The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-03-09
DEFEAT ACKNOWLEDGED.
No LoHger Hope Defeat Can Be
Turned Into Victory. -... .-

No Logger Hope Defsat Gan Se
Turned Into Victory. -,..'
st. Petersburg. March ?. 9 a. m.-The
battle OF ATukden has resulted in a
Russian defeat. .-.-..--.-.- --.-.---
Field Marshal Oyama has once more
proved himself one Of the greatest mas
fers of offensive strategy since Napol-
con while General KUTOpatldn is now
engaged in endeavoring to defend his
title as "A master of successful retreats
and bring off his army. with its i'm
lnense train. safely to Tie Pass, where
- 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 Lao Yang.
since now he is threatened on both
tanks his left wing being entangled in
. mountainous region FAR from the
railroad. Nevertheless. Russian mill
1lry men mere express a fair degree of
confidence in General hurOpatkin' s
a ability once more to eXtricate his army
and avoid a Russian Sedan Beside his
skill in rear guard action. they base
their hopes on the physical condition
OF the Japanese soldiers. who, though
they are conceded to be the greatest
1narchers in the world. are well nigh
exhausted by their strenuous endeav-
ors OF the last fortnight.
Only Few Knew.
Only 10 the Initiated is the news of
The reverse positively known at this
tune. Emperor Nicholas and high
military officers OF course were in
formed by General KuropatlNin's tele-
gram of Tuesday. stating that Muk-
den must be abandoned, and they re-
Ceived details of the beginning of the
Withdrawal as they appeared in por-
lions OF the official dispatches given
cut yesterday Last evening a news
paper contained a vague report of
doubtful origin credited to Chinese
sources, but the first positive state
lnent was derived from the Associated
Press dispatch from General kuroki' s
headquarters. the contents of which
was quickly telegraphed to many lib
erals from friends abroad. The report
proba bly, will not be printed in this
true to its policy of breaking bad
news gently. only preparing the way
10y authorizing the publication OF
number OF premonitory kilograms. The
news, however, is only what was ex-
pected. ultimate retirement having
Oyama inaugurated his brilliant move
westward.
Mukden Was Doomed.
From information in the possession
Of the Associated Press IL is known that
General Kuropatkin contemplated re-
1irement before the beginning of the
battle. and that he had hoped to &C
complish il without a serious combat.
Ehe japanese. however, forced him to
9ccept battle. The double turning
movement compelled him to send the
major part OF his reserves to the fight
ing line and rendered an effective eoun-
ter stroke out of the question, and the
decision to retire was Immediately FAX
en- on March 6. as was stated by the
Associated Press on that day. With
drawal was actually begun during the
night.
The great question now. and the one
over which the general staff burned its
lights late into the night is whether
Field Marshal Oyama has entangled the
Russians in his strategic net sufficient
" to prevent a successful retreat TO Tie
PASS. General Rennenkampn's force to
the eastward admittedly is in great
danger of being cut off. and a consider
sble force of Japanese appears to be