New-York tribune., 1905-03-08
RUSSIANS IN RETREAT /?
Yesterdays Fighting Considered
Rear Guard actions.

ST. Petersburg March S-That the battle OF
Moukden will go down in history with LAO
Yang in the long list of Russian defeats is the
almost universal belief in pessimistic st. Peters,
burg, which has forgotten the meaning of the
word victory The War Office does not admit
that the issue Of the great battle. which al
ready exceeds in magnitude of operations and
losses that OF Shakhe, has been decided, al
though it is positively stated in high quarters
that General Kuropatkin has telegraphed to En-
peror Nicholas that it will be impossible to
hold Moukden. and that the withdrawal of the
army northward has already been begun.
Nothing from General KuropatkIn later than
Monday has been given out, but advices to St.
Petersburg newspapers dated at o'clock last
night indicate that the position of the Russian
army after day Of furious and unprecedented
fighting is desperate. but not absolutely hope
less, some Russian correspondents even predict
ing Russian victory soon. and one affirming
that the extreme Japanese left has already be-
gun to retire southwark. Everything probably
depends General KuroDatl1in's reserve.
While the Japanese hurled themselves forward
at every point yesterday. their main energies
were behind the blow west and southwest, in an
attempt to envelop the Russian right and drive
a wedge through the line at Ma-Doya-Pu (Ma-
Chia-Pu). but General Kuropatkin seems to have
been able successfully to change front on the
line Of his shattered right, aligning from north
west to southeast to protect the railroad to
Moukden, and at nightfall It was reported he
practically holding all his positions. At
the same time he drawing in and shortening
his line to the southeast
According 10 reports, all the concentrated at
tacks of the Japanese to the westward failed
and the efforts Of Generals Nogi and Oku to
push the encircling movement north and east
i1' Ofo
munications was blocked. Reports however
conflicting. One correspondent telegraphs
of hearing firing to the northward, toward Tie
Pass which may be between Cossacks and
flying column of Japanese.
Some Russian correspondents perhaps attach
undue Importance to several minor Russian sue
cesses the southern front, which evidently
were simply counter attacks, and in no sense
real offensive movements. If Kuropatkin has
a plan for striking real blow. on which. in
the opinion of experts, his safety depends,
there is no indication as yet of such a purpose
The commander in chief, apparently. has BEEN
confnng his efforts, as at Lao Yang, to meet
ing the attacks of the Japanese and accepting
battle at places chosen by Field Marshal Oya-
ma.
Both sides are exhausted by ten days of fight
ing and all the correspondents at the front
intimate that the issue must be decided to-day.
At the military clubs here General Kuropatkin
is already regarded beaten the only ques-
ton being his ability to execute retreat The
majority regard the fighting yesterday in
reality a rearguard action and have no doubt
that there will be a heavy withdrawal during
the night.
Politically the result may determine the ques-
ton of continued prosecution of the war An
overwhelming disaster, it is believed. will sure
ly bring Russia to terms, but anything less
might not break the stubborn resolution Of the
Russian government. In It's bearing on the
interior situation the result OF the battle is re-
garded equally important.