Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-09-10
RUSSIA AND JAPAN.
Conditions as Observed by nm American
Globe TrOtter.

Mr. Henry Frederick who has just
broken the record for the shortest time
consumed in encirclng the globe, hay
ing made the entire circuit in Of days
seven hours and % minutes was inter
viewed in New York on Thursday. He
said concerning his trip through Man
churia and Japan, which Is the seat
of anticipated trouble between Russia
and Japan: LAS | journeyed eastward, to-
ward the scene OF the expected strfo.
militarism was strikngly obvious. All
the trains Of the Trans Siberian railway
were guarded with soldiers, and detach-
ments of troops We're being moved to-
ware Mancnura. on the train on which
| travelled there YVES IL armed guards,
and detachments Of soldiers We're sta
toned at bridges and any point where
a wreck would cause disaster to the
railway.
Near Lake Baikal asked the con-
ductor of the train. who spoke broken
English, as to why the trains were
guarded with soldiers, and spoke of the
detachments of troops that We're being
carried toward Port Arthur, When |
asked him what the troops were being
hurried eastward for, he shrugged his
shoulders and said. 'Rumors of war
and that the soldiers We're placed on
guard because Of the danger of attack
from Chinese brigands and bandtti; but
from what | could learn it Is because
the Russians fear the japanese spies
and the secret service men.
From what | saw in Manchuria |
can tell you this: Russian policy is
without doubt to hold Manchura. and
also NewchwanE. Moreover it seems
that Russia does not intend to take any
steps to avert hostllities with Japan,
particularly il she feels assured that
Japan Will fight unaided, The war feel
ing among the Japanese in now quite
| led
mnent when I was therein fact, it
seemed a matter Of months, if not weeks
For japan nothing could be more ir-
ritating than the Russian attitude in
Manchura, crowned by the ostentatous
gathering of the large war heet as an
act of defiance. The concentration of
| the squadrons at Port Arthur-where
there were 81 warships of all sorts and
| sizes--is for Japan much what similar
Gathering of an antagonistic nation in
the British Channel would be to Eng
| land.
Manchuria is well worth holding. and
Russia Is in possession. The people Of
Manchura are in state Of fright, for
| they fear that with the coming hostili-
ties-and they regard war as certain
| they will have to abandon their homes
and take flight Although it is, OF course,
most difficult in journeyns through a
country to secure universal opinion,
|
OF education. | should say that the gem
eral opinion is anti Russian instead Of
| otherwise as has often been stated.
The natives favor the Japanese who are
| looked on as the champions OF weaker
| China by the more educated Chinese.
| "Manchuria is still nominally Chinese,
OF course, but ii is ruled from st. Peters
| burg through China, or, rather, through
| Chinese men of straw. Men of putty,
who can be moulded just as the Rus
slams wish, are placed at the head OF
| districts, and they rule according to the
dictates of the real rulers. This arrange
| ment is of incaculable advantage to
| Russia in the commercial conquest OF
| the three provinces Russia liz now de-
posting 10000 soldiers in Manchuria, at
| the rate of about 1000 daily. Their arma-
ment consists mostly of mountain artil-
lery. Japan is also preparing for war
| soldiers and officers are giving goodby
to their families, with the expectation
OF being away for a long time. Formosa
is already filled with troops and war Is
expected, according To interviews with
many officials, after the rice crop, which
is early in September.
Japan will have hard task unless