Whatever was the motive-force behind him, Kuropatkin pressed his attack
hard on October 9th and 10th, and on those days the Japanese fell back before him. On the 11th, however, the Japanese again took the initiative, and re- captured some of the positions lost on the 10th. On the 12th—that is, on Wednesday—it would appear that the forward movement of the Japanese was maintained, and that the Russians had in their turn to fall back, leaving twenty-seven guns in the hands of their enemy. Of Thurs- day's fighting there are as yet no details, but Marshal Oyama speaks of the pursuit of the retreating Russians being pressed home successfully at all points, while General Kuropatkin in a brief despatch confirms the loss of the guns and the retreat of his army. As we have endeavoured to explain in our leading article, General .Kuropatkin's position is a very serious one. If his army has had its morale destroyed, it is difficult to see how he will be able to escape from the Japanese armies which are now gathering round him,—unless, which is conceivable, they have received such heavy punishment as to have been for the time rendered immobile. It is, however, useless to speculate further on this point. Time will show whether we have been witnessing this week one of the decisive battles of the world, or only a great slaughter, which has but postponed the final decision.
