Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-20
st. Petersburg Opinion of
Russian Retreat.
STILL VERY ANXIOUS
OVER SAFETY OF GEN. LINE
vITcH's RETREATINa FORCES
complete Losses Around Mukden Not
Acknowledgements 12o,O 900 KILL
ed, Wounded or Prisoners.

ST. PETERSBURG, March 20. 30 p.m-
Anxiety regarding the fate of General Line
Vitchs force continues, the main danger to
them being the japanese columns which are
hurrying northward along the great trade
route twenty miles west of and parallel
with the line of retreat
The heads of these columns were officially
reported to be passing Fakoman, thirty
miles northwest of Tie Pass on Friday.
Their appearance doubtless FASTENED the
Russian retirement which may now have
become literally race northward, as on.e
the Russians are headed 1t would be easy
for the Japanese by short cut to throw
themselves across the line OF retreat.
Division of Army.
After leaving Kaiyuan Gen. Linevitch is
believed to have divided his army. the
nsin portion clinging to the railroad and
the other falling back along the Mandarin
road which runs to Kirin, II being impos-
sible to leave the latter open to the JAP
anese lest they then be able to creep up
on the left flank. At the same time IL is
recognized that separation of forces Is al
ways attended with the danger of giving
the enemy an opportunity TO concentrate
and fight the army in detail.
Some military men here believe that Line
witch will try to hold the lire from Kirin
to Changoun. 100 miles north of Tie Pass.
The 1st Corps, composed of steady troops
from st. Petersburg and formerly COM
manded by Gen. Meyendorff, is covering
the retreat, which the war Office declares Ia
proceeding in an orderly fashion.
Complete details of the losses at the bat
tie Of Mukden are not yet available at the
ceived indicate that 10000 men were
killed, wounded, or made prisoners, and
that about eighty field guns were captured.
Almost every siege gun, 1t is affirmed, was
removed.
Linevitch Reports No Fighting.
A dispatch from General Linevitch dated
March 10, pm, says:
THE commander of the second army re-
ports that he has had not further fighting.
mo reports have been received from the
first third armies.
81 have inspected the troops which have
arrived from Russia. They are in excellent
spirits and good health.
Story Declared Untrue.
The story that General Kuropatkin re
mained at the front in command of General
Linevitch's old first army is untrue. He is
proceeding to Irkutsk, where he may stop
a short time to recuperate before returning
to st. Petersburg.
His nerves are said to be badly shattered.
It is again being positively affirmed that
Kuropatkin requested the emperor to relieve
him.
emperor NiCHOldS III udiiy Cou-
ference with General Dragomiroff, Minister
of War Sakharoff and others on the situa-
ton.
Planning Reorganization.
The general staff is energetically at work
planning the reorganization of the army
and considering the ways and means.
Preparations continue, irrespective of the
possibilities of peace for demonstration OF
Russia's ability to prosecute the war. which
is regarded as vital, whether peace nego-
tiations begin or not.
The bankers and Finance Minister ko-
kovsoff have had a final meeting, at which
terms for the international loan were COM
pleted 1t is expected they will be formally
in farx da