of
flee said it was entirely without news of
today's fighting, but added that the rail-
road between Liaoyang and Mukden was
open. No press dispatches from the front
had arrived up 10 the same hour. The sus-
pense in St Petersburg is intense and the
town is filled with all kinds of rumors,
ranging from a complete victory for Gen
Kuropatkin to d disastrous defeat of the
Russians.
The Russian Explanation.
ST. PETERSBURG, September 2, 1:25
p.m.-No absolute information has reached
the war Office confirming the reports that
Liaoyang has been occupied by the Japa-
nese but it is positively known that Cen
eral Kuropatkn decided to Withdraw from
his positions south of Laoyang to the
north right bank of the Taitse river
Tuesday night, and the orders were actual
ly given, as stated in these dispatches yes
terday. The war office presumes that the
movement was carried out since the latest
advices yesterday We're that the crossing OF
the river not being opposed. The fact
disclosed for the first time in these dis
patches last night, that the strongest Rus
sian position prepared by General kuro-
patkin was not around the town of Lao
yang the public had been led to be-
lieve, but on the right, or north bank OF
the Taitse river, was a secret so success
fully guarded that not even an intimatlon
of it had leaked out. 1t is now explained
that the Russian mmander-in- chief had
all along anticipated that the japanese,
when they made their advance on Lao
yang, would pursue the Identical tactics
which had been so successful In every pre-
yious stage of the campaign, and while at
tacking in front would attempt by wide
detour to outfank the Russian position.
Kuropatkin Was Waiting.
This time General Kuropatkin was not
caught mapping. He was prepared for just
what happened and as soon as he received
word that General kuroki had crossed the
Taitse twenty miles above Lfaoyang. and
was moving westward, kuropatkin met the
move by throwing his whole army over at
night BY this piece of strategy kuropatkin,
in the opinion of the general staff, gained
an immense advantage. His army Is con-
centrated on one side of the river and the
road is still open for his retirement north
ward, while the Japanese armies, Whlch
must act IN unison, separated by the
river, which places Kuropatkin in posi-
ton to oppose Kuroki with his whole army,
while Generals Oku and Nodzu are strand
ed on the other side, which gives Kuropat-
pin a possible opportunity to initiate Napol-
cons tactics and defeat the opposing force
in detail.
There is only parallel in history"
said high officer of the war office to the
Assoc:a ted Press today "and that is Metz
when Prince Frederick Charles stradded
the Moselle with the German armies. But
Kuropatkn has not repeated Marshal Ba-
zanes mistake of sitting still while the
enemy closed him in
| Kuropatkns great strength in cavalry, in
| the opinion of the war office, will stand
him in good stead now.
Whether the whole of Kuropatkin's army
| got across yesterday is not definitely estab-