The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-09-05
JAPAN IN TRAINING,
The Doughty Ocean Empire Prepar-
Ing For the Fray with Russia

Ing For the Fray with Russia.
Japan has increased her fighting ca
pacity both in land and naval forces. with
a secrecy battling the astutencss of even
Isussia'S diplomats. Notice this fact.
which appears to have cscape' the OBJ
servation of '0ur special correspondent
The records Of the diet since it's opening
in 1S9O prove that iEr existence of Il
cabinet III Japan was exceedingly brief,
unless. indeed. crisis threatened the
nation. Under such circumstances there
is no more unanimous body of men than
Japan's legislature. although, in order to
stif1c suspicion. discussions are in or,ler,
addressed to the gallery If cabinet is
forced to resign, the premiership has in
variably passed into the hands Of a diff
ferent clan.
"Observe now that when Ito stepped
out his place was taken by Field Marshal
Yamagata. who, with Ito. belongs to the
Choshiu clan. There was no need for
the services Of that old willy diplomat,
Marquis Ito. to check Russia. The man
for the hour was Yamagata, the expe-
ricnccd organizer Of armies, whose eff
cheney had been tested. Nor did the diet
indulge in its usual trades against Count
Matsukata. personally an unpopular man
with the hierarchy, but the foremost
financicr. and whose services rs such
were impcrativcly demanded. Japan
needed we'll drilled, well equipped ar
mics without the world being any the
wiser, and Yamagata undertook TO fur
nish them. Matsukata was to provide
the necessary money and no doubt has
completed his work. AS soon as Yama-
gaia resigns and is succeeded by Mar
quis Ito it will be 4 token that hostilities
arc imminent. Under no other circum-
stances will Ito be called upon to take the
helm.
Japan has recently placed several
loans in England. Her minister to Lon
don, Mr.. KatO Takcaki, is OH visit
home and recently delivered an address
upon England Of SO complimentary a
tenor as to suggest that further favors in
q pccuniary direction will be highly ac-
ceptablc. The terms of the address caus.
ed unqualified surprise, because, without
any tangible reason. a strong anti-Eng-
lish sentiment prevails.
another fact, which has been passed
over without attracting comment, Is the
recent promotion Of Mr.. Komura from
the japanese legation ut Washington to
that at St. Petersburg. The only Rus.
sian diplomat who inspires feelings akin
to fear In Tokyo Is Count Cassini, who,
when representing the car at Peking.
with the great suavity deprived Japan Of
the fruits Of all her victories and appro-
priated them to his own country. 1t will
not cause any surprise il this most astute
Of diplomats were called ut any time to
the foreign Office ut st. Petersburg, where
his intimate knowledge Of Japan. Korea
and China will soon be of the greatest
service.
1T IS scarcely necessary to mention
that the Tsikishima, the largest and
deadliest of sea monsters, is hurrying to
Join Japan's by no means despicable feet.
The Fuji and the Yashima. two huge bat
tleships, have been ready for some time.
Almost every dockyard in England, Ger
many and France has been pressed into
service to help increase Japan's navy. The
United States contributed two cruisers,
the Kasagi and the Chitose. Nor were
the dockyards Of Japan idle. All these
ships are manned by crews to whom no
command will be more cheering than that
Of Clear for action" Every man Of
them has been taught and knows tha:
Japan's discontinue in the retrocession
of Port Arthur and the Liao Tong PEN
insula was the work Of this foe, and such
knowledge will nerve the muscle and steel
the heart."-R. van Bergen in Ainslee's
Magazine.