Arizona republican., 1905-03-09

pear ed in portions of official dispatches given out yesterday. Last evening a newspaper contained a vague report Of doubtful origin, credited to Chinese sources, but the first positive state ment was derived from the Associated Press dispatch from General Kuroki's headquarters, the contents which were quickly telegraphed from abroad. The report probably will not be printed in this mornings papers, the government being true to it's policy of breaking bad news gently only preparing the way by authorizing the publication. of a num- Der of premonitory telegraTTls. The news. however, is only what was ex- pected. the ultimate retirement having been discounted from the moment Oyama inaugurated his brillian move westward
 From information in possession or the Associated Press it is known that Kuropatkin contemplated retirement before the beginning of the battle. and that he had hoped to accomplish it without serious combat. The Japanese however, forced him to accept battle. The double turning movement compell- ed him to send the major part of his reserves to the fighting line and ren- der ain effective counter stroke out of tue qutSlIOil ana ltle QeCiSlOn to lelirG Immediately was taken on March 6, as was stated by the Associated Press on that day. The withdrawal was Gc- tually begun during the night
 The great question now and one over which the general staff burned its lights late into the night, is whether Field Marshal Oyama has entagled the Russians in his strategic net sufficient ly to prevent a successful retreat to Tie Pass.
 General Rennenkampff's force to the eastward admittedly is in great dan ger of being cut off, and a considerable force of Japanese appears to be oper- ating on the Russian right well toward Tie Pass. If the Japanese succeed in reaching the railroad and interrupting traffic, if only for q few hours, it may have the greatest consequences for Ku- ropatkin, who is now engaged in lit eral race with the Japanese to reach a naturally defensible position forty miles northward. Thus far he has stood off all attacks directed against the Hanks of his army and holds the way of his retreat open. He undoubt- edly was forced to abandon a number of siege guns on his Shal1he 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 desperate, for Oyama win have again missed his quarry and a comparatively barren victory will have been purchas- ed at an enormous cost of life.
 All reports indicate that the Japan ese were utterly reckless of sacrifices making attack after attack, especially on the center and west against ma chine guns and infantry fire which lit- erally moved down the advancing col umns. making human flesh so cheap that the survivors could hide them selves behind piles of corpses.
 After this action, Kuropatkins dep osition may be regarded as certain War Minister Sakharoff is picked out as his probable successor although Grand Duke Nicholas Nicholasevitch of the board of strategists may be en- trusted with direction of affairs.
 News of the retreat on Tie Pass is bound to revive the talk of peace.