Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1904-04-30
JAPS CROSSING.
They Got Across the YaIu in
Several Places.
This was In Spite Of All The Russians
Could Do-Before Crossing They
Evidently Concentrated Along The
River Banks Two Armies of 100,.
0C0 Men In All.

ST. Petersburg g-Disappointment pre-
walls in st. Petersburg that no official
dispatches giving details Of the opera
tons on the Yalu river have yet been
made public. The press dispatches are
60 meager as to becloud rather than
enlighten the people, who are hour
Iy awaiting news
The Associated Press has obtained
from the general staff the following
clear statement of the situation:
Before beginning the passage of the
Yalu the Japanese evidently completed
the concentration of two armies along
the river, commanded by Gems. Kuroki
and Oku. Each army is comprised Of
three divisions and three reserve bri-
gades The total force is 100000. The
Russians on the Manchurian bank Of
the river are inferior in strength,
Having perfected the essential pre-
parations, the Japanese, without waste
of time. commenced the passage of the
river, and the Russians realized that it
would be impossible to prevent their
crossing. The japanese front extended
lloul w IJu DO lhi ttsS iShNohS, oNSi
81 miles. We faced the possibility
that they would cross at a score Of
places, and all we could hope was to
harass and impede the crossing, for
every day gained enabled us to push
our preparations and bring up more
men.
There are only two instances in
history where an army was unable to
cross a river-that of Napoleon at
Aspern and that Of Prince Eugene of
Savoy at Lech. Both failed because of
floods. The Yalu proved no exception
to the established rule.
1--WE know that the Japanese crossed
at at least two points. The first at
tempt to force passage near Chand
chekow, 20 miles above Wiju, near
Siaopoussikhe on the Poussikhe,
tributary of the Yalu, was successful.
This is important because road
leads from Siaopoussilhe, northeast to
Kwantien, which commands one of the
roads to Mukden.
ut is evident that the japanese de-
voted most of their attention to cross
ing near Wiju. The river here is di-
vided into several channels, by islands,
the largest of which is Samalindo.
Above and below Wiju was bridged at
three points.
~. Icai oInuiasou, tnc
Japanese were watched by small de-
tachment of Cossacks, but the enemy
was practically unopposed At Turen-
chen, lower down. our outposts direct
ed fire from field piece so success
fully that they destroyed the moorinss
and wrecked the pontoons. The enemys
was thrown into disorder and suffered
considerable loss Still further down
the stream the Japanese proceeded to
make third attempt at crossing.
1--WE do not think that the Japanese
will attempt to land at Takushau or
Tatung Kau now that they have cross
ed the Yalu. The object of such land
ings has been to cause q diversion so
as to enable the Japanese to cross the
river Takushan is not good stra-
tegic point. The road leading there
from is bad and troops could only be
supplied with great difficulty.
with regard to future operations
we cannot speak. The Russians will
not show their hand at this stage, but
will continually harass the enemy,
choosing their own time for battle"
A military expert, who is particular
ly impressed with the importance of
the Japanese crossing near Siapous-
sikhe, said that the use of the road
therefrom would enable the enemy not
only to march upon Moukden, but to
outflank the Russian position at Feng
Hauncheng and cut off any of Gen.
Rennenkampff's Cossacks who may
have gone to join the attack on Cen
san.