Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-03-10
oYAMA PROMISES RESPITE.
Tells Soldiers Today Will End the
Battle for Present.

Battle for Present.
Mukden. March 1O.-Midnight closed
the tenth day Of the 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 q
question not SO much of turning col
umns, Of tactics and of strategy as o.
whose strength, energy and cartridges
will hold out the longer
Gray coated Russians, patient, un-
complaining, strong of SOUL chung
doggedly to the positions against an
enemy whose attacks go to the very
point of insanity and desperation. For
forty-eight hours the Japanese have
not eaten. They are starving and ex-
hausted but Field Marshal Oyama has
told them that the city will fall and
the slaughter be stopped on Frlday
and their confidence in their leader In
creases their strength tenfold.
On Wednesday,, when the Russians
took Ushuntun, a few dozen Japanese
clung to the thick walled temple and
refused all overtures to surrender.
Cannon were brought up and preached
the walls. but the daredevil courage
of the defenders continued under the
Are: and finally, when deiense Was
hopeless they blew themselves skyward
with the ruins of the temple One sur
yivor, rather than surrender. threw
himself into the stone trimmed WeN
and perished. \
And vet the rank and file and infer
ior leaders, stern in their sense of duty,
are as unsparing of themselves as OF
the men whom they lead to death.
Stern Oyama drives and drives MS
troops northward to encircle the city.
With every fresh fianking movement
the ironi band closes nearer the rail-
road. and under this menace the hrst
and third armies were forced last night
to abandon the mighty Notifications
on the Shakhe river, give up the I'M
pregnable Putiloff hill and retire to the
line of the Hun river
Today the Japanese are pushing
their columns north and northeast,
bombarding villages which are keys OF
the defense, and hurting men, some of
them veterans of the years campaign
and others middle aged reserves fresh
from Japan, against the Russian posi-
tionS.
Often they are repulsed and some-
times they master the advanced line,
but at enormous cost.
The wounded arrive in a never ceas-
ing stream of carts, and another
stream of ambulances moves north
ward, for the place must be cleared Tor
today's victims. In the fields Watcn
fires are burning. The sky is llghteo
with the glare Of burning stores and
evacuated buildings.
Baltic Fleet No War Factor.
Paris. March 1O.-The Temps dis
natch of Wednesday from Madagascar
announcing that Admiral Rojestven-
skv's squadron was returning to Jlp-
util French Somoliland, is not yet Off
cially confirmed, but it is generally ac-
cepted as being fact, and appears to
ba coincident with Russia's cancelllng
large orders for supplies and munltlons
10 he forwarded to the Russian second
Pacific squadron. Russian officials
here recently discussed the probahil-
ity of the squadron turning back. 1t
was pointed out that the principal mis-
sion of Rojestvensky ended With the
fall of Port Arthur, and therefore 1t
was desirable that he should not pro-
ceed or return to await the third
squadron. Captain Cado, who is Ro-
iessvensky's tactical chief Of staff, was
expected to join the squadron on the
conclusion Of the inquiry Of the inter-
national commission into the North sea
incident, but it is significant that Clado
received orders to return to st. Peters,
burg.
Before his departure Clado publish
ed personal pamphlet in which he
set forth the imperative necessity for
Strengthening Rojestvenskys squadron
before the latter was compelled to en-
gage General Togo. The captain main
tanned that this required the speedy
concentration Of a third squadron and
also added the best ships of the Black
sea fleet to Rojestvensky's squad
ron.
Doubts are expressed in some quar-
tiers here as to whether Rojestvenskys
squadron will go to Jibutil as that
port is now the center of an outbreak
of virulent bubonic plague which is
causing the French government to
draft strenuous measures to protect
merchant commerce 1t is pointed out
that the presence of Rojestvensky's
squadron with many thousand men at
the plague center might have serious
results.
Treaty Favorably Reported.
Washington, March 10. Senator
Cullom, in executive session, today re-
ported fayorably the San Domingo
treaty.