New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-25
VAR VIEWS OF EXPERTS.
The Problem of Subsistence-Where
Are the Russian Balloons?
TFRoM THE TRIBUNE BuREAu.l

iron THE TRIBUNE BUREAU
Washington April 24-WIth eight army Off
GERS with the Russian and japanese forces in
the field, and an additional army and one naval
officer stationed at st. Petersburg. the military
and naval authorities in Washington expect 10
derive much valuable information OF both
armies engaged in the war. II will be some
weeks before the mail brings anything Of i'm
portance, and probably much that comes from
the American naval and military representa-
tives in the Far East and at St. Petersburg
viii be regarded as confidential at least until
peace is restored. 1t is possible that some of
the information received from that quarter
will be edited and printed in the quarterly pub
lication Of Military Notes" issued by the mil
itary information division OF the army General
staff, but great care must he exercised in di-
vuging Information of this character lest the
United States offend government or the
other and lead to the recall Of the American
officers who are understood being afforded
unusual opportunities Of observation.
There are numerous subjects upon which the
experts here would like to have information,
one OF them being the operation Of the Rus
sian submarines which are announced as hav-
ing been shipped to Port Arthur by way OF the
Siberian Railway. Another subject OF interest
is the results of sunhre. heavy and light Some
of the ordnance with which Japan and Russia
have equipped their troops is new and practi-
cally untried except at the proving grounds.
and IL is important TO know whether or not
the theories of the inventors and builders have
been realized
The surgeons are equally anxious to learn
the extent and nature of the wounds inflicted by
the rife. while the conmissaries desire 10
know how fare the Russians with their rneagre
ration and the japanese with their dried fish
and boiled rice. one OF the principal factors
T..
rupted delivery OF subsistence to an army in
the field. It is quite important to the result
the supply OF ammunition. and It IS pointed
out by Colonel A. L. Wagner Of the General
STAFF, authority upon military strategy and
the writer OF the service textbook on the sub
jet, that armies situated as are the Russian
and japanese forces. confronted by the problem
Of advance I'm their scheme Of campaign. must
be self-sustaining and must not live on the
country"
He calls attention 70 the experience Of Ma
poleons army I'm Russia, when the command
was obliged to retreat through a country which
It had devastated Of food on its march Of inva-
sian. If the Russians and the japanese have
provided the means Of sustenance during a pro-
trscted season Of waiting equally endur-
during period of activity. they viii not be at a
disadvantage That country which has antici-
pated the need Of food for the troops in a coun-
try where provisions are not obtainable will
stand a good chance Of victory.
The War Department is in receipt Of a sam
pie OF the ration furnished the japanese troops
in the field. It is dried and compressed fish
each ration having the dimensions and the ap-
peara- of a dark banana It is hard enough
TO require a sharp knife. which is evidently
used Oy the soldier to whitte off slivers of food
The ration supplies nourishment for a soldier
for seven OK eight days. and this, with rice
composes the sole ration Of the Japanese in the
field.
The exact composition of the ration IS not
known. but the commissary department has
asked for some information the subject
more out or curiosity than anything else. for all
ordinary conditions likely TO confront American
soldiers would hardly require this government
to furnish any such form Of ration to its mill
tary forces In the field.
Naval officers are wondering why the press
dispatches from the Far East contain no men,
ton OF balloons and the kites with which Rus
sian ships are supposed TO have been
equipped as long ago as last summer. The
ports received by the military information di-
vision Of the War Department some time ago
gave descriptions Of these balloons for ships of
war on home and foreign stations, and the or
ganization OF balloon corps with three parks
one to be at Port Arthur. An officer named
Bolshev placed in charge OF the work and
went TO France for a tour Of inspection and
term OF study on the subject. There to be
a kite corps. and experiments were conducted
with the Baltic torpedo boat hotilla with view
10 issuing kites to ships I'm Asiatic waters. The
reports say that five of these kites Joined to-
gether could easily lift man into the air and
afford him opportunity 10 survey wide
region During a calm these kites can be
launched when a vessel is going at a rapid
speed. They were to be adopted for ell the Rus
sian ships. but no one seems to have seen any
of them, much less of the balloons.