The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-04-24

miserabIy. II must be remembered
however. that the Russian soldier is not
accustomed to the luxurious fare OF Inc
American soldier, for instance, or even
of the Japanese. and he still would be
efficient under conditions that would De
a scandal in our service. The Cossacks
can scrape up a living where others
would starve. They are, in fact. the
most accomplished foragers in the world
and as they usually have spare horses,
sometimes two for each man, they are
likely to be the most mobile and best
fed troops In the field of operations.
The Chinese farmers will not be likely
To cause the Russians any considerable
anxiety In the territory which they now
occupy. Too many of them have been
made rich. according to their lights. by
the Russian occupation. and the whites
have done everything TO make the aS-
riculturists understand that they are
friends and their interests Identical
Japanese Supply System Good.
The Japanese system of transport as
a whole is much superior 10 that of the
Russians Starting from Japan all sup
plies are done ND in packages covered in
mating, OF a size that can be easily lift
EN ~ NWO HILL Al-SC DctOhd So az 49,
On steamers. then transferred to smaller
tugs. of which the japanese have plenty.
then from the tugs to the small boats.
From the shore, on which, owing TO
their light-draft steamers and small
boats, they can land with considerable
facility at many points. their supplies
are transported In light carts, most
adaptable 10 the country they will have
to fight in These vehicles are in strong
contrast to the heavy Russian cart.
Again, the Russians have no corps of
transport men other than the Cossack.
whereas the japanese troops have only
to fight. for they bring their own corps
of coolies.
During their war with China they
showed a remarkable ability to create
their transport and commissariat APP
parently out of nothing as they went
along They did not trouble much about
baggage trains: they had them, to be
sure. well supplied and well organized,
but the troops moved so quickly that
they were out of touch with their
wagons half the time. They travelled in
the lightest possible order and picked
up any old native carts or mules OF
! them serve the necessities of the mo-
ment, and then letting them go and get
ting others farther on. The only draw
back of this system was that as the
campaign advanced the armies became
| clogged by large numbers of coolies and
/ other camp followers, who created q
i great deal of trouble. During the ad-
vance to the relief of the besieged leEa-
tons at Pekin the Japanese cOmmissarN
was, by common agreement of the for
eign officers. better than that of any Of
4, the European troops, and the japanese
! soldiers showed a genius for foragins
/ and accommodating their appetites Il
the food available in the country. II
J the present campaign the Mil1ado':
fighting man is carrying a great dea
more food with him than his Russian
adversary. Against the latter's tive
days rations he carries two cooked
rations OF rice in addition TO six emery,
I ency rations. These are contained IL
an aluminium mess pan. and as the rice
I has been boiled and dried in the sun, tn,
entire weight is trifing. 1t is commonly
supposed that the Japanese soldier live:
! entirely on rice and dried fish, but such
! is not the fact. He can live, and fgh
well. on that spare diet. If necessary
but he is given meat and other sustain
! ing foods. whenever practicable. as wei
] as beer OF sakf.