The San Francisco call., 1905-03-23
SLAV ARMY
SEEMS OUT
OF DANGER
Tired Japanese Are
Not Pressing the
Pursuit.
Returns
to Lead His Old
Command.

0OlllIIIdlIQ
GUNSHU PASS, March 22.-The Jap
anese appear to have given the Rus
SLAMS a temporary respite from pursuit,
probably for the purpose of reforming
their forces, as they did after the pur-
suit of the Russians north from Lao
yang. The Russian line runs south
east by northwest, with the right much
nearer the railroad than the left, while
the Japanese position follows line
intersecting Kaiyuan.
The Impression here is that the Jap
anese eastern army is marching on
Kirin, while the western army is con-
tinuing northward between the Mon
golian border and the railway. with the
main line from Harbin westward its
objective; but a period of inactivity is
the likeliest outcome after the great
exertions of the japanese on the Shak-
he. at Mukden and at Tie Pass.
Rumors of a probability that Grand
Duke Nicholas Nicolaievitch will as
sumo command Of the armies, lately
current at Mukden, have been revived
here during the past few days, and are
continuing in spite of the nomination
of Linevitch.
l@llltc VI IiOluill6 is huON II mere VI llc
happenings in the outside world, since
the army is now cut off from all COM
munication by way of China, but all
are intensely interested in the renewed
rumors of peace discussions.
RETURN OF KUROPATkIN.
GUNSHU PASS, Tuesday. March 81
Fress after the removal of the Russian
headquarters from Tie Pass, remained
with the rear guard, being some days
without telegraphic facilities.
Extensive preparations to carry out
the plan of retreat were made by Cen
erals Kuropatkin, Linevitch, Bilderlfng
and Kaulbars and were successfully
carried out.
On March 10. Kuropatkin, considering
that the army was safe, departed for
Harbin, but having subsequently been
directed to remain as commander of the
First army, he returned here to-day,
receiving a great ovation at the. rail-
road station and acknowledging the
cheers with short speech, in which he
expressed the hope that the army
would soon be able to retrieve it's re-
verses.
1t is too early to determine the ef-
feet of the change in the supreme COM
mand, but private soldiers have con-
whose task is monumental. The re-
organization effected at Tie Pass after
the retreat from Mukden incontestably
marked the end of the second stage of
the war.
Gunshu Pass, which has a large rail-
road station and Red Cross settlement
with all army facilities, is now an enor-
nous camp, 'oyerflowing the native
hamlet in all directions. Troops are
arriving daily. The advance divisions
are continuing their march northward,
while some fresh troops from Euro
pean-Russia are coming south to re-
lieve the wornout rear guard. The
booming Of guns on the right flank
was heard all morning
PURSUIT LACKS STRENGTH.
GUNSHU PASS, Manchuria, Mon
day, March 20.-The Russian rear
guard is now at Sipinghai, seventy
anese. are slowly pursuing, but are not
energetically pressing the rear. Ap-
parently Field Marshal Oyama is
holding his main army at Tie Pass
When the Russians evacuated Tie
Pass on March Is one span of the five
span bridge over the Tehai River.
which flows into the Lao River just
north Of the town. was destroyed by
dynamite Immediately after the last
train had been dispatched northward,
and as the army moved northward the
bridges of the railroad were disabled
and everything in the shape of stores,
ETC., which could not be taken was
burned.
Some desultory artillery fire was
treat progressed, but the Japanese ap-
peared to be indecisive. Their pursuit
lacked strength In spite Of four days
rest at Tie Pass. which gave the Rus
slams a chance to reform after the
hardships they had suffered and they
took up the march In orderly fashion.
pressing forward, however, at such a
pace that many horses and cattle in
the transport-train were exhausted and
left dying by the roadside. Like an
endless serpent the army trailed over
the vast rolling country, moving along
during the day over a half-dozen me-
andering roads parallel with the rail-
road. At night the neighboring hill
sides were lighted by dead grass ig-
nited by the camp fires.
Thirty miles was covered the first
day, Kaiyuan being left behind on
March 16. The rear guard evacuated
Changtufu on March 49,
Dispatch riders report that General
Madridoff, in command of an irregular
force in the mountains far eastward
found himself cut off before he got
news of the great battle of Mul<den,
and was compelled to retire northeast,
probably making his way toward
Kirin.
ARMY BELIEVED TO BE SAFE
ST. PETERSBURG, March 22.-The
retreat of the Russian army. from the
latest reports, evidently is being con-
Quoted in a splendid fashion. In four
days actual marching after leaving Tie
Pass the rear guard has fallen back
seventy miles and the heads of the col
unns are already entering Gunshu
Pass. forty miles farther north, keep
ing up with the Japanese column
marching north over the Grand Trade
route With the bridges and railroad
destroyed behind the Russians, the