The Irish standard., 1904-12-10
PROGRESS OF HE WAR

1t is now fully realized how vain
We're the boastings Of the japanese
when they said shortly after the COM
mencement of the war that they would
spend the present winter in Hardin.
Their early successes surprised them
selves and the world, and led them to
believe that Russia would fall an easy
victim to their skill and bravery. It
now appears certain that their great
success was due rather to the minute
and perfect preparation with which
the Japanese commenced the war and
to the appropriateness Of the Russians.
The war has been in progress for ten
months. Repeated victories have been
announced on the part Of the japanese.
II the present reports are to be be-
lieved Russia has met more stunning
defeats than any other country did in
any war in similar length of time.
Notwithstanding all this, Port Arthur
is still in the hands Of the Russians,
and the Russian fleet is still undestroy-
ed and the larger portion Of Man
churia is still in the possession Of Rus
STA. Evidently we have been deceived
by our public press and by our own
prejudices. For many years a cam
paign has been carried on in this coun-
try through the press, the object Of
which was to turn the sympathies of
the American people against Russia.
1t has been said that this campaign
was started by the press in London
for the purpose of aiding the japanese
and, indirectly, the English against
their most powerful rival, the Bear of
the North. However that may be, the
people Of this country have been de-
ccived into believing that Russia
would fall an easy victim.
We do not hear so much about the
ultimate success of the Japanese. Re-
cent events show marked strengthen
ing on the part of Kuropat kin and less
dash on the part of the Japanese. 1t
has been proven already that the ST.
berian railroad is much more effective
than was supposed. In fact, it an
pears that troops and supplies have
been transported over this immense
railway system in greater number and
amount than was thought possible.
Japan had the advantage in the begin
ming in that it speedily secured control
of the sea and was thus able to trans
port troops into Manchuria at very
rapid rate. These troops, transported
early last summer, constituted the
flower of the japanese nation. In the
earlier engagements of the war they
were pitted against the raw Siberian
troops under General Kuropatkin.
The morale of the Japnese army was
far superior to that under Kuropatkin,
composed largely of exiles and men
who had themselves been transported
from Russia for political crimes.
Lately, however, the Russians have
been sending some of their very best
regiments to the far east. The flower
OF the Russian army is being taken
from the German frontier and in
speedy and orderly manner transport
ed direct to Hardin. On the other
hand, the troops which Japan is send
ing to take the place of those slaugh-
tered before Port Arthur and in the
terrible fighting around Laioyaing are
very much older men than those first
sent over. They do not appear to have
the extraordinary endurance of the
first army. Kuropatkin has been great
ly strengthening his army in quality
as well as quantity, but the Japanese
seem unable to supply the places of
the first troops. This fact probably
accounts for the extraordinary efforts
made OH the part of the Japanese hos.
pital corps to get every wounded SOL
der in fit condition for re-entering the
army. Not only on land but on sea do
the prospects of RUSSIA seem better.
The Baltic fleet is now on it's way to
the far east. If it gets there before
the fall of Port Arthur, all the vic
tories Of Japan will be for naught, for
there is no doubt that the Baltic fleet
is sufficiently strong to engage Toga's
whole fleet and thus possibly, if not
probably, relieve the blockade of Port
Arthur and effect the escape of the i'm
prisoned ships in the harbor. In that
case both fleets would no doubt be
more than Il match for the entire naval
force Of Japan. The Baltic fleet is
proceeding eastward in four sections;
the first squadron consisting of five
battleships, four cruisers and eighteen
golfers, under Admiral Rodjestvensky,
Is now somewhere in the neighborhood
of Cape Good Hope. The second
squadron, instead Of going round the
southern extremity of Africa, is, from
the best information obtainable, pro-
ceeding through the Suez canal, and
will doubtless join the first squadron
ut some rendezvous in the Indian ocean.
This second squadron is under Ad-
miral Folkerson and consists of two
battleships, four cruisers and seven de-
sroyers and transports. The third
squadron passed Dover on Thanksgiv-
ing day and is now proceeding east
ward via the Suez canal. Assuming
that thoSo soof}ors of tho Dol&;o qo.A