Daily Kennebec journal., 1904-02-13

,
| conversation against Secretary Hays
note to the powers touching the Russo
Japanese war. They urge that there
are rocks ahead; that the United States
T, may ultimately be involved in war as
the result of Secretary Hays note
II the Russians win, but are worn out
Mr.. Hay would urge that Manchuria
be restored to China by joint action Of
the powers. If the Russians Win and
are still ready to fight. Mr.. Hay would
be willing to let them keep Manchuria
if American treaty rights are protect
| ed, and an agreement entered into by
| the powers to preserve the rest Of
China. If the Japanese are victors,
Mr.. Hay believes they will voluntarily
| restore Manchuria to China. The Jap
anese ministers say that is Japan's in
| tention. .,.... ...
The readiness with which England
and Germany agree to the proposition
OF Secretary Hay is not surprising. II
China should be involved in the con-
fiict, or be made the theatre Of hostil-
| ties, serious results might accrue in
volving the change of spheres Of in
fiuence or the acquiring of territory,
held or coveted by Germany or Eng
land. England now has the Yangtse
valley, and Germany has part of the
Shantung peninsula. Should the war
| be carried into China neither of these
powers might be able to extend their
spheres of influence.
| One objection to Secretary Hays note
is that if China for any reason should
| refuse to be neutral we might find
! ourselves actually at war with her and
with Japan TO enforce Chinese neutral
rbn In
the unpleasant consequences that
would follow an American attempt to
preserve the neutrality of that part Of
China which is called Manchuria. Be
sides. it is remarked that if the moral
effect of the guarantee Of the integrity
of China proved insufficient to deter.
supposing she should prevail against
| Japan. then we might find ourselves at
war with Russia.
To this it is rejoined that should the
note of Secretary Hay be adopted by
by the European powers. the moral in
| huence of the federation Of Europe
with the United States as against Rus
sia would be sufficient. Should all the
powers of Europe. except France. con-
cur, there would yet be adequate
booking of the European concert to
make effective the program Of Secre-
tary Hay.
| Washington naval experts are sure
that the American naval experts are
sure that the American naval policy
has been thus far vindicated in the sue
cess of the Japanese. The Japanese are
adopting the American tactics. dirfgi-
bic torpodoes. The recent decision 70
supercede huge battleships with swifter
and more powerful cruisers is also VIM
tn1 it,t To 60.
torpedo boat handled with audacity
and skill has arrived as a tool of navai
success. That Russia should be unpre-
pared and devoid of watchfulness is
surprising. That the mind of the
-Aaiatic is more alert than that of the
sluggish Russian has been shown,
greatly to the cost of Russia,
| 1t is now claimed that Russian troops
available for war in the Far East are
not much over 100000. Japan can call
out half a million men. if necessary.
and Japan is orr the spot. ~
That the Russians possess little
strategic ability seems to have been
shown in this weeks naval combats.
| Naval officers believe that the Japa-
nese will from the first continue to
make the better showing on the sea
They are more used to the sea. They
occupy an insular kingdom like the
people of the United Kingdom.
The Russians have good equipment,
but they lack trained officers and men.
1t is the strategy Of the japanese to
paralyze the foe OH the sea and then
10 tackle the land. If reports are true.
| Port Arthur is already untenable by
| Russia. We may look for great fleet
of transports to land troops in vast
y.
i'll quick striking distance OF the Rus
sian railway line. Then the storm cen-
ter shifts from Corea to Manchuria
That the CZarevitch torpedo. beached
at Port Arthur, was protected with
extra thick armor. shows that torpe-
does are not stopped by extra precau-
tons. The submerged torpedo Is no
longer debatable Weapon; it Is the
most dangerous article in naval war
| fare.
1t is now settled that the American
! battleships Georgia, New Jersey and
fhore Island will be equipped with the
submerged torpedo tool and our force
of torpedo boat destropers will be in
ere ased. Russia had them, but did
not know how to make them useful.
| The Japanese now have full COM
mand of the sea. The Russian fleet in
the Yellow sea seems doomed to dcs-
tluotion or to capture. Seven Russian
ships are said to have been destroyed.
four battleships and three cruisers. Off
Port Arthur. The Russian conlmunica-
ton in Manchuria is cut.
While the Russians are pouring
troops into Corea from the north. from
the south come the Japanese equal In
numbers and more rapid in movement.
The Japanese have the strategic ad-
; vantage on land because they are on
the shortest line. and their troops can
be handled by the sea. The winter Is
adverse to the Russian advance. The
passes over the mountains at the north
are inaccessible. The. Japanese may
send a naval and land force to the
falu river. cut off the Russian line OF
communication at the rear and make
serious trouble. There is a possibility
that Dalny may be stormed and that
the Port Arthur railroad may be cut