Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1904-10-13
st. Petersburg's Version of the Bold
Movement by Kuropatkin.
is THE JAPANESE ARMY WEAK?


st. Petersburg, Oct. 11.-A battle up
on which the fate Of this years cam
paign in Manchuria depends seemi
only few days ahead. All that II
positively known officially is that Gen
Kuropatkin has cast the die at last
about faced his army and is marching
resolutely against the enemy as IL re-
solved to do or die. According to un'
official reports Field Marshal Oyama
at the first sign of Gen. Kuropatkir
taking offensive, began drawing in his
line and concentrating upon fortified
positions north of Liao Yang. Accord.
ing to the latest reports which are con-
tained in dispatch to the Associated
press from Mukden the Japanese out
posts are being driven in all along the
line.
The strategy of the forward move
ment will be concealed as were the
preparations for the advance so that
all surmises as to where Gen. Kuropat-
kin intends to strike are mere guess
work, 1t is not clear whether Gen.
Kuropatkin contemplates blow on
the left, center or right Of the jap
anese army, but the fact that stress
is laid upon the capture of Bentsiap'
utZe, which opens the road and fords
to Bensihu, 20 miles east of Liao Yang,
where Gen. Kuroki crossed and that
Cossacks are already reported in the
neighborhood Of the stream might fore.
shadow an exact reversal of the bat
tie of Lao Yang, this time the Rus.
sian commander flanking and turning
Liao Yang with his left as Field Mar
shal Oyama did with his right.
Little light has been thrown upon
the considerations which led Gen. Ku-
ropatkin suddenly to assume the Of
fensive, but no word is heard at the
war Office intimating that the course
savors Of rashness. Officers Of the
general staff, while not underestimate
ing the heavy task and severe sacri-
fees that are involved in assuming the
offensive, nevertheless express abso>
lutte confidence that Gen. Kuropatkin
has found weak point in the jap
'anese armor. Different explanations
abound as to the reason for making
the forward movement at this time
The advance is attributed to realiza,
tion by Gen. Kuropatkin Of the diff
Guilty the Japanese have encountered
in making good their losses at Lia0
Yang and replenishing their supplies
and ammunition, or possibly to the
drawing off of portion of the jap
anese troops to reinforce Gen. Nogi in
desperate endeavor to end the siege
Of Port Arthur.
Whatever the explanation II is ap-
parent from the hasty manner in
which the Japanese withdrew before
the first show of Russian strength that
their recent ostentatious preparations
for an advance were largely bluff. The
best opinion here is that the impend-
ing battle is likely to develop with
startling rapidity. 1t is reported that
the Japanese have abandoned Sian
chan, Saimatsze and Meichoulin, po-
sitions east of Lao Yang.
In political circles considerable |
stress is laid upon the moral effect up-
on the Chinese that may be expected |
from Cen Kuropatkin's advancing |
without being compelled to abandon |
the sacred city Of Mukden, It being re.
membered that the Japanese failed to
reach the CITY of imperial tombs dnr-
ing the China-Japanese war.
LamsdOrff Threatens to Resign.
st. Petersburg, Oct. 1.-THE
strained relations between the foreign
Office and the admiralty over the ques-
tion Of contraband. according to high
authority, has reached an acute stage.
Foreign Minister Lamsdorff is said to
consider that he has suffered per-
sonal affront under which he cannot
rest and purposes to raise the issue at
the weekly audience with the emperor
and at the same time tender his resig-
nation.
st. Petersburg, Oct. IA dispatch
from the Russian. headquarters at Muk-
den says the land blockade of Port
Arthur has been weakened, that the.
japanese at Lao Yang have been re-
inforced by 1900 men by way Of New
Chwang and that they expect three ad-
ditionAl divisions in few days.
Another eFarewelI" Review.
L.