The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-03-18
On. PETERSBURG. March II. LOS

OF PETERSBURG. March Il. los D,
y m.-with the Japanese hanging on
the heels and TANKS of the rem
nants Of the broken. defeated Rus
sian army. General Kuropat<in,
soldier. has been dismissed and
disgTaced and General Linevitch, com
mauder Of the First army, is appointed
TO succeed him in command of all the
Russian land and sea forces operating
REsinst Japan. The word disgrace is
written in large letters in the Iaconic
imperial order gazetted, which contains
not single word of praise. and also
dispOses of the rumor that Kuropatkn
had asked to he relieved The Russian
military annals contain no more bitter
imperial rebuke. While it was known
that the war council had already de-
cided 70 supplsnt kuropatkin after the
Mukden disaster. the decision to con-
fer the task Of saving the remainder of
the army on Linevitch in the very
midst or it's fight, although bruitcd last
night, came as Il surprise.
tt transpircs that Emperor Nicholas,
upon the advice OF General Ora gOmiroff
and War Minister Sakharoff, deter
mined that the step was necessary
when it became apparent yesterday
morning that Kuropatkin, while con-
centrating for stand at Tie pass.
seemed unaware that the Japanese had
worked around westward again and
practically allowed himself to be sur
prised. Old reports brought by General
GrippenberS regarding Kuropatkin'S
failing mentally also had influence.
Under the circumstances, therefore, it
was considered Imperative, in view of
the exceedingly perilous position of the
army, 10 turn over its command TO
LinevitCh who alone had been able to
bring off his army in order after the
battle of Mukdeu. His record during
the Chinese war had also demonstrated
his capacity as a commander.
Kuropatkin viii return to st. Peters
burg forthwith.
What Confronts Linevitch.
The task conhded to Linevitch Of
Withdrawing what is left of the great
army of $50, 600 men to Hardin is a
desperate one He is hemmed in on all
sides. General Kawamura, presuna bly,.
Is pressing nOrthward through the
FOUNTAINS eastward, ready to swoop
down: Generals Nogi and Oku are on
Tho west of the Russian forces; the
whole line of the railroad is threatened
IT not already cut. and Chinese bandits
are even reported to he in the rear of
Iiarbin. A contamination of the Muk-
den disaster is feared NapOleOn'S
plight i'm the retreat from Moscow,
with Kutuson's Cossacks harassing
The starving. freezing Frenchmen, was
hardly as bad or dangerous.
Nothing further has arrived from the
front but il is feared that the deci-
mated battalious which had hardly re-
covered from the decentralization Of the
NUkdou retreat have again been thrown
into confusion by Field Marshal Oya-
YTa s. relentless. merciless pursuit.
Tho war office greatly fears that more
of the siege and field guns which IIu-
Topatkin managed 10 save at NIukden |
have been sacrificed in the hurried |
fight from Tic pass. The question of
ammunition and food IS also vital. as
IT. is known that the Russians were
compelled to burn further stores at Tie
pass. where the commissariat was only !
beginning to feed the half-famished !
troops when the new retreat was or
dernd- But even in the face of the
possibility of the complete loss Of the |
army and the admitted fact that Vladi-
Nostok rs already possibly lost, the en- |
peror Stlll shows no signs Of yielding. |
fIeparauons for continuing the war on |
larger scale than ever are proceeding. |
The dictum has gone forth that an
oiher army OF 45O,O00 is to be dispatched |
10 the far east. ard IN order 70 avoid |
delay II has been decided instead Of
sending only reserve men 70 form new
armies largely of regular units. Ieav-
ing the reserves to replace the regulars |
in garrison duty at home. Throughou
the war many military men have CON
tended that II was a fatal mistake RI /
send reserve men to the far east /
division of the Imperial guard will he
sent TO the front. 1t is not Improbable
that some of this years conscripts will /
be sent Separate armies are to be or
Eanized under Generals Grodekoff
CrippenberE and Kamaroff
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