The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-03-09
.OYAMA IS THE STAR
GREATEST MASTER OF OFFENSIVE
 STRATEGY SINCE NAPOLEON.
KuropatEin's Plight stilI Extremely se-
 riOus, He Now Being Threat ened on Both Flanks of His Army.


 St. Petersburg, March s.-(s a. m.)-- IThe battle of Mukden has resulted In A Russian defeat.
 Field Marshal oyama has once more proved himself one of the greatest masters of offensive strategy since Ma poleon, while General Kuropatkin is now engaged in endeavoring 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 a position was long ago prepared with this contingency in view. The problem before the Russian commander-in- -chief | Is much more difficult than the one he met successfully at Liaoyang. since | now he Is threatened on both Hanks, his left wing being entangled in a noun tainous region far from the railroad. Nevertheless, Russian military men here express fair degree of confidence in General Kuropatkin'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 Japan | csc soldiers, who, though they are con- ceded to be the greatest marchers in the world. are we'll nigh exhausted by their strenuous endeavors of the last fortnight.
 Only to the initiated is the news of the reverse positively known at this time. Emperor Nicholas and high military officials. of course. were in- | formed by General Kuropatkin's tele- gram of Tuesday stating that Mukden must be abandoned, and they received details of the beginning of the with | drawal as they appeared in excised | portions of the official despatches given | out yesterday. Last evening news paper contained a vague report Of doubtful origin credited to Chinese | sources, but the first positive statement was derived from the Associated Press | despatch from General Kurokfs head quarters, the contents of which was quickly telegraphed to many Liberals from friends abroad. The report probably will not be printed in this | mornings papers, the government, true | to its policy of breaking bad news gently, only preparing the way by au- thorizing the publication of number of premonitory telegrams. The news. however, is only what was expected
 ultimate retirement having been dis counted from the moment Oyama in- augurated his brilliant move westward l From information in the possession of the Associated Press 1t is known | that General Kuropatkin contemplated | retirement before the beginning of the battle, and that he aad hoped to &C., complish 1t without a 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 fight ing line and rendered an effective coun- | terstroke out of the question, and the decision to retire was immediately | taken on March 6, as was stated by the Associated Press on that day. Withdrawal was actually begun during
 the night.
 The great question now on and the
 one over which the general staff burn
 ed its lights late into the night is
 whether Field Marshal Oyama has
 entangled the Russians in his strategic
 net suficiently to prevent a successful retreat to Tie Pass. General Rennen-
 kampf's force to the eastward admit
 tedly is in great danger of being cut off
 and a considerable force of Japanese appears to be operating on the Russian
 right we'll toward Tie Pass If the
 Japanese succeed in reachin gthe rail
 road and interrupting traffic, If only for
 a few hours. 1t may have the greatest lconsequences for General Kuropatkin,
 who is now engaged in a literal race with the Japanese to reach a naturally
 defensible position forty miles north
 ward. Thus far he has stood off all at tacks directly against the flank of his
 army. and holds the way of retreat open. He undoubtedly was forced to abandon a number of siege guns on his Shakhe position. but if he succeeds In
 turning over the army intact with the
 principal portion of its artillery train
 to his successor the Russian case will be by no means so desperate, for Oyama
 will again have missed his quarry and a comparatively barren victory will
 have been purchased at enormous cost of life.
 All reports indicate that the Japa- nese were utterly reckless of sacri-
 fices making attack after attack, es- lpecially on the centre and westward, against machine guns and infantry fire which literally moved down the ad- vancing columns. making human flesh so cheap that the survivors could bas- ton themselves 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 Nicholae- vich of the Board of Strategists may be entrusted with the direction of af- fairs. A strng faction of the army, those high in influence about the Em- iperor, opposed General Kuropatkin