Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-18
Japan's Higher Strategy.

The details of the destruction of the Rus
sian battle ship Petropavlovsk are coming
slowly to light, and it is probable that the
true version is now embraced in the dis
pa tches from both observing press corre-
spondents and the official Japanese reports.
The Russians have from the outset ins their
own official announcements stated merely
that the Inflated battle ship struck mine,
without identifying the engine of destruc-
ton. The first and altogether natural in
ference from this statement was that the
flagship had run upon one of the Russians
own mines, through its displacement, in
consequence of the loss of the mine charts
or from bad steering. Later came the sus-
picion that the Japanese were using SUBJ
marines. This was formally denied at the
Japanese legation at Paris. where it was
stated that Japan had no submarines. This
negation did not thoroughly convince, for
il it is true that the Japanese navy has
irdeed this equipment the most natural
course would be an absolute denial. The
circumstances of the disaster were such as
to lend color to the submarine theory until
it was explained, in the course of the press
dispatches. that the Japanese had them
selves deliberately planted a number of
mines of their own in the harbor's mouth
uEder the cover of darkness the night
before the engagement. This was accom-
plished under serious difficulties the Rus
sian searchlights on shore picking up the
korio Maru, the mining vessel which was
escorted by two divisions of destroyers and
one of torpedo boats The shore batteries
fired heavily upon her but did not injure
her and apparently her object was not
learned. for she and her escort steamed
to remove the mines she had laid.
This action was preliminary to the real
strategy. comprising the Turing of the Rus
sian fleet out of the harbor by the presenta-
ton of an inferior Japanese force. while
Admiral Togo, with a greatly superior
force, lay concealed in the fog some thirty
miles away. AS soon as the Russians had
been drawn to considerable distance from
the harbor wireless signals were sent to
Togo and he advanced toward the Rus
posed him in sufficient season to enable
Arthur. He made the harbors mouth in
safety but was himself destroyed just at
the moment of entering. through striking
one of the mines laid the night before by
the Korio Maru.
This explanation Is altogether reasonable
and clears away many previously mysteri-
Gus circumstances. 1t indicates that the
Japanese are determined to take desperate
chances to weaken and if possible destroy
the Russian naval force at Port Arthur
and that the Russian discipline is made
quate to the handling of such situation as
exists there. The shore batteries, it is
evident, cannot be very effective If the
Japanese can send a considerable force OF
small. defenseless craft into the very road
stead and deliberately plant series of
mines. Nor is the Russian acumen con-
spicuously evident in the face of the fact
that the purpose of this night visitation
was not suspected. The original conjecture
that the Russians had been hoist by their
cwn petard reflected sufficient dscredit
upon them without the disclosure of such
vulnerability to strategic attack as this
latest statement involves.