The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-03-17
Oyama, Alert as Ever, Hot
 on His Trail.
RUSSIAN CAUSE HOPELESS
Remnants of Army Hiding
 in Mountains.
Czar's Chief Endeuyor- ing to Extricate Himself From Situation Which Appears to
 Mean Surrender.

general Kuropatkin and the rem nants of the army which was defeated by the Japanese on the shakhe and Hun Rivers and again around Mukden and Tie Pass, are now in the moun- tains few miles north of the southern entrance to the pass trying to shake of their pursuers, who apparently are not going to repeat the mistake of Liao- yang and allow the Russian army to escape
 Kuropatkin has been reinforced by the garrions of Tieling and other north- ern towns and a few new troops, who were on their way from Russia when the battle of Mukden began. But even with these there seems little hope for him. True he has some thirty or forty miles of hilly country extending from Tie Pass to Fenghuatsien. which might enable him to hold off the enemy for time, but once out of the hills. he has before him nearly three hundred miles of flat, open country and innum- erable rivers and streams to cross. This Is what is termed the great val
 
 immense plain, bounded on the east by high mountains and extending northward into Siberia and westward into Mongolia
 Kirin east of the railway and Har- bin the most northerly point on the railway where it branches off to vlad- ivostok eastward and to Siberia west ward are centers of this wonderfully rich country, resembling in many re- spects the northwest territories of Canada. From Tie Pass the railway runs o-.er hills known cs the divide to Kaiyuan, twenty miles. then striking into valley, on either side of which rise high hills, emerges on to the plain just northeast of the important Chinese city of Fenghuasin.
 From there to Harbin hardly hill can be seen from the railway train, the line running almost straight except where an occasional curve is necessary to reach a city or favorable crossing of A river. Besides the railway there Is a splendid wagon road from Tie Pass to Kaiyuan where it branches, one branch making a detour to the west ward, skirting the mountains, and run ming almost direct to Harbin
 800 Miles to HarbIn.
 The other branch passes through he mountains to Kirin. from which renter there are many roads. The dis lance from Tie Pass to Harbin is very little less than 300 miles and except for tbe first few miles, every acre is under cultivation or supporting herds of cat tie, sheep and horses.
 So far as the commssaries are con cerned the Russians need have no fear. Hardly a pound of last years crop of beans, millet or wheat left the country, the Russians buying it all, but storing it at stations along the railway. inn mense shelters being erected for its re- ception. They also purchased all the cattle and horses and had Cossacks herding them.
 The weather on the plain is very much colder than in the Mukden sec tion of Manchuria, the thermometers in the trains dropping several degrees as the divide Is crossed and continuing to qo down until Lake Baikel Is reached As rule the ground does not com nence to thaw until April. except very little on the surface in the middle of tbe day. the sun being strong even in winter.
 The most important Russian town between Tie Pass and Harbin, with the exception of Kirin. which is not on the railway. is 100 miles north of Tie Pass Here were gathered great stores Of pro- visions alongside of which were erectea Red Cross hospitals. the best by Tar that the Russians had south of Haroln' At all the other stations there was also hospital accommodation so that If hu- ropatkin escapes from Oyama at Tie Pass he has a good country to cross al the most favorable season of the year. Another few weeks and the roads would be impossible; but. If he is hard-press- ed, there is not defensible position. unless he abandons the railway and seeks safety in the eastern hills. Later fin the year, of course, the rivers would afford some protection, but in winter being frozen, they are as easy to cross as Is the country. West of Harbin, along the railway. the first hills are encountered about midway between Harbin and the Siberian border These mountains are most formidable, several switchbacks and tunnels being neces- sary to carry the railway over them.
 DEFEAT COMPLETED.