The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1905-03-17
NO HOPE FOR
KUROPATKIN
Russian Army Cannot Escape
japanese
TRAPPED IN THE HILLS
Driven into The Open it Will Be
AT The Mercy Of Oyama's
Troops
TRAPPED IN THE HILLS

LONDON, March IA ST. Peters
burg dispatch this morning says:
with the evacuation OF Tie pass the
Russian army has abandoned the last
stronghold in southern Manchuria and
definitely turned over that section to
the japanese for the campaign of 1905.
At least no other strategy is possible
for General Kuropatkin in view of his
scanty supplies Of ammunition and
stores. the shattered condition of his
army and the wide enveloping move
ments which the Japanese have con-
tinued almost without stop since the
Russian defeat at Mukden.
The evacuation of Tie pass involves
the loss of the coal mines in that vicin-
ity, which, with the Fushun and Yen
tai mines gone. is u severe blow. The
railway shops at Tie pass and more
supplies were also sacrificed"
General Kuropatkin and the rem
nants Of his army which was defeated
by the Japanese ON the Shakhe and
Hun rivers and again around Nlukden
and Tie pass are now in the mountains
a few miles north Of the southern en-
trance TO the pass trying to shake of
their pursners, " ho apparently ale not
going 70 repeat he mistake of Lido
| yang and allow The Russian army to
escape Kuropatkin has been re-en-
| forced by the garrisons of Telling and
other northern towns and a few new
| troops who were on their way from
| Russia when the battle of Mukden be-
| gan. But even with these there seems
little hope for him. True, he has some
| thirty or forty miles of billy country,
extending from Tie pass to Fenghua-
| tsien, which might enable him to hold
| of the enemy for time, but once out
| of the hills he has before him nearly
| 800 miles of fiat, open country and in
Vulnerable rivers and streams to cross.
| This is what is termed the Great Val
| ley of the Sungari, but Is, in fact, an
immense plain.
! General Kazibee has been appointed
| commander in chief Of the forces at
1
Vladivostok.
Prince Mestchersky In an article in
the Grashdanin advises the govern
ment TO promptly conclude peace and
| says: Let us have the heroic strength
to confess defeat before the world.
Better conditions will be obtainable
now than later, when Vladivostok and
| Sakhain have fallen into the hands Of
| the Japanese, and the conclusion Of
peace will prove the salvation of the
country by avertlng internal ship
wreck"
These words from such an influential
reactionary as Prince Mestchersky
have caused a sensation.
Tokyo dispatches say that the Iapa-
nese armies are engaged in hot pur-
4 suit of the Russians north of Tie pass,
who are fleeing toward Hardin.
II is learned on high authority that
when the Japanese vanguard reached
Tie pass only about one division of
Russians was found holding the forti-
ticatons. After slight resistance
they retired northward, having set fire
to the principal buildings of the town,
the railway station and the stores left
behind by the main army.
The news Of the capture Of the pass
and town has created great surprise
on account of the strength of the forti-
fications and Of the natural position
and Of the amount Of stores accumulat-
ed there. Tie pass was regarded as
one Of the most important positions In
southern Manchuria.
1t is officially announced that Hslng-
king, seventy-five miles east Of Muk-
den. capital of the district of the same
name, has been occupied by the Japa.
nese.
A dispatch from Telling says that a
desperate battle is raging ten miles
north of the pass. The Russians have
abandoned their advanced positions on
the Fan river, where japanese at
tack. now believed to be feint, was
repulsed and have fallen back to the
northward.
Dispatches from the Japanese left
armies, via Yinkow, say that the Jap
anese occupation OF Tie pass completes
the serious defeat Of General Kuro.
patkin's armies. 1t is as yet impos.
sible to say whether the victory is
decisive enough to end the war, but
the general belief prevailing in these