The Topeka state journal., 1905-03-07
ALL HOPE CONE.
Position of the Russian Army
Grows More Desperate.
The Battle Ragged Fiercely All
Day Yesterday.
RESERVES PUSHED UP.
TO Check Advance on Lines of
Communication.
Gen. Kuropatkin Abandons His
Offensive Movement.
Kuroki Is Again Pressing Him
From the East.
ALMOST SURROUNDED.
Cars Army Seems Doomed to
AnnihilatiOn or Surrender.

St. Petersburg, March 7.-1:59 p
m-All hope that General Kuropatkin
will be able to turn defeat into victory
is rapidly vanishing. The position of
the Russian army has been growing
increasingly desperate during the last
"a hours. The gravest danger is from
the japanese left which has been
pushed northward on the Sinmintin
road to a point eight miles northwest
of Mukden, where it has Joined a
fianking column from the west around
the villege of Tatchekiao. which is
located at this point
The battle ragged with terrible bit
terness throughout yesterday with all
the reserves hurried to the scene to
block the strike at the Russian line
of communications.
Baron Kaulbars, who is defending
this wing, is only able to hold his own
On account of the desperate situation
there General Kuropatkin has not at
tempted to drive home his counter
stroke at the Japanese center and his
offensive which was abortive has been
abandoned.
At the same time encouraged by. the
progress of the main turning move
ment west General KurOlxi again
pressed forward from the east yester-
day against General Llnevitch, fore
ing the Russians to give ground
1T is rumored that KuroDatlxin has
already given the order to retreat and
that he is gradually Withdrawing
forces from the center, but experts are
inclined to believe that he has waited
too long, that he must fight it out in
his present position and that it is i'm
possible to extricate more than the
remnants of his army. At the war
Office it is said that the Japanese
siege guns from Port Arthur with
range of eight miles are causing ter
rible punishment Nothing can stand
up against them. The only news re-
ceived at the war Office till this hour
is that the battle was resumed at day
light this morning at Tatechko. Dur
ing the night both sides brought up
additional guns and at daybreak a
perfect hail of artillery projectiles
field the air If the Japanese crush
General Kaulbars today the Russian
retreat will be cut off and Kuropat-
kin's army will be almost surrounded.
There is the greatest fear that tele-
graphic communication may be cut at
any moment
The public is pessimistic as usual.
The liberals especially look forward to
the complete defeat of Kuropatkin's s
army with equanimity on the theory
that Russian victory would stiffen
the backbone of the reactionaries. Ac-
cording to the liberal view the more
the government is embarrassed the
more it will be obliged to yield.
Must Hold Fushun.
Toxic, March THE greatest concen-
tration of the Russians defending Fushun
seems to be along the line from Theta to
Nachuntan. General Kuropatkin continues
to resolutely defend the Russian position
at Fushun. The operations in that yicin-
ity do not indicate whether Kuropatkin
intends to tight or retire, but he must hold
river.
japanese Report
Toxic, March 7.=5 .. rn.-The fol-
lowing dispatch was received today
from the headquarters of the Jap
anese armies in the field:
In the Singking (Yenden) direction
the enemy in the neighborhood Of
Tita made several counter attacks
Monday which were repulsed. Our
attacks against Machuntan, despite
the obstinate resistance, proceed.
Gradually part of our force at 8
o'clock Monday night occupied the
northwestern heights of Huantai
about four miles South Of Manchun-
tun-
In the BentsiDutse direction on
Monday afternoon our force occupied
a line of heights at Patzunku several
miles south of Machuntan. The enc
my retreated towards Singpatsu, three
miles southwest of Machuntan. On
Sunday night the enemy counter at
tackled on our front near Kaoti pass
but was repulsed.
In the Snakhe river direction east
of the railroad Sunday night the enc
my counter attacked north Of Tung-
hiafen, but was repuIsed Otherwise
the situation is unchanged.
west of the railroad our force is
now engaging the enemy occupying
positions east of Hanchenonao and
Erthtaitzu- The enemy is resisting
stubbornly.
"On the right of the Hun river
Monday morning one division of the
enemy with 10 guns counter attacked
the vicinity of Tatchekiao, 10 miles
northwest of Mukden. but was re-
pulsed
Five Miles From NIuxden.
New Chwang, March S, via Tientsin.
March Traders arriving here re-
port that Sunday night 10000 Jap
anese gained an entrenched position
five miles west of the yates of Mukden
Hand to hand fighting until daylight
followed without any advantage to
either side. These traders further re
port that the Russians becoming
alarmed, burned the government
buildings preparatory to retreating
One thousand Russians are reported
to be moving southwark on the east
bank Of the Lao river to attack the
japanese in the rear and it is thought
that a, battle is imminent.
The Japanese occupied the tele-
graph Office at Sinmintin and estab-
lfshed a temporary censorship not