The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1904-02-18

Russia and Japan la apparently not ex-
cited the interest in our country which
they demand 1t has been the possibility
of a worldwide CONFUSION which no
doubt has tended to hold back somewhat
the powers Immediately involved. but at
the moment of writing, this New Years
week, the outlook is very gloomy. The
politics in question are beyond the prov
ince OF this paper; 1t would be an inn
pproprlety on the part of the writer to deal
with them. 1t is proposed to give merely
a of existing naval conditions,
such as are patent to any one who chooses
to read the literature OF the subject, with
out any attempt to pass Judgment upon
them.
In the event of such a war, it needs no
words to accentuate the Importance Of
command of the sea. Should this fail to
the Japanese, it would mean the blockade
of Russia's Asian ports and the limita-
ton OF her lines of communication to her
newly constructed railways. 1t would be
open to Japan to invade Korea and Man
churia. The worst, however. which could
happen apparently to Russia would be
the loss OF control of Manchuria and Il
halt to her aspira tons in the east. Should
Russia control the sea, there would be
more than & reversal of such a situation,
Japanese ports would be subject to block
ade and attack and the nation itself to
invasion. Sea power is thus, as it SO often
has been, of primary Importance. In this
paper only that is dealt with now in the
probable theater of action-the far east.
The Fighting Ships.
The fighting ships tby which is meant
those which can both give and sustain
hard knoCks). and which are now face TO.
face, are on the Russian side eleven. seven
of which are ciaSsed as battleships and
four as armor@d cruisers. The seven bat
tleships are from 1890 to 1910 tons:
three of the armorcd cruisers are from
1923 to 1854 tons and one of 1880. Or
the JanaT!ese side are seven battleships,
six of which are from 12,51I to Is, 44S tons
and one of 1886, There are six armored
cruisers from 9,45i to 1906 tons. The fight
ing force sums up 1857 tons Russian to
152, i9S japanese. Also there are twelve
Russian torpedo-boat iestroyers and six
teen torpedo boats against Japan's nine
teen torpedo-boat dcStroycrs. thirteen tor
pedo boats. first class d20 to $50 tons,
thirty-siN second class $50 to 30 tons}, and
twenty-seren third class go to 65 tons).
Japs Lead in Large Ships.
Consideration must be had, however, of
the special characters of the ships in
Solyed, and for a clear understanding of
these ] insert the accompanying tables.
The table shows foac of the Japanese
battleships to exceed the largest Russian
by 2,3SS to 2,I43 tons. Though tonnage may
be generally as u rough measure of
power, II must be associated with certain
qualities OF design, particularly distribu-i
ton of armor, in order That it be taken
as in any degree a safe measure. Speak
ing generally, however, all-round eff
cheney. large coal supply, speed. heavy
and well-distrihuted armor and powerful
armament make large size 81 necessity.
All these canno be had in a slip of what
is today reckoned moderate size. The
Japanese Chen Yuen, though of moderate
both in protection and armament to be
ranked in the battle line. e. r. Jane Tin
his AL the Worlds Fighting Sfips'')1
rates her in average value with the Rus
sian Bayan and Rossia and our own
Brooklyn and Texas. Tho armored cruis-
ers " bean placed In the fighting line