The times., 1899-12-27

ooundless ambition. unchecked hy religious
or sentimental considerations. a victorious
Japan. in addition to occupying Korea aus
Port Arthur. would covet the Philippine
Sumatra. BoTneO. and even Australia N
victorious Japan would Cousummate an al
lance with China which in twenty years
would have drilled an army % 1000 600 of
temperate men, careless Of DEATH armed
with modern weapons. The commercial
supremacy OF such a race -0uid BE- assured
in the Eastern seas. Lord Charles Beres-
ford. in his monumental work en- the
Breakup Of China. tHarper'sl. speaks oe
the complete state OF efficiency that hs
found in all naval and military establish
ments in Japan, Of the system carried ou1
with the seamen's and military rati0ns.
and Of the same love Of order ana cauacifv
ior organization that was enabling the ma
ton. with a patriotism never known before
IN the Far East, TO contemplate the open
door in China the object to be attained
by japanese diplomacy and arms Only
Gne-twelfth Of the japanese Empire can bs
cultivate Z ia bad rice year food is now
imported in enormous quantities IN 0rder
10 pay for this import Japan must have an
export China is the nearest market. and
trade IS the only market By which the Jap
anese millions can be fed. Japan there
Tore enters the struggle lighting for her
life. Russia fights for conquest.
Now let US turn 10 the consequences ot
Russia s victory over Japan. Toe des5ruc
tion CT the japanese feet the occupation
Of Korea, the establishment Of strcns
places at Chemulpo and other harb0ra on
the Korean coast. would give to Russia
the control OF the China seas. Address
ing the Primr0sa League on May & 1895
Lord Salisbury said. II think Russia has
made a great mistake in taking PCr5 Ar
thur ] dc not think 60 IS any use 10 her
whatever. There Is probably no naval
agree with Lord Salisbury. Russia is NOT
in the habit Of putting down her fooe
where she is Obliged to take it up. Fer
the moment Port Arthur and Talieuwan
may perhaps be no sources OF strength.
but in less than decade Muscovite Man
chuTia viii be unassaiIahle. Port Arthur
will be a CrOnstadt and the weakness ot
NladivOstOk completely remedied. Viadi-
vCstok was dependent FOR stores on Odessa
Port Arthur Is the armed port of distrie-
possessing coal. iron. rich agricultural pos
sibiltties and a hardy population OF four
millions capable Cf being trained into eX-
ceiient soldiers With a railway and q
well-organized army at It's back no repeli-
tion OF tie Crimean campaign undertaken
by European power 10000 miles from its
base would be possible Finally, as Sir
George Clarke points ont iu his worh
'RusSia's Sea Power when the Msuehlr
be Within striking distance. It may be
declared therefore. with some assurances
and certainty that instead Of Port Arthur
being of no use to Russia nc step taken
by that power In the present century IS
comparable in Importance to the OCcupa-
tion of the Lao Tong Peninsula If Rus
sia were successful in the event Of war
with Japan. a u8scent commercial power
would be crushed. MuscOvite ambitions
haT -rfr, In e
commerce. The Russian mercantile ma
rine is small, and SHOWS no signs o. marx
ed increase. Commercial men in Russia
are looked on with contempt b. the gov
erning classes. They rank with MIzhiks,
The war navy has been Increased with
feverish vigCr to enable Russia TO over
come her geographical dlsadvaHtsges in
the Far East. With Russia victorious it
is doubtful whether she would desire 70
shut the open door in China or. II de-
sirous, whether she would be able to 10
so.
With regard to the PROBABLE resul. ct
naval war between Japan aud Russia the
Russians have never distinguished them
selves in waF since hszhatfls Of Pult0Wl-
They were beaten By the Persisns ar hs
end OF the last century on the Caspian S-a-
1t is true that the PerSia1s we're under an
Englishmsn named Elton. who organized
the Persian navy for Nadir Saah. and
trained the most UnEautical nation in the
world 70 become dominant in the Gas pisu-
The Japanese are naturally good meu-O--
wars men. They are ready, res0urCefuE.
obedienJ cheerful, and familiar with the
sea from their youth up. Russia despite
her vast extent Of territory and great
coast line has practically no saafafins
population OF her own race. Her naval re-
cruits are drawn almost entirely from the
Baltic coast the shores OF C0urIaud and
the Baltic provinces The hsleT-t0lk OF
these regions are nos Of the SlaVOuic race
/ They are German In origin. IN fsaiiE-. and
in religion. Many OF them dislike. or
rather hate, the MuscOvite- They submit
( 70 discipline because their Teutouic iGstin-r
impels them TO obey. The Baltic recruit
has no pride in the service. He gets dunk
whenever he can. and he deserts VIXEN 0p-
portUufIy arises. Russian seameu who are
not Slavs are very rarely allowed ashore
in q foreign port aud the Cls1ri n ir alton
in the Russian navy between the re-rCir
OF the Baltic provinces and the pure
hlooded SIay in such matters as leave and
punishment does not pOpulariZe the service
The true-born Russian abomiEat7s the sea
Re Is an inland creature, loving 60 zs-op
over the steppes and the free air Ot the
bcundless plains. The early Slav race used
the same word 10 designate the ocean and
death Russian sailors are stupid. Russian
puuishmsuts are degrading Russian habits
+ drunken. The experience OF RuzsIln
seaman is scanJy-
TwC-thirds OF the men iu the Russian
imperial navy have never fred shot or
T she'll from a gun alO8r For SIX months ~
the wear they are laid up in harbor- The
distipIiue 10 which Russian sailOFs are
subject is so rigorous as 20 Kill th0s1 zc11-
ments Of self-resrect which strike Auerl-
can and English officers as the drSr req-
uisite of q good maa-0f-War's s man. Edu-
/ Gated society in Russia is not happy rs Co
! the chances of success in war Win
Iansu. To despatch all the military stores.
I the mmissariat, and the army ITSELF in
/ Guiding the transport for 25e,0et men. Is
task under which Russian services. with
their peculiar habits OF seif-iudulS nee
/ and traditions OF corruption, may easily
I break down. On these grounds 7ninN
/ that japan viii more shac hold hec own
/ for the arsJ year of the fight
OF the policy Cf Great Britain ana tne
! United states their interests being renJI-
cal though not OF eqtal magnitude. there
I is no question The Cpeu door in China
must be maintained aL aiI hazards. The
( only way 10 which Ihis can BE- done is an
I AngIo-Saxon understanding, and I the
Pacific is not 20 become either AongJlian
or NuscOyite the AnglO-SaXOE race riuS-
see 10 it that China be not shuf 10
I AugiO-SaXCu commerce So long as tA4I
I object is secured it is immaterial 10 us
/ whether Russia crushes Japan or Japan
bleeds Russia white
Boer Treatment OF English Prisoners
tFrom letter iu the London Tmcs-f
Tho Beers treated MS with every Kindness
after capturing us, and here. where We
/ have just arrived this morning, we are all
! in o large shed on the Tacecour5S. There