PROGRESS OF THE WAR.

Evening Post, Volume LXIX, Issue 59, 11 March 1905, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR.

St. Petersburg telegrams to the French press report that the disaster to tho Russian aims exceeds tho most pessimistic foiecaats, a statement that is strongly supported by tho news of to-iTay. It is declared at Tokio on official authority that 200,000 Russians aro envoloped, including tho central position of Kuropatkin's army, M'hilo tho SM'ift-moving Nogi with his army has crushingly attacked a gieat force of the enemy near Thieling and intercepted supplies on tho M'siy to Kuropatkin. The spoils of Mukden have been " enormous, including guns, stoics, and thousands of pi isoners." As tho place Mas practically taken on Thursday, before the Russians could destroy tho stores, it is reasonable to assume that,, supplies thence wero then cue oft", and now that Nogi has intercepted thoso coming from the north, and tho Russians aro already described as terribly exhausted, tho wearied soldiery may well have tho pangs of hunger added to tho demoralisation of complete defeat. To add to the diiliculties of Iho situation, there appears to bo indecision at tho Russian headquarters as to which road to follow in rollout. The main road, which runs parallel with tho railway, is apparently firmly held by Oko and Nogi, and if tho Russians \niovo north-east, as Generals Kaulbnrs mid Bilderling may do, they must encounter the victorious army of lvuroki, Nodzu, from tho Japanese ccntro, meanwhile driving forward from tho south. Each way lies peril and almost certain disaster, witli tho prospect of a collapso greater than that of Sedan. Unless the unexpected happens, the result of tho next week's operations should bring the end of the war within measurable, distance.