PROGRESS OF THE WAR.

Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 61, 9 September 1904, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR.

Tho lal^Rb from tho front in Manchuria nt lime of writing seems to show that Kuropaikin with his main force has got clear of Mukdon and is hurrying to T-hieUng, 35 miles north, where a thousand Chinese coolies aro being compelled to nssrst in construction of tho defence works behind wbich tho Russians hope to find much-needed breathing-space. Meanwhile two Russian army corps aro ingasjiug Kuroki touth of Mukden to

cover tlio retreat, couditioiiH for which are sa-id to 'huvo improved owing to the inability of the Japanese to sccuro favourable arfcillory positions. Pursuit is therefor© less vigorous. This information is from St. Petersburg to French papera. Tlio same authority says that the Japanese turning movement just failed owing) to entire- Russian battalions suffering annihilation in order to prevent the cutting of communications. This refers, M-e assuino, to the splendid stand against Kuroki at Yentai, and is coirfirmafion of its heavy cost. SiAilattly, wo may suppose that tho Russian rearguard of Kuropatkin now engaging the pursuing army south of Mukden will also heavily suffer, but it may hold Kuroki long enough to let the beaten army struggling north reach cover of Thioting, where amplestores should be awaiting' it. An earlier despatch of yestwd«y morning states that luiropafckiii writ retreat further — tho whence is not mentioned — unless prevented by Kuroki and Oko effecting a junction. Tho latter, wo aro told, is west of the railway, ,bufc there is no indication of his present position. The Russian paper vilomoski alleges that Oyama lias a total force \mder his command of 355,000 men with 1002 guns, or 90,000 mon and 368 guns above tho- Russian strength. On these figures, with a beaten, if not demoralised, army beforo them, tho Japanese should be able to easily repeat at Thieling the experience of Liaoyang. The Mikado has prudently, whilo congratulating his troops upon their brilliant victory, enjoined upon them the practice of care and patience, as "tho end of tho war is far distant." Hero is an Emperor who does not lose his head. Tho Japanese, it is reported to-day, are trying to undermine tho forts of Port Arthur — a device that takes us back to tho Middle Ages. There will bo counter mines, of coiwse, and it ia easy to conceive of underground complications. The real (significance of tho statement, if true, is that tho fa4l of Port Arthur 1s not yet. Stoessel has deserved his decoration.