The times., 1899-12-27
RUSSIA AND JAPAN.
\ Coming struggle.
lfrom Harpcr's Weckly.}


sia and Japan to be imminent Whether
the struggle be immineut or not it is i'm
eyitable. a glance at the map and knovl-
edge OF modern history reveal the causes
Of the coming conflict between the Jap
anese and the Russians. Japan. like Eng
land. is an over-crowded island power.
. unlike England the mining and shipping
interests are comparatively small Japan
must grow or perish. The nearest terri
tory to Japan is the peninsula OF Korea
( Ihe question of mastery in Korea was the
direct cause OF the war with China Japan
/ and China both claimed the OveTlordship
Of the peninsula The Russians also have
long had their eye en- Korea, and have
watched with jealousy Japanese progress
in the Hermit Kingdom. In 1886 England
took hand in securing the independence
CT Korea, and obtained an assurance from
Russia disclaimiug all iHteuticns OF inter
fering with Korea. NJ. Ladygensky, the
Russian Charge d'Affaires at Pekin. was
authorized by the Car himself TO repeat
personally these assurances to the Grand
/ Secretary Lii Minister superintendent Ot
Northern Trade. who was then charged
with the direction Of affairs between China
an6 Korea. NJ. Ladygeus<y explicitly de-
ciared that neither directly nor indirect
ly would. Russia hereafter meddle with
territory belonging to Korea On the
/ faith OF that Russian guarantee Great Bri-
tain evacuated Port Hamilton. How Rus
STA kept this promise is well known Her
conflict with the japanese over the ques-
ticn OF aseendency in Korea began almost
Immediately after Admiral Vesey Hamil-
ton hauled down the British flag at Port
Hamilton. Russia did not feel herself
strong enough after the Japanese China
war TO occupy Korean territory. She did
/ the next best thing. In 1895 she occupied
Port Arthur. at the extremity of the Lao
Tong Peninsula. having previously com
pelled the japanese evacuation OF that pore
by the aid CT the French fleet and the
partnership OF Germany. But for
England. Japau's fate would then have
been sealed. We saved her from Russia.
France. and Germany.
The heavy Russian battleships were
stripped for fighting, and after the punish
ment the japanese feet had received at
Yalu and elsewhere it is probable that
the Russians would have been successful
in a naval engagement with the japanese
Russian action however. was suddenly
/. checked by the declaration Of English sym
pathy for Japan; and the Russ@aa-5ear, al
though sulky at being baked OF his ,tuarry
was compelled to desist from measures
which undoubtedly would have been taken
but for the diplomatic action Of Great
Britain. Japan has never forgotten, ana
will never forget. the conduct Of Russia.
She had hoped to occupy Korea and 70 re-
generate China Her statesmen saw with
clear vision that the only chance OF stem
ming the advance OF the great power from
the north was in marrying Japanese abii-
tiles and capacity TO the latent power and
teeming population OF China. Russia, how
ever. scored the first move in the game
Japan was elected from Port Arthur be-
cause her presence in the words OF the
Russian Minister would be dangerous TO
the balance OF power in China. Japan
saw without amazemeut, but with the bit
terest hatred. the very State which had
turned her out of Port Arthur in the name
of international law occupying the price
{ less possession for her own purposes The
indignation OF the Japanese was shown b.
the manner in which the news was re-
ceived They are yain full of huIuor, able
/ to conceal their real feelings, but men
I killed themselves for rage when they
heard of the surrender Of Port Arthur,
which had been won by the blood and yalOr
Of their own people. Peace vas made,
though Japan was robbed OF the just fruits
OF her victory.
[ The people were told that the wf was
/ postponed that the peace was an aTmis-
tice, and that when Japan was strong
enough she would take her revenge on the
insoleut power that had robbed her OF the
political prescience is not wanting, saw
clearly that if they were to be reyenged on
Russia il would be necessary to light be-
fore the completion Of the great Siberian
Railway. Il was race between railway
and a fleet. Accordingly. for the last four
years, Japan has concentrated all her et-
forts on building up a navy which would
enable her to adjust matters with her bit
/ terest enemy. Her army. successful as IL
was against the undrilled hordes OF China.
is greatly improved for Japan knows that
: her national existence depends upon her
armed strength and that if she waits until
Russia has completed her railway she viii
be attacked aJ Russias own time.
Like the Boers. the japanese have armed
as silently IS possible. They have blown
. no trumpets and have attracted no atteu-
tiou to the drilling of their armies. the In
/ crease to their fleets Japan, however is
+ not rich power in material wealth. She
is rich in The character Of her population.
in the valor OF her soldiers and sailors. and
. in the temperance and virjliJy Of her man
hood. The fleet she has built is evidence
of the magnitude Of her self-sacrifce and
the intensity of the natioHGl effort 20 OBJ
tain dominion Of the Eastern seas She
now has three of the largest battleships.
four powerful armCred cruisers, three small
5 smaller cruisers six deStr8yers. aud TWEEN
ty-three torpedo boats on the stocks, com
pletiug or projected The forces OF the
Two powers IN the Far East are as follows
Battleships Russia. thrce-Navarin. Sis
. sol Veliki, and PetrOpaviOsk. J3pan,
four-Fuii Yashima. Shikishima, and
Chin Yen.
Armored cruisers. Russia, siS-Possia.
Rurik Vladimir MOnomakh, Dmitri Don
skoi Pamiat Az0va. and Admiral Nakhi-
NOV Japan two-Asama and TOkiwa
Modern cruisers; Russia, one-KognilOv
Japan fourteen -TakasagC, kasagj. Chi
tose. ltsukQshima Hashidate AIatsushima
Askitsushima. Suma, Akashi, Chiyoda,
NaaiWa TakachihO, and IZumi.
Gunboats. Russia, fOur-Grem miastchi
Khrabry Otvsjni and Vsadnik. Japan,
One-Tatsuta.
.Destroyers. Russia. two. Japan. six.
Torpedo boats. Russia, ten. Japan,
thirty
The Japanese battleship Shikishima, a
brand-new vessel. now on her way out IS
faster. bigger and better armed than any
of the Russian ships. The Yashima and
Full are also UeW and very powerful.
The Russians are Superior in arm1red
cruisers but they are vastly behind in
modern protected cruisers, where the
Japanese are very strong. Such q vessel
as the TakaSago. with two o-inch and ten
I f. 7-tnch quick fiTers. is a match for any OF
the Russian armored cruisers. except per-
haps the huge four-fmneled Rurik and
Rossia. on the other hand, Russia las
steadily strengthened her forces on land
during the last six years. Troops have
poured Out To NladivOstok, and Port Ar
thur since its requirement from every ship
that sails from Odessa or SebastopOl Ten
thousand men left this week. According
TO the Military Wocbenbiatt." which
watches rnese Russian movements closely
the following is the strength of the Rus
Z -f.r, r~,,,r ia AfDur prDEfucp dr