Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-08-06
JAPAN'S COVETED LAND
One Great Object Is to Regain
Island of Sakhalin.
IT'S SEIZURE EVER A SORE SPOT.

Professor Watanabe of Tokyo UnI-
verSity Tells of the Islands Value
to Japanese Peoples VIII, He
Says, Demanded War With Russia.
Chinese Sympathy With Japan.
Professor \. Watanabe Of the Uni
versity of Tokyo, who recently spent
u few days in Boston studying the
schools of mining and metallurgy in
the Institute Of Technology and 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 tour at the present time of
the principal colleges and educational
institutions in the eastern states in
which mining and metaIlurgy are
taught
When sought at the Brunswick hotel
by u Boston Globe reporter, Professor
Watanabe spoke very entertaininGly Of
the present war between Japan and
Russia, and said 1t should be clearly
understood that this war was not a
governmental affair 1t is Il war Of the
whole people of Japan against the en-
croachments of Russia. 1t is a national
war and one which the people demand
ed. He left Japan In March. when the
excitement was at fever heat, and then
the people were ready to sacrifice ev-
orything 10 carry on the war
But" said Professor Watanabe, the
n
Japan very much. Everything is going
on very much as before the war,
though 1 don't believe everything is go
ing on I'm Russia as smoothly as before
the war"
Professor Watanabe believes that If
Japan is successful one Of the first
things she will demand from Russia
is the cession of the island of Sag
halicn (also spelled Sakhalin, which
Russia practically seized from Japan
about thirty years ago. This has al
ways been IL sore spot with the Japa-
nesc, Professor Watanabe says. and
political party has been in existence for
some time in Japan dedicated to the re
covery 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-nOrthWcSt. 1t has an area of
21.JGu square miles and a population of
100000. This island and the waters
that surround it bear somewhat the
same relation to Asia that Ncwfound-
land does to America, for here are the
great fishing grounds of the north
Pacific and as fish Is staple article
of diet in Japan the islands value can
very easily be seen. The japanese
have had the right to fish OH the coasts
of Sakhalin ever since ii was coded,
but they want the island back as
part OF their empire. It is only sepa-
rated from the island of Yesso by mar
row body of water known as La
Pcrouse strait
Last year the quantity of fish taken
by the japanese from these waters was
1859 koku. valued at 1872. IO4 yen.
and the quantity taken 10y Russians
amounted to 11T.133 kOku, valued at
1.6I9,GO1 yen. The Japanese have now
ninety nine fishing stations along the
coast. against seventy-CiSht Russian
stations. There are thirty Japanese
fishing companies operating in the
waters. against twenty-five Russian.
So it can readily be seen that even now
the Japanese have more than a senti-
mental interest In the island.
Professor Watanabe says there is
little doubt that Chinese sympathy is
with Japan in this war. lie says that
within the past few years China and
Japan have been coming closer and
closer I'm their sympathies. China has
seen through the error OF her cXclu-
sIvcness and she has invited Japan TO
send teachers 70 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 10 PekinG during the past
year 70 teach. Most of the teachers
are graduates of the universities OF
Tokyo and Kioto. These teachers get
along much better in China than the
teachers from any other nation. be-
cause there is such n similarity in the
languages OF both nations.
Fundamentally the languages are
the same. and what is known rs the
Chinese classical language * very sim
liar 10 the Japanese. but modern Chi
neSc writing is very unlike Japanese
writing. The significance OF this teach
ing blythe japanese becomes more and
more apparent every day. and it does
not bode well for the future of any OF
the European nations in China. Japan
VIII hc the dominant influence in Pc
king If she drives the Muscovite out
OF ManChuria.