The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-03-10
Is ouestlon of Endurance.

Mukden. March g-Midnight closed the tenth day of the titanic struggle for the possession of Mukden and the mastery of a vast empire, the tenth day of un- ceasing conflict under exploding shrap- mel, the roar of cannon, and the whist ling of bullets; the tenth day without sleep and without food. The combat is fast reaching a point where 1t is ques- ton not so much of turning columns. of tactics and of strategy as of whose. atrength, energy or cartridges will last the longer.
 Gray-coated Russians. patient, uncom- plaining. strong of soul. clung uoggedly to positions against an enemy whose at tacks go to the very point of insanity and desperation.
 For forty-eight hours the Japanese have not eaten. They are starving and exhausted, but Field Marshal Oyama himself has told them that the city will fall and the slaughter stop on Friday. and their confidence in their leader in- creased their strength ten-fold. O. We'd nesday when the Russians took Ushun- tun a few dozen Japanese clung to the thick-walled temple and refused all over lures to surrender Cannon were brought up and preached the walls. but the dare devil courage of the defenders continued under the fire and finally, when defense was hopeless. they blew themselves sky ward with the ruins. of the temple. One survivor, rather than surrender, threw Himself into stone-rimmed well and perished.
 Do Not Spare Their Men. And yet the rank and file and inferior leaders, stern in their sense of duty. are as unspairing of themselves as of the men when led to death. Stern Nogi drives and drives his troops northwcrd to encir- cle the city. With every fresh fanking movement the iron band closed nearer the railroad and under this menace the first and third armies were forced last night to abandon the mighty fortifica- tions on the Shalxhe river, give up the impregnable Poutiloff hill, and retire to the line of the Hun river.
 Today the Japanese are pushing their columns north and northeast. lombard ing villages which are keys of the de- fense. and hurling men, some of them veterans of the years campaign, and others midd1e-aged reserves. fresh from Japan. against Russian positions. Often they are repulsed and sometimes they master the advanced line. but at enor- nous cost.
 Roard Was Soon Repaired.
 Individuals and small parties have reached the railroad, cut the telegraph wires. and dislodged few rails. but the damage was quickly repaired and the perpetrators usually killed or wounded.
 Around the village of Pachatzu there ragged a fierce struggle. A veteran regi- ment of the Imperial Rifles distinguished itself especially, members earning St. George crosses time and again in sup porting and rescuing raw regiments Lieutenant Colonel sapolski. brilliant and beloved officer, one of the heroes of Liao Yang and one of the first up Pout- iloff hill who chose to die rather than surrender. was killed at Pachtiatzu.
 Just behind Hactiatzu, under the shad- ow of a clump of pines In the park of the Imperial tombs, sits commander of another division. Colonel Launitz, direct ing the attack on Santaitse, and the de- fense of Ushuntun. With swish like that of the silken skirts of a well-dressed dame shimose shells hustle past and oc- casional bullets whistle by. Every few minutes the bell of the telephone at his feet jngles. and he reports to the com mander of the army. Now Cossack or derly galops up and reports that the Russian troops are leaving Pachitazu; that the Japanese have seized the village and with it the bodies of Sapolski and  half his regiment
 Another of the dead is Prince Makeff. commander of the Samara regiment.
 The middle of the afternoon in cloud of dust and surrounded by his staff and escort General Koulbars canters up, sits quietly a few minutes under fire. in- spects the position, and then continues his round.
 Errant bullets now and then strike vil iaee huts raising a cloud of plaster or little clouds of dust in the mandarin roads Now the fight slackens, The Rus slams appear to be gaining ground. but in an instant of comparative stiffness is heard the muffled thud and shuttle of the feet of Japanese reserves advancing on the run to restore the balance.
 Mukden Sleeps uneasIy.
 Uneasiiy sleeps Mukden tonight. In the main street lamps burn dimly. Along dark roads in heavy dust are marching