Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-03-01
KurOpatkin Meets the Japanese
Initiative and Then Assumes
The Aggressive,
ACHIEVEDS SOME SLIGHT SUCCESS
Japanese Movement on Russian Left
Wing Threatens to Compel Kuro.
patkin to Abandon Position.

London, March Fighting on
large scale is In progress between the
Russian and Japanese armies In Man
churla. Con, Kuropatkin, after meet
ing the initiative of the Japanese In the
eastern part OF the Shake valley, as-
sumed the aggressive In the western
portion under cover Of heavy artillery
fire from Putiloff hin and Noygorod
hill, succeeded in driving the Japan
csc from a position in the outskirts Of
sandlapu. simultaneously the Rus
slams attacked and captured a railroad
bridge on the japanese center
Much more. serious Is the Japanese
movement against the Russian left
wing, which threatens, unless quickly
checked, to obllge Gen. kuropatkln to
abandon the positions on the Hun river
which he has occupied and fortified
during the winter
The effect OF these developments on
Gen. Kuropatkln's reported intention
10 withdraw from the Shakhe Is prob
lematlcal. Retirement In the face of
an enemyWhtch is extremely hazardous
under any circumstances, Is doubly
dangerous when the armies are Crap
ping In a general engagement; but II
Gen. Kuroki succeeds IN rolling up the
Russian left much further, the peril
Gus expedition may become necessary
The counter strokes on the right ana
center may possibly be intended to COW
er the withdrawal Of trains and stores.
H. however, Gen. Kuropatkin Is de-
termincd to stand and fight out the
battle on the line which he has held
during the winter, and II he should
be able to administer a vigorous check
to Gen. Kuroki, he has secured a good
position for his second move In the
great game,
A dispatch from Mukden dated yes
ter1ay noon said fighting is In prog
ress to day along the whole line, the
Japanese attacking everywhere All at
tacks this morning were beaten back
and the Russians made counter-attacks
at many places. on the right flank.
the Russians occupied the village Of
Boatata which is close to Sandiapu,
and from that position hurled hand
grenades across the intervening rayne
into the japanese trenches In Sandiapu,
causing heavy loss and great disorder.
GENERAL BATTLE BEGINNING.
ST. Petersburg, March !. 80 a. M
Last evenings news from Manchurla Is
of the most important nature, the AS
ISOLATED Press dispatch from Mukden,
which was transmitted at noon of Tues
day, indicating that a general battle
was beginning along the whole of the
100 miles of front occupied by the two
armies Gen, Kuropathn appears TO
have taken a leaf out OF Field Marshal
Oyama's book and replied to Gen. Ku-
rokis attack on the Russian left by
counter attack on the Japanese
LETT guard being established at the
outskirts. At the same time Gen.
Kuropatkn delivered blow against
the Japanese center, selling n railroad
bridge across the shakhe river.
The seizure of the railroad bridge
across the ~ khe river was the occa-
sion of sharp combat The Russians
succeeded In surprising the japanese
guards and reinforced, beat Off all at
tempts Of the Japanese TO regain pos
session Of IT,
The japanese are using heavy artil-
lery in the fight Of Putilon hill The
losses to the defending forces are in
significant. The roar Of artillery FIR
ing is going on increasingly from the
mountains TO the eastward, to the low
flats of the Hun river.
The fight appears 20 be developing
I'm intensity along the whole line.
These reports, therefore give a more
hopeful aspect to the situation, as the
Russian army though driven out of
IA pass, appears to have succeeded In
stopping mt least for the moment, the
further advance Of the Japanese east
ward and beaten off the attack on the
center.