The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-03
RUSSIA AND JAPAN.

Students of the politics of the Far East
are quite sure that the time is not far
distant when Russia and Japan will meet
in armed conflict. They regard the col
llsion as ultimately Inevitable, notwith-
standing it may be deferred by diplomacy
for several years. Meantime both coun-
tries are preparing for the struggle. Like
the Beers, the japanese have for some
time been perfecting their arrangements
in anticipation of the war. AS soon as
the Russian government prevented Japan
from securing the just fruits of the victory
over China, and later seized and occupied
Port Arthur for her own ends, Japan be-
came convinced of the altogether unfriend-
~ attitude of Russia, and bestirred her
self in the most quiet and systematic way
to prepare for life and death struggle
with the Great White Bear whenever the
most favorable opportunity should be Of
fered. During the past five years, there
fore. Japan has been steadily recruiting
and drilling her armies, and adding to her
naval strength, until at the present time
she has available for active service $4,000
men of land forces. with 10000 reserves,
that of Russia, If not indeed its superior.
Japan has four first class battleships 70
Russia's three and sixteen modern cruis-
ers to Russias seven. OF the cruisers,
however, six of those belonging to Russia
are armored, while Japan has only one of
the class OF torpedo boats and destroy
ers Japan has three to every one owned by
n
mage and guns is with the japanese; be-
sides which the little yellow men of the
islands are known to be intrepid sailors
and daring sea fighters. which can hard
ly be said of the Russians. On the other
hand, Russia has almost limitless re-
sources in men and supplies while Japan
Is comparatively poor Still, the Russian
base would be much further away from
the scene of the prospective war than that
of japan, which would be an advantage
to the latter.
Korea, of course, is the bone of conten-
ton Japan needs the peninsula for her
overlooking population. 1t has been said
that Japan must expand or lie, and the
| nearest land TO her is Korea. The logical
direction of expansion. therefore, would
be into the Hermit Kingdom. 1t was the
domination of that territory that led to the
war with China. Having defeated China
japan was in a position to assert herself
| in Korea and would have done so but for
the interference of Russia, who later
seized Port Arthur for a Russian naval
base. Japan has never forgiven this in
reference, indicating as it did Russia's
purpose to ride rough shod over the island
! nation If it suited her purpose to do so.
And the construction of the Trans-Sibe-
rian Railway, and the extension of the
| sphere of Russian influence in China, made
it plain that it would suit the purpose of
| Russia TO dominate Korea, and brush ia
pan out of the way. On Russia's side it is
purely a contest for territory. On Japan's
side it is a struggle for life. This is the
| view of it taken by Arnold White in a
| thoughtful paper on the subject in Har-
per's Weekly.
| What the outcome of a struggle be-
tween these two Powers would be is prob
Iematical Russia is great and powerful,
but Japan is no foe to be despised. Should
the fortunes of war fan upon the side of
Japan, it is predicted that the open
door" of China would be closed; and not
only that, but the successful Asiatics,
with unbounded ambition would soon be
coveting the Philippines, Borneo, Suma-
ira and even Australia. On the other
hand, Russian success will probably not
be followed by the closing of Chinese ports
to foreign commerce, for the reason that
best Russian policy would seem TO point
TO a different course. Russian ambition
has not yet run in commercial channel,
though ii may do so in years TO come.
At present the ambition of the Muscovite
is military and he would not so much OBJ
ject to a sharing of Chinese trade. 1t is
this commercial consideration which
makes the Russo-Japanese situation inter
esting to Americans and other English
speaking people.