The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1904-09-16
A QUESTION OF DAYS.
Paris Thinks Advance Of Japanese
Into Mukden Cannot Be Stopped.

Paris Thinks Advance Of Japanese
Into Mukden Cannot Be Stopped.
Paris. Sept. 9.--The complete aban-
donment of the left bank OF the Taitse
river by the Russians and their forced
retreat toward the north constitute an
event Of the greatest Importance in it's
bearing on the result of the campaign.
1t had been admitted up to the pres
cnt. and everything confirmed the be-
lief that Lao Yang had been from the
first weeks Of the campaign chosen as
Kuropatkin's center of resistance in the
valley of the Lao river, considering all
the neighboring points as of secondary
Importance destined to be evacuated
sooner or later. 1t has been said that
Lao Yang has been transformed into
a veritable intrenched G. y surround
ed with almost impre BILE works,
thanks to the perfectio.. Of modern
science, and destined to serve, If need
be, as a refuge to a beaten army until
reinforcement could again be put in
position to renew the campaign.
Therefore stores of all kinds had
been accumulated there and great hos
pitfalls had been built for the wounded
ANA i'll. 1t had been understood that
the commander. faithful to his tenn
poriZing tactics was delaying to take
the offensive until he had gained the
superiority in number of men and guns,
and until that moment would dispute
detail his formidable adversaries. He
would retreat If necessary. to Mukden
and even to Hardin, the situation be-
coming more grave each day for the
Japanese, who would be obliged in this
latter case to immobilize great forces
before Lao Yang in state of siege In
order not to see their communications
cut off by the defenders of the latter
place.
But a single throw of the dice of war
has been sufficient to cause this
scheme to vanish. While people We're
expecting the retreat of the great army
to be carried out without risk and
without danger on the left bank of the
| Ia1tSe river thanks to the invaluable
belt of earthworks OF the entrenched
camp, they have learned with dismay,
| owing to a mistake in interpreting an
order given to a general, the only
thing to do was to evacuare as speed
| lily as possible this famous entrenched
camp. and 1T was done with such diff
flculty that they left behind few
thinned out regiments who held or
until the last sections of the rear guard
had time to cross the bridges This
action allowed Marshal Oyama to an
nounce to the world that he had cap
tured Lao Yang after desperate bat
tie.
the Japanese. All the left bank Of the
Taitse river belongs to them. They
have nothing more to fear on their
rear In their march toward the north.
Masters Of all the river crossings, they
can advance on Mukden by different
roads which lead there across the great
mountain groups which they have be-
fore their right.
The one serious obstacle they will
encounter on their left Is the kurenho
river. which flows some kilometers
south of this capital. But as 1t is not
likely that the Russians have thought
of protecting it's approach by earth
works more important than those of
Lao Yang, 1t may be said that the en-
trance of the Mikado's troops into the
Holy City is only question Of days.