Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-03
THERUSS|ANSW WORRIED
War Office Unable to Locate
Kuroki's Army.
SURPRISE MAY FOLLOW
KUROPATKIN LIKELY TO WITH
DRAW TO TIE PASS.
Recent Fighting at Port Arthur-Al-
legged Escape of the
Bayan.
SURPRISE MAY FOLLOW

The only point assured by today's ad-
sices from the seat of war is that there has
been no general engagement and ST. Peters,
burg reiterates the belief that a battle is
not imminent. The Russian war office ad-
mits that some worry is caused by the fact
that kuropatkin's scouts have been unable
to locate kuroki's main army, which COM
prises the extreme Japanese right. 1t is in
timated that this condition may contain
the potentialities of a big surprise While
kuropatkin is disposing his forces to meet
any possible contingency, st. Petersburg
holds to the opinion that he will not accept
general engagement, but will withdraw to
Tie Pass. A dispatch from Shanghai says
that Russian warship supposed to be the
Bayan OF the Port Arthur fleet, is in Hang
chau bay. 1t is not known when she left
Port Arthur.
ST PETERSBURG, October "A dis
patch was received today from General
sakharon announcing that the Japanese
nave strengthened their advance posts at
Fengtiapu, sixteen miles southeast of Muk-
den. Elsewhere, he adds, there are no de-
velopments.
The official advices from the front today
report that all is quiet along the wno Line
OF the opposing armies \ slight Japane ese
movement has been observed at Fengtiapu
sixteen m les southeast OF Mukden.
but there has been no collision. The war
once apparently does not eXpsct fighting on
large scale in the immediate future. The
principal cause of alarm at the war Office
Is occasioned by the lack of definite in
formation regarding the exact whereabouts
of Field Marshal Oyama's right. The Rus
sian scouts have lost touch with General
kurokfs main army, which may give in
creasing importance to the fankng move
ment west under General Oku, which hith-
erto has been regarded feint for the
real turning movement to strike at General
Kuropatkin's line of communicat. on from
the east 1t also may contain the potent al
tiles of big surprise.
Ten days ago kuropatkin and the war
Office were convinced that the Japanese
were concentrating at Sianschan and that
an immediate advance was imminent in
force. Accordingly the Russians fell back
from the passes of the Da mountain range
without Offering resistance. But after sew
eral days they suddenly discovered that the
japanese were not pressing forward, and
thereupon the Russian scouts pushed out to
ascertain the cause.
They penetrated as far Sianschan and
Siaodyr, bringing back the startling intelli-
gence that not more than a brigade of
japanese troops was there. This forthwith
followed up by important cavalry
movements and the reoccupation of the Da
range passes, but Kurokis main body was
not located. There were no indications,
however, that he had succeeded in reach
ing position further eastward, whence he
d
railroad, and consequently it was concluded
that his main force must still be between
the Yentai mines and Bensihu, five miles
east of Yentai station.
In word, the present adviceS indicate
that the Japanese preparations are being
made more slowly than supposed. Possibly
the delay is owing to their desire to take
advantage of the fine weather to complete
their arrangements for a long winter cam
paign before actively assuming the often
sive.
Kuropatkin's plans are carefully guarded.
While he is disposing his forces to take ad-
vantage of any situation that may offer,
the best opinion is that he will not accept
general engagement, but will withdraw to
Tie pass, where the bulk of his army is
masSed.
Special Dispatch TO The Evening Star
NEW YORK, October "A cable dispatch
from st. Petersburg says: Mistchensko's Co.'S
sack cavalry with twenty-five guns attacked
kuroki's left flank October l. After Sc
we're fighting the Russians retired. Their
casualties were two officers and eighty
seven men killed and wounded. Kuropat-
kins casualties from September q to 21 in
elusive, were eight officers and four hun
dred men killed and wounded