Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-05
.LIA0YhNG CAMPA|Ch
How the q Evacuation of the
City Was Forced.
STRATEGY OF OYAMA
DESCRIPTION OF THE SCENE OF
POSSIBILITIES.
The Place Was Supposed to Have I'm
pregnable Defenses-Heavy
Losses Entailed.

fhe New York Tribune in a recent issue
describes In detail the scene Of the recent
Russian and japanese hostilities.
Llaoyang, to which the Russians re-
treated on August 2, after a disastrous
defeat at Hal Cheng, lies in the rich valley
OF the Lao river. Spurs Of the mountain
Grain which forms the backbone of
Manchuria slope down westward nearly to
the town. and ridge cuts the plain south
ward. through which the Port Arthur
Hardin railway runs. The town is about
forty miles from Tashi-Chiao. also the
scene OF Russian defeat. which was re-
sponsible for the loss of Niuchwang, and
about thirty miles from Mukden. used by
the Russians as a base for the disposition
of troops.
The general situation is determined by the
kh'ngan ridge, which forms the backbone
OF Manchuria. This ridge runs from the
south Of Port Arthur right up to the great
bend Of the Amoor river, at Khabarovsk,
ana Is, IN fact, the cause of that bend the
AMOR flowing around it to the north. On
the east Of this backbone ridge lies the val
ley of the Yalu. On the west of the same
ridge lies the valley of the Lao river.
The Lao River Valley.
From this main backbone ribs of low hills
go westward into the Lao river plain. The
railroad from Port Arthur crosses several of
these ribs. and in parts it resembles a
switchback railway. Between each pair OF
ribs stream flows down into the plain, go
ing generally due west and Joining the
Lao river Into the valley. This valley Is of
immense fertility and Is covered with mag
nfhcent fields. with numerous villages and
farms and numberless tombs, each marked
with turf Of trees, generally elms. willows
or frs and pines. 1t is recorded that the
elms near Liaoyang are heavily decked
with mistletoe.
The streams between the ribs are noun
tain torrents. liable to sudden floods from
clOudbursts, and the bridges. some of M.
de Whites masterpieces. allow for these
floods by the great height of their arches.
Westward of the railroad, toward the Great
Wall. are magnificently irrigated and cult
waited plains producing tobacco. cotton.
millet. hemp and such fruits as pears.
grapes, peaches and cherries.
Ridge Below the City.
The last rib of hills from the main back
bone is some four or five miles south of
Liaoyang, the backbone being in sight to
the east of the town. The mountain stream
corresponding to this rib is the Tai-Tse
river, which flows just north of the town in
a wide, sandy bed, with numerous sand
banks. one of which divides its stream into
two main branches
South of the rib of hills just mentioned
and which bears the name of Shou-Shan.
Is another small plain, which in Its turn Is
bounded on the south by another rib of
which An-Shan, the Saddle HILL" is the
chief peak An-shan;Chan' or SADDLE HllI
Village" is noteworthy as being the most
northerly point reached by the japanese
armies in the Chino-Japanese war OF 1871
'95. At An-Shan they made feint at
Liaoyang which was one of the strongest
of Chinese troops,
southwark 50 Niuchwang.
Suburbs Of the City.
The land between the southern rib of hills
and the city is fiat and richly cultivated.
1t is dotted with suburban villages, and is
largely covered with market gardens and
fruit orchards. To the east of the town
the ground gradually rises till it passes
through the foothills into the backbone
ridge Northward of the city comes, first,
the wide sandy bed of the Taf-Tse river
and then the fiat richly cultivated plain.
twenty-five miles in extent, which divides
Liaoyang from Mukden. Westward of
Liaoyang the country is generally fiat. and
extends in an open plain toward the main
valley of the Lao river, into which the
Tai-Tse flows.
The City of Liaoyang.
The city is built four square. 1t is sur
rounded by walls Of stone. topped by brick
and crenelated for archery or gun fire The
walls run north and south and east and
west. There is main gate in the center
of each wall--thus. there is north gate,
a south gate, an east gate and west gate.
The north gate opens out on the TaiTse river.
The west gate opens on the railroad sta
ton and the Russian cavalry barracks.
close to the station. From the south gate
Niuchwang. From the east gate another
imperial road goes eastward to An-Ping
and thence to the Yalu and Korea.
The city measures two and a half miles
north and south, by two miles east and
west, or rather this is the extent inclosed
by the walls. But the walled space five
square miles in area, is far too large for
the hundred thousand Chinese and Manchu
inhabitants, and much of 1t is laid out in
market gardens
The city itself resembles all Chinese
walled cities, except that it's streets have
for the last five or six years, been kept
somewhat cleaner and lighted at night, by
order of the Russians. There is only one
slight elevation within the walls. on which
stands the imperial treasury The Budd-
hist temple to Kwan-Yin, the Goddess of
Mercy, Is the finest object architect1rafly
while the mission stations are the most in
teresting to westerners. These had some
twelve hundred converts five years ago
but, Liaoyang was the center of the
boxer movement in Manchuria MANY were
terrorized into relinquishing their new faith
The missionaries relate with pride how one
of their number. Dr. Westwater. prevented
the Russians from. storming the city when
they were putting down the boxer uprising
by armed force L!aoyang used to be the
capital of Southern Manchuria. and is still
important. it's chief industry being the dis
filling of native liquor from the bemp and
millet of the surrounding fields.
Defenses Of Liaoyang.
Months of labor had been expended ON
the defenses of Liaoyang The fortifica-
tons and intrenchments. planned by Cen.
eral Velitehke, were popularity believed tn
be impregnable. The lines ran in a semi
circle along the ridges from eight to ten
miles east and south of the town. Galleries
protected the artillerymen and wire
fences and mines were disposed to repei in
fantry assaults. All parts of the works
were connected by telephone, and were con-
sidered to be marvels of engineering skill
withdrew an oft-times beaten, but nluclev
force of infantry, cavalry and artillery. rs,
Inmates of it's strength. with reinforca-
ments from the north, varied from 10 600
to 225 600. men and from 100 to ono gins
many Of them emplaced.
The relative position Of the Japanese ar