The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1904-08-04

Professor wstannbe OF Tokyo Uaf-
versitx Tells OF the Islands vaIue
70 Japanese Peoples wal, lie
says, Demanded War Win Russia.
Chinese sympatby with japan.
Professor Y. Watanabe Of the Uni
versity Of Tokyo. who recently spent
few days il Boston studying tie
schools Of mining and metallurgy to
the Institute OF Technology ana Har-
ward university. is professor Of mining
and metallurgy in the great Japanese
university and has charge of the Jap
anese mining exhibit at the st. Louis
fair says the Boston Globe. He IS
making a tour at the present time of
the principal colleges and educational
institutions in the eastern states IN
which mining and metallurgy are
taught
When sought at the Brunswick hotel
by a Boston Globe reporter, Professor
Watanabe spoke very entertainingly Of
the present war between Japan ana
Russia, and said it should be clearly
understood that this war was not a
governmental affair. Ii is a war Of the
whole people Of Japan against the en-
eroachments Of Russia. 1t is a national
war and one which the people demand
ed. He left Japan In March, when tile
excitement was at fever heat and then
the people were ready TO sacrifice eV-
erything to carry on the war
But, said Professor Watanabe, .the
war has not disturbed the business of
Japan very much. Everything Is going
on very much as before the war,
though ! don't believe everything is go
ing on ia Russia as smoothly as before
the war.
Professor Watanabe believes that If
Japan Is successful one Of the frst
things she viii demand from Russia
is the cessi0n OF the island Of sag
halien (also spelled Sakhalin), which
Russia practically seized from Japan
about thirty years ago. This has al
ways been a sore spot with the Japa-
nese, Professor Watanabe says, aud a
political party has been in existence for
some time in Japan dedicated to the re.
coyery of this island, which lies very
close to the Siberian province Of Amur,
with the gulf of Tartary on the east
southeast and the sea Of Okhotsk on
the north-northwest 1t has an area Of
24560 square miles and a population of
| 100000 This island and the waters
that surround ii bear somewhat the
same relation TO Asia that Newfounds
land does to America. for here are the
great fishing grounds Of the north
Pacific and as fish IS a staple article
of diet In Japan the islands value can
| very easily be seen The Japanese
have had the right to fish on the COASTS
of Sakhalin ever since 1t was eeded,
but they want the island back rs a
part Of their empire 1t Is Only sepa-
rated from the island Of Yesso by a mar
/ row body of water known as Ia
| Perouse strait
Last year the quantity Of fish taken
| By the japanese from these waters was
1869 kolxu, valued at 1,192. 404 yen.
and the quantity taken BY Russians
amounted to 117.133 koku, valued at
], 0T9.G0T yen. The Japanese have now
ninety-nine fishing stations along the
coast, against seventy-eight Russian
stations. There are thirty Japanese
fishing companies operating iii the
waters, against twenty-five Russian.
so it can readily be seen that even now
the Japanese have more than senti-
mental interest in the island
Professor Watanabe says there is
little doubt that Chinese sympathy is
with Japan In this war He says that
within the past few years China and
Japan have been coming closer and
closer in their sympathies China has
seen through the error Of her exclu-
siveness and she has invited japan to
send teachers to her This Japan has
done, and at the present time there
are probably 1000 Japanese teachers
in China These teachers are in all
parts of the empire. Several Of the
professors in the University Of Tokyo
have gone TO Picking during the past
year to teach. Most of the teachers
are graduates Of the universities Of
Tokyo and Rioto These teachers get
along much better IN China than the
teachers from any other nation. be
cause there is such similarity In the
languages Of both nations
Fundamentally the languages are
the same, and what Is known as the
| Chinese classical language is very sim
liar to the japanese but modern Chi
nese writing is very unlike Japanese
writing. The significance Of this teach
ing by the Japanese becomes more and
more apparent every day, and 1t does
not bode we'll for the future Of any Of
the European nations in China, Japan
will be the dominant influence II Pc
king If she drives the Muscoyite ont
of Manehuria.