Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-04-21

must und her salvation III 81
on land. They believe, OF ooui
the japanese have now gaiheu nc
rial advantage by their Vlctoiies o
water, and that possibly the sl.ud''o
for them will be made the ea'iei
land by their naval success. ne p'o'
lem is not by any means setlieu' 50
army officers. by the Japanese 'o''.,"'
of the sea, The removal of the RUSSIAN
ships of the Port Arthur fleet lioiii 'i''
scene of activity would enable the Jap
anese to land an army uhii'ip
the transportation of the iroois' Wy
ter, but military experts loon IN ~,
confidence for n great setp"'h ~,
Japanese as soon as the l'i'o
begins. 1t is regarded as adl'''i am
SagaciouS strategy OF the ''p"', :.
retain their positions in Cored' out IL
is considered Il hazardous uiiuel '"NI''S
to penetrate into Manchurfi' vi VIM"
n single element of weakness Wouiu pe
"a icn2thening of the line OF traNel LOT
their supply trains The RuSsEtiS are
IRA tirally on their own t"rfltoiy'
where they have prepared Tor a siese'
1t has been suggested by some OIL
GERS that If NAV he the Russian game
~ ittIt'tl p'lolt tut
and entice the enemy Well into Mah-
churia ana then accomplish their de-
feat by Il movement by cavalry on the
rear of the Japanese. The Schehie i''u9'
have also appeared to the japanese as
the most likely Russian maheuNre' ana
it may be that this anticipation Oh 'he
Russian plan will lead the japanese TO
remain in the security of the tore;ih
mountains, where they are propdpiy ny
this time strongly placed ana lnculher-
able against Russian attack. Inc
prompt retreat of the Russians from
the COrean bank of the falu river APP
pears to officers here to conilrm the
opinion that Russia is anxious to get
the Japanese troops across the bOun-
dairy and far enough from the river to
permit Of flank movements.
There has been much controversy
again over the real causes of the de-
StructiOn Of the PetropaVl0VSk, Army
men are inclined to mold that the Jap
anese are claiming too much credit. II
is pointed out by these doubterS that il
would be a difficult and hazardous mat
ter for the japanese, as well as thee
Russians. to plant mines in the sup
Arthur. A contact mine must be located
with great precision and at the right
distance from the surface of the water.
1t would be next to impossible, these
officers say, for any ont to place a
mine in the open sea, where the Rus
sian ship was destroyed with the GER
| tainty of achieving such deadly results
as in the case of the Petropavlcvsk.
1.lT
| the ship was blown up either by a
deliberately aimed or n stray torpedo
on the other hand. there are naval
| officers who insist that the project il
| possible and that the claims of the
japanese admiral must be accepted a:
beyond dispute in establishing credit
for the novel and remarkably accurate
plan of destruction.
There is one question which has been
raised by some officers who have fol-
| lowed the progress of the war. They ar.
asking whether or not the torpedo, the
| submarine boat and the submerged
mine are humane implements of war
| fare. The shipment from st. Peters
burg of five new submarine boats. as
| announced in Tuesdays dispatches
| makes the subject pertinent. and TIL.
| destruction Of the PetrOpavlovsk. with
| the enormous loss of life, furnishes al
example. 1t is argued that the object
of attack is not to destroy but to dis
| able. A crippled ship. like a crippled
| army, become a greater impeachment
| than vessel destroyed. 1t is on thu
| theory that a man who is dead gives
no trouble to his comrades. while the
| wounded must be cared FOR. 1t is point
ed out that if explosive bullets, poison
| Gus prOjectieS and other Internal in
| ventions of warfare are prohibited be-
cause of the inhuman damage they dc
in conflict similar objection might
well be raised against submarine war
| fare. The purpose of the Japanese at
| tack. it is contended. would be accom-
| plishod as we'll with the Russian ships
| disabled and the lives of human beings
| saved. BY most naval officers this pro-
position is charactiZed as benevOlcntly
| abSurcd.