Arizona republican., 1905-03-17

nants of the army which was defeated by the Japanese on the Shakhe and Hun riyers and again around Mukden and Tie Pass, are now in the noun tains a few miles north of the south ern entrance of the pass trying to s,lake off their pursuerS, who appar- entIy are not going to repeat the mis- take of Liao Yang and allow the Rus sian army to escape. KurOpatkin has been reinforced by the garrisons of TielinS and other northern towns and a few. new troops, who were on their way from Russia when the battle of Muk . den began. But even with these there is little hope for him.
 True, he has some thirty or forty miles of hilly country extending from Tie Pass to Fenghautsien, which might enable him to hold off the enemy for a time, but once out of the hills, he has before him nearly 300 miles of flat open country and innumerable rivers and streams to cross. This is what is termed the Great Valley of the Sun garik, but is in fact an immense plain, bounded on the east by high mountains and extending northward into Siberia and westward into Mongolia. I<irin, east of the railway and Harbin. the most northeriy point on the railway, where it branches off to VIadivostok eastward and to Siberia westward are the centers of this wonderfully rich country, resembling in many respects the nOl thWest territories of Canada. From Tie Pass the railway runs over hills known as the divide" to Kaiyan 20 miles then striking into valley, on either side of which rise high hills cmerges into the plain just northeast Of the important Chinese city of Feng- hUsien. From there to Harbin hardly hill can be seen from the railway train, the line running almost straight, except where an occasional curve is necessary to reach a city or favorable crossing Of 2 river. Beside the rail- way there is a splendid wagon road from Tie Pass to Kai Yuan. where it branches, one branch making a detour to the westward, sllirting the noun tains and running almost direct to Harbin. The other branch passes through the mountains to Kirin from which center there are many roads.
 The distance from Tie Pass to liar bin is very little less than three hund- red miles, and except for the first few miles every acre is under cultivation or supporting hundreds of cattle. sheep and horses. So far as the commits sariat is concerned, the Russians need nave no lear Hardly pound or last years crop Of beans, millet or wheat left the country. the Russians buying it all and storing 1t in stations along the railway. immense shelters being erected for it's reception. They also purchased all the cattle and horses. and had Cossacks herding them. The wea- ther on the plain is very much colder than in the Mukden section of Man chUria. the thermometers in the train train dropping several degrees as the divide is crossed and continuing to go down until Lake Baikal is reached. As rule the ground does not com mence to thaw until April. except a very little on the surface in the middle of the day.
 The most important Russian town between Tie Pass and Harbin with the exception of Kirin, which is not on the railway. is Kawansuling also spelled Kungchuling. This town is little over loo miles north of Tie Pass. There were gathered great stores of provi- siOns along side Of which were erected Red Cross hospitals the best by far that the Russians had south of Harbin. At all the other stations there were al so hospital accommodations so that if KurOpatkin escapes from Oyama at at the most favorable season of the year. Another few weeks and the roads will be impossible.