St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1905-03-15

great difficulties. His force, which was
badly confused in the retreat, is now
being sorted out and placed for the de-
Tense of the new position. 1t cannot yet
be said whether it will remain long at
Tie Pass. The Japanese, who seem for a
time, according to Russian reports, to
have ceased their pursuit, are said to be
rs miles south of the pass, but they are
reported to be attempting another wide
| hanking movement. II this is the case,
the Russians, weakened by the heavy
losses in the defeat at Mukden, will prob
ably be obliged soon to withdraw from
Tie pass and resume their retreat toward
Hardin.
The retreat northward was orderly
and Gen. Kuropatkin managed to save a
lot OF guns that his losses are appalling
Nearly a third OF his great army is cap.
tured, killed or wounded and he will have
to give up the command of the army OF
the East because OF this disastrous defeat.
The prisoners number over 40 900, in
Guiding Gen. Nachmoss. The killed and
wounded are estimated at 10000. The
enemy's dead left on the field number &C.
500. The spoils include two flags, about
60 guns, 10000 rifles, $50 ammunition
wagons, 1000 carts, 100000 shells, U.s.
600 900 rounds of small arms ammuni-
ton, $4,000 bushels OF cereals, 275,000
bushels OF fodder, 45 miles of light rail
way outfit, 1000 horses, % carloads OF
maps, 1000 cart-loads OF clothing and
accoutrements, 100000 rations OF
bread, 70, 900 tons OF fuel and 60 tons OF
hay, besides tools, tents, bullocks, tele-
graph wire and poles. timber, beds,
stoves and numerous other property.
In the battle of Mukden, as the cam
paign from Feb. 26 to March II will be
known, the japanese losses are Al, 1922.
Though every third lady in st. Peters
burg is wearing crepe the war party
which dominates the affairs OF the gov.
eminent is determined to continue the
war. The immediate answer of the
Russian government to the defeat at
Mukden is the announcement that
new army will be raised and the forces IN
the far East reorganized; that Vice
Admiral Rojestvensky will be ordered to
sail on and try conclusions with Togo,
and that the war will be prosecuted to
the bitter end. This is the present tenn
per OF Emperor Nicholas and his dom
inaut advisers, voiced in a firm official
announcement that the position OF
Russia is unchanged and that the initla-
tive for peace can only come from Japan.
Should the island empire choose to ten
der moderate" terms, and recognize its
adversary as a power in the far East,
peace could be easily arranged; but the
voice of her diplomacy in various parts
of tie world indicates that she is not
ready to do this, and the Russian gov
eminent, with the full magnitude OF the
disaster at Mukden still undetermined,
but with the 1905 campaign seemingly
already hopelessly compromised, retreat
to Hardin inevitable and Vladivostock
practically lost, declares that the time
has not yet come when Russia can be
forced to humble herself.
The st. Petersburg correspondent of
the London Times furnished the follow
ing explanation of Russa's dogged
policy to continue:
| learn on the best authority that
Japan has twice approached Russia
through informal channels on the subject
of peace negotiations, but that in each
case the proposal failed because Japan
demanded an indemnity and pledge
that Russia would not keep warships in
the Pacific tor rs years. The Japanese
insistence on an indemnity convlnces the
Russian government that her pecuniary
1esoui ces are exhausted and that by
continuing the war only a few months
longer Russia will get better terms"