The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1905-03-18
FLEEING RUSSIAN ARMY
MAY YET BIZ CAPTURED
DECIDED ANXIETY IN ST. Pc
TERSBURG AS 10 ITSFATE.

General Linevitch Assumes Command
and KuropatISin Is Ordered Home In
DIssrace--RuSsians Losing Heavily
in the Rear Guard Acknowledgements
Columns Reported Pushing North
ward to Complete the EnyeIopement.
st. Petersburg, March 1S.--1:5o a. m.
Decided anxiety is felt here regard
ing the fate of the army in Manchuria
under its new commander, no news OF
militaray developments the last two
days having been received here. The
only dispatches from the front are the
brief announcements yesterday that
General Linevitch had assumed COM
mand and that General Kuropatkin
was departing for st. Petersburg, which
disposes of a rumor that the latter had
committed suicide, and the Associated
Press Changtufu dispatch filed the
morning Of March 1s and written at the
station of Kaiyuan, which was then held
by the Russiass. In this correspond
ent's opinion, no pause in the Japanese
advance Is probable for some time. The
Russians are losing heavily in the rear
guard actions, and Japanese columns
are reported to be pushing northward
as fast as possible to complete the en-
re
General Linevitch, however, will have
a considerable accession of fresh troops
in day or two, the Fourth European
corps being now at Harbin and depart
ing southwark. Military officials here
declare that there are now 26S,0O0 men
at General Linevitch's disposal in Man
churia, and it is believed that this force
will be sufficient to cause the Japanese
to exercise greater caution in their pur.
suit.
Prince Hilkoff, who will leave st. Pet
ersburg soon to prepare the Siberian
railroad for forwarding the new levies
which have been determined upon,
said yesterday that there had been no
breakdown as yet,and that he hoped as
soon as navigation opened it would be
possible to transport one-fourth Of the
outgoing soldiers by the rivers and re-
ieve the railroad to that extent
Although General Kuropatkin's .
downfall was inevitable from the mill
tary standpoint. nevertheless 1t arouses
sympathy in circles familiar with the
long campaign that has been Waged
against him by the general staff. Gem
eral Sakaroff was his open enemy and
General Dragomiroff his most severe
critic, and many OF his own subordin-
ates were Jealous and grudgingly obed-
lent. Many epigrams about General
Kuropatkin's shortcomings are being
attributed to General Dragomiroff, and
the supercession Of the former at such
a critical moment is directly attribut-
ed to Dragomiroff's advice, Einepror
Nicholas now giving ear to the veteran
strategist in MILITARY matters.
General Linevitch is distinctly a line
officer with long record as a fighter.
He is almost as cordially disliked by
the general staff as is his predecessor
and there also is bad blood between
Kuropatkin and Linevitch, dating from
q personal quarrel in the days when
Kuropatkin was commander of the
trans Baikal army, which led Line
witch to demand satisfaction. Kuro-
patkin assumed the position that he
could not fight an officer of inferior
rank. The succession Of this officer will
naturally increase General Kuropatkin's 3
discontinue.