Bisbee daily review., 1905-05-26
PROGRESS OF THE WAR.

PROGRESS OF THE WAR. So vigorously have the Japanese ap- | piled the censorship in Manchuria dur ing the last few weeks that the pres ent disposition of their armies must be largely a matter of conjecture. News of the Russian movements, how ever, comes through from Tokio and St. Petersburg with necessarily con tradictory statements. General Line witch seems to have established his base on an intrenched line foTty-twO miles long and extending across the country to the north and east of Muk- den, evidently with the double pur- pose of maintaining his communica- tions with Harbin and of postponing the isolation of Vladivostock, which latter seems now to be chief objec- tive of the Japanese. The Tokio dis patches say that Field Marshal Oyama is directing a general advance. The St. Petersburg news alleges that the enemy is everywhere falling back be- fore the Russian columns. While We cannot flatly deny the accuracy of the Russian assertion of aggressiveness, 1t is well to remember that the great defeats at Liaoyang and Mukden were preceded by Russian announcements of Jaanese retreats. Events showed that these were deliberate falsifica- tions of fact
 General Linevitch is believed to be still greatly outnumbered by his ad- versary The fight at Mukden in February was waged with the numer ical odds for the first time on the side ef the Japanese. Since then the domestic disturbances in Russia have interfered seriously with the dispatch of endorsements to the east, while the Japanese transport service has continued uninterruptedly. Oyama is believed to have received at least 4O,- were killed or wounded in the cam paign around Mukden and in the sub sequent brief but savage encounter at Tie Pass. The numbers and equip
  tified their resumption of the offen- sive immediately after they had re covered from the strain of the opera tions around Mukden, but with the be ginning of March the Manchurian roads became impossible and seem only lately to have been restored to their normal condition. The country has been knee deep in mud for per iod of more than eight weeks to which fact the Russians owe their immun- ity from attack. Neither infantry TOT cavalry could move to advantage where artillery could not precede them nor supply trains follow for their support.
 However, conditions now suggest the approach of another great battle That the slaughter will be as heavy as at Mukden is doubtful, seeing that the Japanese are probably able more speedily now than then to crush re sistance at any point merely by tnt concentration of vastly superior force But the Russians have enough mel to inflict no little damage on their op ponents, especially in fighting iron fortified posts, while if they do no repeat the error committed by Kuro patkin, in holding on too long at Muk den, they may be able to maintain series of rear guard actions that vii much retard the accomplishment o the Japanese plans. It would appea as if the contemplated movement c any portion of the Japanese arm against Vladivostock were depend ent altogether upon the outcome c the approaching battle at sea. A last accounts the combined fleets LII der Admiral RojestvenslZy were stean ing leisurely north along the coast C Cochin-China. Their rate of spec and their indicated course shoul bring them into the Straits of Fol mosa about the middle or end of ne1 week Here they are likely to e perience the first shock of the Jal anese attack. Should they achiev the unexpected and reach Vladivo toct, after defeating the Japanes fleet, the abndonment of the land a tack upon that stronghold would a most inevitably follow.-Brookly Eagle