New-York tribune., 1905-01-31
KUR0PATKIN'S FAILURE.
LOSSES PUT At 10000.
II Bloc to the Autocrats-JdpGneSe
Casualties 5000.

ST. Petersburg. Jan. 3o.-General Kuropat-
kin's attempt to break through the japanese left
wing and outfank Field Marshal Oyama's POSI-
tion on the Shakhe River seems to have failed
entirely. Few details. however. are available
beyond the information contained In the official
dispatches. Field Marshal oyama, as at the
battle of the Shakhe River, appears to have an
swered the Russian advance with counter Of
fensive movement. but great disposition was
shown to carry the war Ear into the territory
held by the Russians.
General Gripenberg has Informed the En-
peror that he has discontinued the offensive
General Mistchenko and General Kondratovitch,
while not seriously injured, have been obliged
to relinquish their commands. san-Tai-Tse
the general reports. was occupied by the Rus
slams.
At the War Office there is inclination TO
lay the chief blame for the failure Of the move
ment to a sudden change of the weather TO IN
tense cold, 20 degrees below zero, with high
wind. which drifted the snow and rendered 1t
hazardous to expose the troops to camping in
the open plain. and also impeded the transporta-
ton of guns, supplies and the wounded.
The operation intrusted to the second army.
under General Gripenberg, was the capture Of
Sandepas, which, once in Russian hands. would
have served as pivot for a fanking movement.
but Sandepas proved too hard nut 10 crack.
and the Japanese, taking advantage of the
check of the Russians, hurried up their REIN
forcements and assumed the offensive on the
Hun River. as we'll along the railroad and the
Great Mandarin Road
The Russians, however, appear to have been
completely successful on the defensive repuls-
ing all the japanese attacks Under the circum-
stances General Gripenberg decided not to press
the attempt to storm Sandepas, which is sit
uated in a fiat country
The capture OF the outer line Of trenches on
Thursday entaied heavy casualties. There is
official estimate of the losses, but it is ex-
pected that some thousands on both sides were
killed or wounded
The news of this defeat, coming at this time,
is especially hard for the government. The
popular idea continues to be that the advance
was undertaken IN order to divert the attention
of the people from the events in European
Russia.
Toxic, Jan. 30.-The casualties in the fighting
mated at 5000 on the side OF the Japanese and
10000 on the Russian side.
Russian activity on the Shakhe River seems
to have ceased after the fights at Chen-C Chieh-
Pao and Hei-Kou-Tai. where the japanese were
victorious. The object of the operations is not
clearly understood here. but it is suggested
that the Russians either intended to turn the
Japanese left and move a heavy force down
west of the Lao River, were seeking to divert
attention from some projected operation against
the Japanese right
II is reported that the ather is warmer
since January 25. but 1t is still extremely cold,
that it is impossible to expose the troops at
night
dispatch from Manchurian army headquar-
ters. dated yesterday, says:
There has been no great change In the direc-
tion OF the right and centre armies since the
night of January 2S, except constant collisions
between recommending parties In the direc-
ton of the left army the enemy keeps UP
slow but constant cannonade.
The enemys main body at Chen-C Chieh-Pao
and Hei-Kou-Tai seems to have retreated in the
direction of Nenyupao. which is two miles west
of Chang-Tan and Sub-Fang-Tai. At a point
ten miles northwest of ChangTan the enemy
left many dead.