T HE Russian army is in full retreat and the Japanese
in pursuit. The railway line is broken north of Mukden, and the Japanese have already entered the town, which the Russians are leaving, and where they have already burned large quantities of stores. In the Russian centre important positions have been captured, and both on the east and west the Japanese are closing in. Nogi's force already bars the Russian direct line of retreat towards Tieling—i.e., by the line of railway—and Kawamura is across the upper course of the Hun-ho, and so threatening the line of retreat by Fu-shun • to Tieling. The casualties of the eight or nine ,days' fighting have been enormous, and are placed by some observers at one hundred thousand men. Both sides are said to be exhausted, but the Russians famished as well as exhausted. That is as far as the news of the great battle received up till Friday warrants us in going. Possibly the battle will prove to have been the greatest, as far as regards numbers and the extent of the theatre of action, that the world has hitherto known. As yet, however, we have only the barest outline of what has happened, and much detail is required to fill it in. It should be noted that, though not likely, it is still quite possible that Kuropatkin may be able to extricate himself from his terrible situation, and draw off an army which, though defeated, is not broken up, to Tieling or some position in its neighbourhood.
