The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1905-03-09

masters of offensive strategy since Ma
poleon, while General Kuropatkin IS
now engaged in endeayoring to defend
his title as a master Of successful re-
treats, and bring off his army, with its
| immense train, safely to Tie Pass,
where position was long ago prepared
with this contingency in view. The
problem before the Russian command
er-in-chief is much more difficult than
the one he met successfully at Lao
Yang, since now he is threatened on
both fianks, his left wing being en-
tangled in a mountainous region far
from the railroad. Nevertheless Rus
sian military men here express q fair
degree of confidence in General Kuro,
patkin's ability once more to extricate
his army and avoid a Russian Sedan.
Besides his skill in rear guard action,
they base their hopes on the physical
condition of the Japanese soldiers,
who, though they are conceded to be
the greatest marchers in the world,
are well nigh exhausted by their stren-
uous endeavors of the last fortnight.
From information in the possession
of the Associated Press it is known
that General Kuropatkin contemplated
retiring before the beginning of the
battle, and that he had hoped to ac-
complish it without serious combat.
The Japanese, however, forced him to
| accept battle. The double turning
movement compelled him to send the
major part of his reserves to the firing
line, and rendered an effective counter
stroke out of the question, and the de.
cision to retire was Immediately taken
| on March 6, as was stated by the As
sociated Press. on that day. With.
drawal was actually begun during the
night.
The great question now, and the one
over which the general staff burned its
lights late into the night, is whether
Field Marshal oyanla has entangled
the Russians in his strategic net in
order to prevent a successful retreat to
Tie pass. General Rennenkampff'
| force to the eastward admittedly is in
great danger of being cut off, and to
| the eastward admittedly is in great
danger of being, cut off, and consider
able force of Japanese appears to be
operating on the Russian right well to-
| ward Tie. pass. If the Japanese sue
ceed in reaching the railroad and inter-
rupting traffic, if only for a few hours,
it may have the greatest consequence
for General Kuropatkin who is now en-
gagged in a literal race with the Japan
ese to reach a naturally defensibIe po-
sition of the city miles northWard.
Thus far he has stood off all attacks
directly against the fanks of his army,
and holds the way Of retreat open. He
undoubtedly was forced to abandon a.
number Of siege guns in his Shakhe po-
sitions, but il ne succeeds in turning
over the army intact, with the princi-
pal portion of its artillery train to his
successor the Russian case will be bo.
not means desperate, for Oyama will
again have missed his quarry, and a
comparatively barren victory will have
been purchased at enormous cost of
I life.
All reports indicate that the Japanese
were utterly reckless of sacrifices, maxi
I ing attack after attack, especially in
the center and westward against ma
chine guns and infantry fire which lit
orally moved down the advancing col
i umns, making human flesh so cheap
| that the survivors could bastion them
selves behind piles Of corpses.
! After this action General Kuropat-
kin's deposition may be regarded as
certain. War Minister Sakharoff is
picked as his probable successor;
though Grand Duke Nicholas Nichol-
asevich or a board of strategists may
be entrusted with the direction Of af-
fairs.