New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-01
NOTES ON THE WAR.

To-day IS election day IN japan new
House OF Representatives VIII be elected to take
the place Of the one which was dissolved IN
December last. That dissolution was due 70 a
practical vote OF lack OF confidence IN the Min
istry, and that adverse vote was provoked by
the long delay OF Russia IN replying TO Jap
anese note. Tho delayed reply was mace by
Russia only few hours after the dissolution.
Tho election to-day is thus closely connected
with the war. and we may expect to hear that
the voters IN burst OF patriotic enthusiasm.
have returned 4 practically unanimous House IL
support OF the governments vigorous policy.
There is something suggestive I'm the report
that the japanese feet and army have been or
dcTed TO capture Port Arthur to-day. That
would be n noteworthy eiec, ion dav deulonstra-
ton. But whether an attempt is 20 be made at
such capture or not the tone % the Russian
clearly that the boosted stronghold Is IN des-
perate straits.
The Russians are now more explicit IN their
statements OF injury 10 japanese warships-
They give us tho narres a. the vessels said %
have been injured ana sent 70 dock FOR repairs.
One IS the battleshlp Yash.IIa. she is not ons
OF the big four" but the smallest OF ell the
japanese battleships. being Of only 1890 TONS
But she carries II inches OF eruor and ten T.
inch guns and throws 1000 sounds IN a broad
side Besides which. she steans 10 knots an
hour. She IS thus a formidable vessei, ard her
temporary absen~o welxens the feet materially.
The Asama ana tae Toxlwa a-e aIs1 named.
They are two OF the finest aTIuOrei cruisers IN
the japanese navy, carrying inches Of arMor
ard four s-InCh guns and fourteen 6-inch suns
each and making g kIots hour They are
OF $3.50 tons each. II they have indeed been
injured. these vessels VIII doubtless soon DO
repaired. the japanese dOcEyards GnordinS I'M
surpassed facilities for doing the work. Even
while they are absent, .he remainder OF the
Japanese feet IS probably Tar more than a
match for the Russian.
The "IIam-Gyeng frontier" where the Rus
SLAMS are said to have attacked and dispersed
Corean troops. e so extensive that the news Is
sadly indefinite. There a-e two CO-ean prov
inces OF that name North Ham-Gyeng and
South Ham-Gyeng. CThe name also appears as
Ham Kyong and in various oth,r fo-msl These
form the northeastern part OF Corea, extending
from Manchuria at the north to the southern
part OF Broughton Bay at the south. and fto'n
the Sea OF Japan at the east to the middle OF
the Corean Peninsula at the west. The Ham
Gyeng frontier" therefore. may mean anywhere
along the Tumen River. or the upper part Of the
Nalu, or along en- irregular line from the conilu-
ence OF the YaIu and Chang-Chin rivers down
the centre OF the country to "A point south OF
Ping-Yang and thence across to the east coast
twenty miles south OF Won-San. That is TO say.
the land frontier OF Ham-Gyeng IL four hundred
miles long. Problem: To find where the Rus
SLAMS attacked the COreans.
dispatch from Hardin stated that all was
quiet there and at Pogranstchnaya The latter
place Is the railroad between Hardin and
Viadivostok. where the railroad crosses the
boundary line between SIanchuria and the
maritime province of Siberia about one-third
the distance from vladivostolS to Hardin. other
reports. Of signal lights on the hills and OF ir-