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Show JAPS FORCED TO RETREAT. Flanking Column Encounters Cos sacks and Get Worst of ArgumenL , Following on tho heels of the nows' of tho disasters to tho Japanese flcot tlio general staff at SL Petersburg has received official advices ot tho defeat of tho Japaneso forco which was marching northward from Feng Wang Cheng for tho purposo of oxo- cutlng a flank movement pn Mukden. Dotnlls of tho dispatch will not bo made public until It has been passod on by tho war commission, but onough hns been communicated to mako It Ciear that in order to savo themselves from destruction tho Japaneso woro compelled to retreat toward Feng Wang Cheng. SInco General Gen-eral Kuroki sent a column northward to gain the road leading directly west from Mukden, Gonoral Kuropatklu has kopt It under tlio closest surveillance, surveil-lance, awaiting tho moment when It should bo so distant from tho main Jnpancso nrmy as to prevent its easy reinforcement. In observing this plan, tho Russians withdrew, and tho Japanoso Jap-anoso not finding a strong forco of tho enemy beforo thorn continued to advance When tho tlmo for uctlon camo Goneral Kuropatkin let Gonoral Ronnonkampff iooso from leash. Gonoral Renncnknmpff had undor his command only a fow roglmonta, but they woro tho flower of tho Cos- - r sack cavalry. Ou May 18 ho fell on 1 the onomy, whoso number has not yet " boon revealed, with such vigor as to compel tho Japaneso retirement twolvo miles toward tho base, near onough, It is presumed, to havo received re-ceived reinforcements from Gonoral Kuroki, who must Immodlntoly havo boen advised of tho awkward predlca-mont. |