The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-06

preponderance over their Russian an
tagonists. so far as electives we're con-
corned. There Is reason to believe that
in respect of artillery they were and are
equally superior.
Under the circumstances 0YAMA seems
TO have been justified though only barely
! justified in undertaking the venturous
! feat of surrounding an army about three
! times larger than that under Marshal
IMAGINATION which was enveloped at
Sedan.
From the news that has reached us
during the last ten days it is not difficult
to deduce the plan which the Japanese
generals have thus far executed with
success, though not, Of course, without
mourning serious losses, their opponents
having had several months in which TO
fortify their positions. To Gen. KuRoKI,
commanding the Japanese right wing,
was committed the task OF driving the
Russian left back 10 Mukden, while 81
multaheously Gen. OKU, commanding
the japanese left, was directed, after
occupying Sinmintin, a station on the
Chinese Eastern Railway just west OF
the Lao River, to approach Mukden
from the northwest. Meanwhile, in the
event that KURoPATKIN should be forced,
by the necessity Of supporting his TANKS,
TO weaken his centre, the Japanese middle
army under Marshal OYANtA himself,
was TO be launched against Putilof and
Novgorod Hills, which constitute the
keys Of KURoPATRIN's central defences.
Every one Of these movements has been
carried out Gen. OKU occupied Sim
mintin, and then moving quickly in
southcasterly direction, was at last adj
vices only few miles west Of Mukden.
Cen. KURoKI, reinforced apparently by
many of NoGIs veterans, is not only close
10 the Fushun coal mines on the road
from Wing Fan to Mukden, but on March
forced the Gauto Pass, thus threatening
TO cut off the Russian left wing from the
centre.
According 10 a despatch to Berlin
newspaper this severance OF the Russian
left wing has since actually occurred.
On March the Russian centre also
gave way, and the japanese having oo-
ouped Putilor and NovGorod Hills there
was nothing left for KURopATRIN to do
but to fall back on NMkden. As he could
not hope to retain that place. in view Of
the converging operations of the Japa-
nese right and left armies, commanded
respectively by kCRoKG and OKU, we
accept "a entirely credible the despatch
published in the Paris Petit Journal that
on March the Russians we're already in
fun retreat from Mukden to Telling, a
pass rather less than fifty miles north of
the Manchurian capital. IT II be true that
the Russian left wing has been cut of,
glance at the map will show that it can
hardly escape surrender, caught, as IL will
be, between KURoKI pressing on its rear
and the Japanese central army, which
will soon be in possession Of Mukden.
We must doubtless wait for a few days
to learn the full and exact outcome OF
the most tremendous battle, or rather
series of battles, whereof authentic his
tory bears record. Huge as were the
forces arrayed at Dresden and at Leipzig,
they are outnumbered by those which
have been battling in Manchuria. 1t Is
already evident that as in tho two pre-
ceding actions, the japanese have OUT
generated and outfought their enemies,
but that this time the consequences will
be much more decisive