Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1904-05-12
THE WARS FIRST STAGE.

fully perfected their plans, with every
thing in readiness, the japanese lost
no time in rushing the enemy out Of
southern Manchuria and beginning
the investment of Port Arthur, the
only post still held by the Russians
in those parts. The disastrous defeat
at Kiulieng Cheng. followed imme-
diately BY the blocking Of Port Arthur
harbor and the landing Of a large
army on the peninsula above this
port, designed to assist in its siege,
speedily put an end to the hope that
the Russians, by showing a bold front,
could delay the japanese advance
until later in the season when time
would have worked TOR Russia's adj
vantage.
The striking capacity OF the Japan
nese in the operations thus far is only
equalled by the striking incapacity Of
their foe. While the little islanders
have gone at their task with a skill
nothing short OF marvellous, the Rus
SLAMS have acted as il val were a new
game altogether to them. Compare
the swift and damaging blows struck
by the Japanese %squadrons at Chemul-
pho and Port Arthur at the outset with
the awkward and ineffective defence
the japanese occupation of Korea and
the movement to the Yalu with the
feeble, even ridiculous, efforts to ham
per them; the alertness of Togo's
squadron before Port Arthur with the
stupidity that would allow such an adj
versary to plant mines inshore and
then draw a great battlesiip over them
to its W destruction the courage
and persistency with which this block
aiding squadron kept at its task Of
c'osing the harbor entrance over re-
peated failures TO final success with
anything done by the defenders either
to protect themselves or to harm their
enemy the mechanical precision with
which Gen. Kurino launched his bat
.talions across the Yalu, crushing Sas-
sulitch before he could even effect an
orderly retreat, with the steps taken TO
prevent the passage OF this important
boundary or to impede the heavy on
coming force and finally, witness the
hurried retreat to the northward Of the
Wanted arms of the car before the
doughty little fighters to whom civil
lized warfare, in practical experience,
is almost a new thing. Such COMPARE
sons as these bring home the fact that
up to now the japanese have simply
"made a monkey Of the supposedly
strongest power in Europe. Startling,
isn't it2 Well may other powers that
have gleefully rubbed the Jap on now
feel their own muscle and ask them
selves if they could possibly have
done a slicker job to date-and if they
could view with utter equanimity a
brush with Japan themselves.
II is true that the war is TOT yet
over. Japan is having her inning
now, say some; wait till Russia comes
to bat. 1t is, indeed, too much to ex-
pect that Japan can march through
uninterrupted victory to a triumphant
peace. She will yet suffer reverses,
for such is the history of all great
wars. She is fighting a foe who has
made his way TO the front not by bril-
liancy at arms or in peace, but by a
stolidity and persistence in the face
of adversely that finally overcame it
This is the Russian way, and Japan
will find that while she may defeat the
foe in the field his conquest is quite an
other thing. Yet Japan is doing all
that she has thus far been called upon
to do with a thoroughness that may in
the end stake a limit to the Great
Bears advance.
Japan has some natural advantages
over Russia in this fight. and it is to
her great credit that she makes the
most of them. Being insular, she can
mask her movements, and by censor
ing the telegraph keep all useful in
telligence from the foe. Russia can
not. Japan foresaw the value Of sea
supremacy and quickly struck to
secure it. She succeeded, and Russia
was at once put upon the defensive.
with a wide territory to protect. and
the Japs liable to strike anywhere at
any time. The horrors OF war were
thus removed from Japan's territory
to Russia's, leaving the islands in
condition to supply a maximum of
men and supplies that can easily be
sent across the sea to the mainland.
On the other hand, Russia is fighting
at arm's-length, with only a slender
line Of railroad 5000 miles long to
serve for communications. She has
but two ports on the Pacific. and one