The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-10-30

able efficiency in this war have occa-
stoned at once profound astonishmenr
and extravagant admiration. But
those who nave watched the quiet con-
struction OF arsenalS and naval sta
tons for the past ten years are not
surprised. With Il patient persistence
quite unusual to Japanese character.
Tor they are proverbially an impa-
tient people, these modern equip
ments have been secured. Selected
officers of the army and navy have
been kept in Europe and America
studying every new suggestion for in:-
proving both arms of the service. They
nave lost no opportunity TO educate
themselves in the art OF warfare, ana
have made prompt and Voluminous re-
= : Is TO the home government. These
otilcers when sent abroad have taken
positions in foundries, machine shops.
gun factories, etc., and they have
made themselves masters of the sew
erai crafts. This ample and tech
nical knowledge has been brought
home and naturalized in the shipyard
and arsenals of Japan. Indeed, though
not regarded as an inventive and origi-
nal people. being by nature initiative,
they have recently turned out guns.
and explosives of their own invention
that are said 10 be the most effective
in present use. A faculty for improv-
ing on the ideas of others is frequently
observed among these people.
The arsenal at Osaka turns out am
munition at the ordinary rate of Il
million rounds a day. Now with an
increased force, and the stern necessity
for munitions of war; the OUTPUT is
much larger. At Toxic and elsewhere
deadly explosives are manufactured
by the ton The great guns for the
artillery service, whose immense range
and wonderful accuracy have caused
the russians to retreat from so manv
nGn llC for
tured at Osaka. The arsenal at Toxic
IS OF fabulous capacity. 1t was there
the Marata rifle was manufactured,
but is now superseded by the "thir-
tieth year gun a Japanese invention.
which is said to be one of the finest in
the world.
Every Modern Device
Every modern device in transporta-
ton, in the preparation and preserva-
ton of food supplies for the army.
and i'm rapid communication have been
adopted. Field telephones. during Il
battles progress, have Enabled the
commanding officers to handle their
forces more efficiently. Wireless teleg-
raphy has helped the battle ships TO
report TO each other the movements
Of the enemy, and to more readily
form their line of battle for attack.
From the Yalu river northWards Cen
eral Kuroki has built a little railroad
for 80 miles or more. over which army
supplies have been pushed to the front
by coolies in defiance of rain and mud.
Surgeons with X-ray instruments and
every modern appliance known to
their profession, located bullets.
dressed wounds and rescued from
death thousands of soldiers who would
have died under the system of surgery
prevalent forty years ago The Japa-
nese hospital corps is a marvellous or
ganiZation, and l have not yet heard
q single complaint regarding it's eff
cheney, or failure to give first aid to
the wounded
The same is true of the navy
Japan's programme of naval expan-
sion for the past ten years. notwith-
standing largely increased burdens of
taxation, has been absolutely vindi-
Gated. Being an insular nation. she
must have sea power, or in a few years
she Will have no power. The coast OF
Japan is divided into five naval dis
trictS, each with 2. firSt-claSs modern
naval station. The one at Kure. in the
inland sea. 1 have had the pleasure of
visiting twice recently, and listening
10 the awful din of its hammers. which
never cease day or night. The amount
of work they are carrying on is aston
ishing There is another station at
Sagebo, in the harbor of Nagasaki.
and in the harbor of Nagasaki there
are immense ship yards where 10000
work on these monster war craft is be-
ing pushed day and night. l learn
from official sources that Japan has
purchased in America $500 tons of
armor plate for immediate use. which
will be brought to her naval stations
and put on the sides of the great bat
tie ships now being constructed.
Character of the Navy.
A well-informed writer, referring to
the character of JapanS navy ana
the type of her vessels, makes this in
teresting observation: THE main idea
prevailing in their selection is the de-
Tense of the national interests by Of
fensive operations against the enemy $
fleet, but at no great distance from
the base of operations at home Hence
the WarShipS of Japan have no excess
Sive space for coal bunkerS, but more
room for guns and reserve ammuni-
ton.
One fact, by the way. has been
much commented on during this war.
Japan's largest battle ships have had
comparatively little dangerous service.
Most of the hard lighting has been
much nearer than two miles from the
enemy The reason for this is the alb
solute necessity of Japan holding con-
troll of the sea. Any undue or unwfse
exposure of her big ships and theiI
subsequent disablement would have
given Russia an immense advantage.
Had it been possible for the Baltic
fleet to come at once to these waters
after war was declared the history of
the last six months would have been
differently written. Now. however. it
seems too late.
Crossing the Yellow sea a few days
ago on the German mail steamer
Gniecenau, when about 120 miles from
Shanghai. the captain on the bridge
remarked to several of us below that
the japanese fleet was off TO the left.
We had been watching the smoke and
wondering what was below those fun
nes. The news quickly spread around
the deck, ana soon every man had
field glass to his eyes trying to make
out the movements of those monsters.
There were two large battle ships and
two destroyers, but wither bound and
on what belligerent intent we could
only conjecture. Quite fleet has
been lowering near Shanghai ever
since the Askold and Gromovoi took
refuge in that harbor after the Port
Arthur battle. They are waiting like
NratcbdOoc IN nOunpa down On the