The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-02-19

Y Manchuria, the scene of the greater bat ales in the Eastern war as at present planned, is mountainous province of the Chinese empire as, large as all our New England and Middle States, with Colorado thrown in. It's population Is much less dense than that of our Eastern States. or that of China proper. The latest estimates give 1t nearly the population of New York and Massachusetts combined-about s6OO,- OC0.
 The original Manchurians were not Chi- nese. They were a part of the Outside barbarian" world against which the Chi- nese built their great wall. The present Chinese imperial dynasty, however, is Manchurian, coming from Mukden, the Manchu capital. where their dead ances- tors are buried. Hence Mukden is a sac- Fred city in the eyes of Chinese courtiers. and its capture by the Japs in the recent war had a corresponding political effect.
 The Manchu language, is employed in the Chinese court but is not understood by the Chinese proper. When Manchuria ;, was added to the empire 1t was under populated, much as our country was by the Indians, and to fill 1t up the Chinese transplanted there Chinese Mahometans from Central Asia and other mixed, peo- pies. For this reason the inhabitants of Manchuria are now of many races and tongues, a IaCL WnlCn makes lL easier 10 hold them in subjection.
 ?. Newchwang, at the apex of the Gulf of Liaotung, is in about the latitude of New E York city. Port Arthur is at the point of long peninsula which divides the Gulf 1. of Pechili from the Yellow Sea, and which is fancifully known as '"The Regents Sword Its latitude iS that of Baltimore
 The climate. however, seems to be more severe in Southern Manchuria than in New York and Baltimore. The presence , of the vast mass of the Asian continent behind the Yellow Sea subjects the coast to blizzards from the west which make the winter bitter cold.
 Russia has in Manchuria two claims one good, the other good enough to blufG upon9until she Is called" She has a le- gal right under treaty with China to maintain her railroads in Manchuria and |. to keep troops there to guard the lines. . Since the Boxer troubles. however, Rus sta has kept strong bodies of troops In towns that are nowhere near the rail 3 roads, practically occupying and controll- saRg the whole country. It is this latter 3sapd wider occupation, permitted at the AtbIne as supposed measure of safeguard sfig. foreigners in China during the troubles. that Russia has promised again and again to end but has not ended As Japan conquered all that region once and WIS SnOOSu out or IL Dy the allied pow CTS. this naturally reused her ire especial- ly, though as simple matter of business the United States and other nations have sought assurances from Russia that she l would retire from an occupation which is no longer warranted.
 Manchurias possibilities may be com pared roughly to those of our North At lantic States. Its splendid wheat harvests call every year thousands of Chinese la borers nOrthward, and many of these re- main. The mountains are full of mineral wealth, the fields are broad and fertile the harbors excellent and commanding {. from the military point of view Port Arthur commands Picking and the most sp6Buious provinces of China.
 Tie people of China proper and of Man churia have to a considerabl" extent swapped places. Hundreds of thousands lof Manchus have gone south to become rtkle warriors and the court dignitaries and stfer provincial governors of China Most xtgfhe fine, tall. handsome men whom ,ifi ssttis country we have seen as representa- ffves of the Chinese empire have been of original Manchu stock. Meanwhile the Aa active little Chinese of the more usual