The Irish standard., 1904-11-26
THE YELLOW FOG
Hanging Over Manackuria is
Lifting, Says an Authority,
Remarkable Utterance of the
French Minister to Russia.

"AN AAeSA NACW WILL Tue COCTe-
spondent of the Gaulois, the French
Ambassador at st. Petersburg, M.
Bompard, after blowing to atoms the
Russian torpedo boats" in the North
Sea, clears away the yellow fogs hang
Ing over Manchuria. Here is his clear
and simple statement Of facts:
"What were those vessels that were
seen both by the Russian officers and
the English fishermen? According to
the former, they were Japanese tor
pedo boats, and according to the latter,
they We're Russian torpedo boats.
ut is impossible for me to fix the
nationality Of these phantom vessels,
because they vanished in the darkness.
But, at all events, they were certainly
not Russian torpedo boats, and here
is my proof:
when the second Pacific feet, as it
is officially called, left the Baltic, it
was followed by eight torpedo boats;
but when the Hull incident occurred
one OF these boats was at Skegan, Den
mark, for repairs, and the others were
at Cherbourg. Consequently, there
was no Russian torpedo boat near
when fire was opened by the Russian
Admiral. But you may ask me again,
what were these boats with three fun
nels which the Russians and the Eng
lish saw plainly? That is something
which the inquiry may make plain per-
haps. At all events the Anglo-Russian
difficulty is no longer a source of an
xiety. 1t will be settled amicably, and
l may add that, in this delicate matter
French diplomacy did not fail to per-
form it's duties.
"Now let us speak of the war in the
Far East. Before my departure for
Manchuria I had several conversations
with General Kuropatkin. This illus
trious soldier was never deceived in re-
gard to the difficulties of his task. He
told me that the war would last at
least two years, and he expected at
the close of the first year he would
be obliged to fall back as far as Khar-
bin. The reason was that the troops
under his command, were not trained
on the European plan. At the present
moment the Cars army in Man
churia counts scarcely three divisions
of European troops; but things will be
changed when the Russian generals
simo will have under his orders the
European troops which he demanded
Certainly the Japanese army is one
of rare intrepidity; but it is doubtful
if the generals of the Mikado have
been equal to their task. The sue
cesses which they have obtained-an6
they have not yet taken Kharbin MOI
even Mukden-were paid for at a,
enormous cost. 1t was, as matte,
Of fact, by sacrificing, without meas
ure and beyond all measure, thousand
and thousands of their best men thai
they We're able to drive back the Rus
slams. But the plumbers committed b
the Japanese generals are countless.
GAS to the issue of the war ther
can be no doubt. The Russians wi
be victorious. Already the Japanes
are out of wind from military an,
financial point Of view. Understan
me. The Japanese who for a Ion
time were preparing for war with Ru
STA, a war which they desired, pc
sessed at the time of the rupture G
relations with their present powerfl.
adversary immense financial resource
derived from the Chinese indemnit.
something which people seem to TO
get. These resources are now e:
hausted, and I wonder where tt
Japanese government will get IT,
money to continue the for anoth,
year. Russia is not in that pligh
She has millions of men, and her T.
sources are, so to say, without limit.
"Now, as I said, Japan wanted IL
war. During the negotiations til:
preceded it, Russian diplomacy di
played the most eager desire to con
to an understanding with the COVER
ment of the Mikado. The latter CLAIM
ed free hand in Corea; Russia co,
scented to that. Then the Japanese go,
eminent demanded the recognition b
Russia of Manchuria as Chinese tie,
ritory and the evacuation of that ter
ritory by the Russian troops. Russi:
did not refuse that demand; sh'
merely insisted upon delays in th'
evacuation.
Japan would hear no more and
knowing the military weakness OF
Russia in that territory at that time
she started the explosion, without an!
declaration of war.
"There you have the simple and alb.
solute truth.
depend upon it, Russia will never
consent to sheathe her sword until she
has conquered. Unfortunately mucl
more blood must be shed and many
milliards engulfed; but for the blood
and money lost and to be lost Russia
can never be held responsible"