Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-03-07
KUR0PATkIN
Is Worried and On the
Offensive at Mukden.
Launches a Tremendous Attack
On laps Center.
Terrific Fighting continues-Totai
Losses Are $500 Men.

There was no cessation of the fight
ing between the Russians and Japanese
armies in Manchuria, yesterday. Rus
sian reports state that at a distance
the tide of battle in the immediate vi
cinity of Mukden seemed to be ebh-
ing. The most that the war critics Mt
st. Petersburg seem to hope for at
present is that General Kuropatkin has
succeeded i'll re-establishing his line
of retreata in the direction Of Hardin.
Word has reached New Cbwang which.
however has no confirmat ton from 9TH
er sources, that the Japanese are al
ready north of Mukden with a large
force and that the Russians are facing
Il disastrous defeat. There appears TO
lee possibility that General Kuroki
has drawn off portion OF his army
from the center and sent il to reinforce
the divisions engaged in thanking move
ments. General kaulbars. the most
| trusted Of General Kuropatkin's off,
GERS, is personally in command of the
Russian forces in the triangle between
the railway and the Hun river, which
vital position the Japanese have been
assailing for several days. Russian re-
ports admit that 10000 men have been
wounded. but make no mention of the
number killed and at the same time
assert that the Japanese have lost 30
900 in killed or wounded.
St. Petersburg. Mar. 6.-The result Of
the greatest battle Of modern times is
expected to be determined, today or to-
morrow. Two of the largest armies Of
recent times, both in men and guns
l.,pl -a1 to-,
and although General Kuropatkin has
evidently made every preparation to
cover his retreat by removing his ac-
cumulated stores and munitions north
ward il is now the opinion of military
men here that one side or the other
cannot escape an overwhelming dis
aster. With both wings bent back
ward. kuropatkn's position appears to
be desperate but the issue is still in
the balance. News OF a victory for
Elm is only regarded as possible by
Lis breaking the enveloping lines and
news of 4 concentrated offensive is
curly awaited. Unless Kuropatkin
can strike and strike hard il is realized
that he must lose
Field Marshall Oyamas strategy in
this battle is now clear. He startled
and amazed the war Office by the ma--
vellous daring of General Kuroki's ad-
vance by tie extreme Russian left and
the series of blows delivered at the
center where no less than IS separate
attacks have been launched by the i'm
pcrial guards, 10 miles east Of POutiloff
Hill. But IL is now realized that the
heavy blows at the left were intended
TO mask the real turning movement
which came like a bolt from a clear sky
out of the west. Kuropatkin fell into
the trap. The situation seemed an
exact duplicate of that at Lao Yang
and the Russian commander in chief
Fastened 10 mass forces to meet Kuro-
Iii. Friday the whole situation was
suddenly reversed when with liLhtnine
iapidity the japanese turning opera-
ton began on the plain between the
Hun and Lao rivers. In order to sue
coed oyama threw the neutrality Of
China to the winds
Gen. Nogi with mis- Port Arthur yete-
rams moved up the right bank or the
Hun and fell like an avalanche upon
the weakened Russian right doubling
it back in confusion. the Japanese adj
vance being cO-Ordinated with the ad-
-
onese column of 10000 men which cir
cled around or through Chinese neu-
trail territory Although rumors of the
presence Of tho latter column westward
of Mukden were circulated as long ago
DIS Tuesday. Kuropatkin evidently was
taken by surprise possibly refusing to
believe that the japanese would thus
openly fling Chinese neutrality to the
winds. At any rate it was not until
Saturday night that he was able to
shift sufficient reinfOrcements west to
stem the tide when the Japanese were
within sight OF Mukden. But the latest
advices are to the effect that the jap
anese exhausted by their tremendous
efforts have everywhere stopped and
now If ever kuropatkin's hour has
come.
The Japanese lines are extended over
Continued on Page TwO)