The San Francisco call., 1905-03-19

miles north of Tie Pass.
ST. PETERSBURG, March 19, 1 a. m.
Reports received from the retiring COM
mander in chief and the new COM
mander in Manchuria, which were
issued last night, while relieving the
immediate fear of the Russian people
that the Manchurian army already is
cut off and confirming information al
ready received that the retirement is
in full progress, throw no further light
upon the condition or the losses of the
army and contain no disquieting .nfor-
nation.
in the Russian rear, has been seized by
forces given out as Chinese bandits,
but which may be a vanguard of Jap
aneSe regulars.
From, Fakoman one road leads to
Kaiyuan, about twelve miles north of
Tie Pass, and the great Chinese road
runs northward, paralleling the rail-
road, and offering to force there the
alternative of striking directly the Rus
sian line or of pushing on toward the
Sungari River, along the highway,
(which is better than the road over
which General Linevitch will have to
retreat. The new commander viii need
all the strategic qualities of Kuropat-
kin to effect his withdrawal safely.
OYAMA DOOMS HARBIN.
How far or rapidly Field Marshal
Oyama Will be able to continue pursuit
remains to be seen, but the Chinese at
Harbin expect him there on April 10.
and if this opinion proves to be founded
on japanese proclama ton many per-
sons here, remembering the fulfillment
of Oyama's assurances regarding the oc-
cupation of Mukden on March 10. will
be inclined to name three weeks as the
limit
The Russian Government continues
to declare that, whatever be the fate
OF Harbin and of the present Eastern
army, the war will continue. Vice Ad-
mira1 Rojestvensky's orders to try is
sue with Vice Admiral Togo have not
been Cancelled. Preparations for the
mobilization of a new army are con-
tlnulng and the finance department is
busy with measures to provide neces-
sary funds
The lapse of a full week since the he
ginning of the retreat from Mukden
nnds the Russians in almost complete
ignorance of details as to the effect
OF that reverse. Kuropatkin. before re-
llnQuishfng his baton, reported his in
ability TO give details of the losses and
no private dispatches referring to the
number of prisoners or their. organiza
tons nave been allowed to sift through
tne strict censorship The public SIM
ply knows that the lists of killed
wounded and prisoners are great and
is prepared to believe them enormous
though one Russian correspondent ex
presses the belief that they viii not
exceed $4,000, all told. The full story
OF the awful retreat from Mukden to
Tie Pass also remains to be told.
CANNON NEEDLESSLY LOST.
Later reports received confirm the
hrst statements that the bulk of the
armies retired in good order, the mo-
mentary panics affecting only the SOL
diers who were crowded among the
transports in charge of undiscipIined
officers and fleeing civilians, causing
the loss. however, of great amount of
supplies and number of cannon
which, otherwise, they would have been
aole to bring off.
Though the mobilization orders NAV
bring on disturbances and even upris-
ings for the moment, the internal con-
dition is somewhat better. The prin-
cipal peasant disturbances have been
quieted. Though sporadic disorders
still exist, there has been no general
spread, and the authorities have man
ifested ability to cope with the stu
ation- The strikes also have collapsed.
anu the 1nduSIrlal activity has been
resumed until May l. at least. when
the social Democrats profess an in
tention to renew the economic agita-
ton.
The renewal of the viceroyalty and
the appointment of the Senatorial COM
mission gives hope of better things in
the Caucasus.
The chief storm center seems to be
Moscow, where the police are discover
ing evidence of widespread terrorist
plot.