The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-04-29
LINEvITCH INTERVIEWED.
Russian General on the Retreat From
 Mukden.

Mukden.
 Gunshu Pass, Manchuria, April s. General Linevitch granted an Inter view to the correspondent of the As sociated Press at his headquarters here in the course of which he expressed himself as highly satisfied with the present conditions of the Russian army and it's readiness to assume the of fensive.
 He manifested emphatic regret for the retreat from Mukden. The new comander- in -chief believes that the peril to the army at that juncture was over-estimated and that the day was far from being lost when the retreat was ordered. With his eyes gleaming with an indomitable energy and em- phasizing his words with blow upon the camp table before him, General Linevitch exclaimed: T would cer- tainly not have retreated. l realize that 1t Is easy now to pass Judgment upon accomplished facts; but neverthe- less, l repeat, I would not have retreat ed. l persuaded Kuropatkin to stand at Tie Pass and we halted there for time, We could have remained, but on account of certain administrative factors he considered 1t inexpedient and the retirement was continued. After assuming command gave the men A days rest The Japanese did not press us and could not do so as their condition was quite as bad as ours.
 "As for that unfortunate retirement itself, any observer can convince him- self that its significance and especially its influence upon the army had been industriously and greatly exaggerated by the Japanese and the foreign press. The retreat was in no sense in the na- ture of a complete rout. proof of which Is evident in the fact that in less than a month after the retreat the two ar- niles which were thrown into confusion by the Japanese had been collected and wulIy reorganized. The first army did not require this. having retired in order"
 General LinevBtch attributes the greater success of the first army dur ing the retreat to the relatively more advantageous position in which 1t was located. He admitted that there were heavy losses, in both men and material, during the retirement and especially to the wagon trains; but he declared that this also was exaggerated. Touch ing the breaking through of the Jap anese at the Hun River on March 9, General Linevitch said he did not nor does he now attach real significance to 1t, believing that this force was not greater than two companies of scouts or small bodies of cavalry and he be- lieves that the report that Japanese ar tillery was in action east of the great Mandarin road on March 10 was based on a miscalculation.
 General Linevitch also discussed the Gripenberg incident, taking the part of General Kuropatkin as against his for mer subordinate and finished with an expression of good will toward the press in the present war. After an ex- pressIon of regret that so much harm had been done before he was given command, a cloud of sorrow darkened the face of the general and he re- peated twice, Yes, it is sad inheri- tance."
 The correspondent later luncned with the stan, where General Linevitch warned his officers against a too wide extension of scattering forces. He fav- ored rather concentration. even of cav- airy.
 In the last fortnight the Russian arr my on the right, left and centre has advanced beyond the Slpinghia position and the Russian vanguard are now in the form on an inverted crescent, the left horn of which is considerably in the rear of Changtufu, which the Japanese hold and which Is strongly fortified. The Japanese are now exeTting pres sure against the Russian advance. On account of the nature of the country aad the position of the opposing armies, 1t is impossible to effect recon naissances by small bodies of scouts and work of this nature must be done by detachments These reconnais- sances do not show at the present mo- ment a Japanese turning movement in the direction of Kirin, but 1t Is impos- sibIe to say what may be taking place along the eastward roads from Korea and the Yalu territory.