The Irish standard., 1904-07-09

Viewed in the light of the sieges in
our civil war, it cannot be said that
the real siege of Port Arthur has
commenced. The general public has
been misled by the press into regard
ing the maneuverS as general engage
ments, and the results as great VIC
tories, retreats or routs. The manu-
featured Japanese sympathy in this
country led most Americans into be-
lieving that the war would be IL COM
plete victory for Japan ere this. Of
course, thinking people We're not mis-
led by the fake dispatches. 1t now
appears that the war will be Il long
drawn out affair, and Notwithstanding
the many great Japanese victories re-
ported it seems that the position of
Japan is to-day much more perilous
than that of Russia. The military
situation is thus referred to in Il re-
cent issue of the Army and Navy
Journal:
The operations in Mancuuria thus
far have been i'll the nature of Il
Maneuvcring for position. Japan APP
pears To have secured her hold upon
torc;. Beyond this she has secured
nothing certain. and not even this
much if her ultimate fate should be
defeat. She has not vet taken Port
Arthur. and has not been able to Sc
cure. as she hoped to do, such absolute
control of the sea as to enable her to
disregard the movements of the Rus
sian fleets. The Japanese have shown
their superiority in naval battle, hut
must still keep watch and ward ut
NlHdivOstok as We'll as at Port Ar
thur. and perhaps detail Il portion of
their fleet to protect the army trans
ports. This largely neutraliZes their
assumed superiority in effective naval
strength. and compels them to move
with caution armies that are depend
cnt upon supplies brought over sea.
Disaster may mean ruin. and in this
respect the position of Japan is more
hazardous than that of Russia, which
is duly adding to the effective
strength of it's armies and it's store
of supplies. Assuming equal military
capacity and enterprise OH both sides,
we should say that the odds were now
in favor of Russia, and that her pros
poets would daily improve.
AS Russia draws the Japanese army
farther and farther into the interior
it becomes daily greater task for
Japan to maintain it's line of COM
mullication. Complete mastery of the
sea is absolutely essential to Japan.
Unless it can destroy the Russian
feet in the far East before the az
rival of Eussia's European fleet it is
apparent that the position of INuroki's
army is most perilouS And in des-
truyn% the Port Arthur fleet japan
cannot afford to weaken it's own navy
Should the Japanese fleet be greatly
weakened in destroying the Russian
fleet in the East, it is apparent tia t
Japan would not be- in position to
meet the reserves of Russia, which
are greater in number and power than
tl'r whole Russian naval power in
Tie East. The moment Japan loses
cc,ltrol of the sea she will be unable
to supply her army in the field. liz
ti,nt ease Kuropatkin'S boast that hn
would drive the Japanese army into
til" se;, and make peace ut Toxic,
would be realized No one should al
low himself to believe that Russia is
already defeated. The Russian PAL
thence and resources are we'll known.
She will now have further time in
which to bring UP troops and sup
plies. TO her it matters little that
the war is prolonged. The Russian
tanned largely for military purposes.
So far this war has not caused q rip
pie in her affairs 1t has not changed
the conditions of her people. 1t has
not and will not for Il long time draw
Il single reserve for service. Mean
while the Great Siberian railway
seems to be holding out and affording
il more safe line of communication
than .]apan's control of the sea.