The San Francisco call., 1905-02-05


terest in the ill-starred attempt to
capture Sandepas is eclipsed by the
withdrawal of General Gripenberg
and unconfirmed reports regarding
the retirement of General Kuropat-
kin.
According to the latest information
received by the War Office. operations
on the right flank of the Russian army
are at standstill. The extreme right
of the Russians continues to hold
Chiantsanhenan, on the Hun River
six miles northwest of Sandepas. APP
parently both sides are unable to
move on account of the terrible wea-
ther. There are rs degrees of frost
accompanied by wind, but in view Of
the sudden fluctuations in temperature
at this time of the year the frost may
suddenly decrease and the Russians
would then be confronted with the al
tentative of withdrawing in order to
avoid being intercepted by a Japan
ese column from Shilikhe or of under
taking general advance. The lat
ter view finds some confirmation in
a dispatch from Tsinkhetchen, report
ing a reconnaissance by General Rem
nenkampff's force on the Russian left,
which perhaps is preliminary to an
advance.
The military authorities here are
encouraged by the report, as showing
that the Russians are able to repeat
the plan of reaching the enemys line
of communication.
Rumors of General Kuropatkin hand
in over hjS rom m nd RI Gp0ara1 inc
witch, commander of the first army. have
been current in st. Petersburg since the
announcement that General Gripenberg
had been relieved of his command of
the second army. The press is unable
to obtain confirmation of the reports.
The War Office declares they are inn
mediately improbable, but is unable to
deny them. Evidently there has been
some friction between General Kuro-
patkin and General Gripenberg.
There are two conflicting versions of
the incident According to one of them
General Gripenberg complained to the
Emperor that General Kuropatkin had
refused to support his thanking move
ment, in view of which Gripenberg
asked to be relieved. The Emperor, it
is added, then telegraphed TO Kuropat-
kin asking for an explanation, in reply
to which Kuropatkin wired that his
health was shattered and requested
permission to turn over his command
to General Linevitch.
According TO the second and more
commonly credited version of the af-
fair Kuropatkin complained to the En-
peror that General GriDenberg under
took the f1anking movement in defiance
of orders and demanded the general S
dismissal.
General Kuropatkin, telegraphing un-
der date of February to Emperor
Nicholas. said:
THE village of Chautandhenau was
completely occupied by our troops after
fight at o'clock this morning. We
reconnoitered the villages of Fanshen
and Pudzova, occupied by the enemy,
and after several volleys the sharp
shooters entered Fanshen and shot and
bayonetted many Japanese. The latter
were reinforced and attacked the sharp
shooters, who retired, carrying off their
dead and wounded On our right flank
the japanese left 100 corpses, of which
number we buried eighty-seven."
A later dispatch from General Kuro-
patkin, dated February 8, says:
No reports of further encounters
have been received. One of our patrols
blew up the railway eight miles south
of Liaoyang on January 81 and Feb
ruary g."