Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-03-17
= BULLETIN.

ssss.s'Es BULLETIN.
St Petersburg, March 17-There is
a pers tent report that railroad COM
munications have been cut behind the
Russian army. No official dispatches
have been given out up to p. M, and
no private or press dispatches have
been received.
st. Petersburg, March 17.-with the
Japanese hanging on the heels and
flanks of the remnants of the broken
and defeated Russian army, Kuropat-
kin the old idol of the private soldier
has been dismissed and disgraced and
Ger. Linevitch. commander of the first
arn.-, appointed to- succeed him in
command of all the Russian land and
sea forces operating against Japan.
The word disgrace is written in large
-.t,srs in the laaonic imperial order
zetted, which contains not a single
word OF praise. also disposes of the ru-
mo-. that Kuropatkin had asked to be
relieved. Russian military annals con-
tain no more bitter imperial rebuke.
While it was known the war council
had already decided to supplant Kuro-
patkin after the Mukden disaster, the
decision to confer the task of saving
the. remainder of the army on Line
witch in the very midst of its flight,
altho bruited last night, came as a
surprise.
. It transpires the emperor, upon the
advice Of Gen. Dragomiroff and War
Minister Sakharoff, determined the
step was necessary when it became
apparent at yesterdays meeting that
Kuropatkin. while concentrating for a
stand at Tie pass, seemed unaware
that the japanese had worked around
westward again and practically al
lowed himself to be surprised. The
old reports brought by Gen. Gripen-
berg regarding Kuropatkin's failing
mentality also had an influence. I'm
der the circumstances, therefore, it is
considered imperative, in view of the
exceedingly perilous position of the
army, to turn over its command to
Linevitch, who alone had been able to
bring off his army in order after the
battle Of Mukden. His record during
the Chinese war had also demopstrat-
ed his capacity as commander.
Kuropatkin will return to st. Peters,
burg forthwith The task confided to
Linevitch of withdrawing what is left
OF the great army of 100000 men to
Harbin is desperate one. He is
hemmed in ON all sides. General
Kawamura presumably is pressing
northward thru the mountains east
ward, ready to swoop down. Nogi and
Oku are on the west Of the Russian
forces and the whole line of railroad
is threatened, if not already cut. Chin
in the rear of Hardin. Consumma-
ton OF the Mukden disaster is feared.
Nothing further has arrived from the
front, but it is feared the decinated
battalions, which had hardly recov-
cred from the decentralization of the
Mukden retreat, have again been
thrown into confusion by oyama's re-
lentless, merciless pursuit. The war
office greatly fears more Of the siege
and field guns which Kuropatkin man
aged to save at Mukden have been
sacrificed in the hurried fight from
Tie pass.
Ammunition Low.
The question of ammunition and
food is also vital, as it is known that
the Russians We're compelled to burn
further stores at Tie pass, where the
commissary was only beginning to feed
the half -famished troops when the
new retreat was ordered.
Emperor Not Daunted.
But even in the face of the possi-
bility of a complete loss of the army
and the admitted fact that vladivos-
tnlr A already possibly lost. the EN-.