Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1904-10-18
pIR2glD GGERlESS OF THE MAR


If the japanese general staff will
publish every week such 4 bulletin as
1t has just given oat covering the re-
cent engagements in the field south of
Mukden it will greatly lessen the diff
ficulty which the ordinary man has in
following the progress Of the war. The
Bulletin in question covers the Skir-
mishes from Monday To Thursday of
last week, some half dozen in number.
and all unimportant. Inspection shows
that in every ease the Russians were
the aggressors. and that in every case
they We're rcpulsed with little loss on
either side.
1t Is clear enough from this and
from other recent news that the Japa-
nese are resting quietly and giving no
indication TO their enemy as to when
or where they will next advance. The
passes which they occupied a couple Of
weeks ago seem to have been desired
mainly to prevent the Russian scouts
from having favorable vantage points
from which to make raids too close in
to the main Japanese encampments.
The two armies in the central thea
ter of war lie between Llaoyang and
Mukden watching each other and re-
enforcing Their skirmishers clash al
most continuously. but there has been
nothing significant The Japanese are
preparing a strong position in Limo
yang against that time when the tide
of war may turn and they are forced
back. The town, defended from the
south against northern attack, is much
stronger than when defended from the
north against southern attack. This is
because it has several good lines of
communication stretching southwest.
south, and southeast TO the base on the
sea. One line runs down the railroad,
one down the Hun and Lao Rivers,
another via Siyuen to Takushan Gen
eral NodZu's route, and the last by
Fengwangcheng to Antung General
kuroki's route On the other hand,
Liaoyang has but one line Of communi-
cation to the north-that along the
railroad. Consequently the town of
fers a stronger defensive position to
the japanese than to the Russians.
There are no signs of break in the
present inactivity. Oyama's plans
seem to be waiting on Port Arthur,
where the real excitement is.
From Port Arthur General Stoessei
has sent IN account of the fighting of
Sept. 10 to %. He says that the Japa-
nese attacks were made simultaneous
~ from the north and west. In the
attack from the north the Japanese
completely demolished the redoubt pro-
tecting the waterworks and apparently
remained iii occupation of the spot
The fighting on the west was waged
especially around High Hill. near Fort
Etseshan. The Japanese occupied the
Russian shelter trenches half way up
the hill, but, according to General
Stoessel, were driven out the follow
ing night. The general reports the ces-
sation of infantry attacks and the re-
sumption of bombardments from jap
anese long-range guns, coupled with
further activity in the building of zig
gag trenches as a preliminary to new
assaults.
The Muscovites seem to have aban-
coned their purely defensive attitude
of the early months of the siege and
now make frequent sorties. That they
have been forced to this by the tight
ening lines is probable, for their coun-
ter-attacks, even though successful,
must result in a heavier loss to them
than to the enemy. And whenever the
Japanese can exchange man for man
at Port Arthur they gain the advan-
tage, since they can bring up new
troops almost indefinitely, while the
Russians cannot reinforce at all.
The Baltic squadron has not sailed,
though its imminent departure is again
announced. The restraining fear is
that Port Arthur might fall before the
advent of the feet, which would then
be in danger of humiliation. 1t is now
evident that if the fleet had left early
in the year Russia might have gained
the mastery of the sea and the entire
fortune of the war have changed. But
hindsight is always better than fore
sight. 1t could not be known early in
the spring that Stoessel would make
such gallant defense.
Japan is evidently prepared to put
in the field an army surprising the
most sanguine prophecies. The new
conscript law win add 100000 soldiers
between the ages of 20 and 80 years
to the AIikado's forces and raise the
total to over 100000. 1t is doubtful,
indeed, whether Russia can ever sus-
tain at the far eastern end of her en-
pire an army of 100000 men. Neither
side has had anywhere near enough
The end of the war :, not in sight.