The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-06-27

the army at Lfao-Yang attempt to re-
ieve Port Arthur I asked.
Port Arthur must take care of it
self until we meet the japanese ad-
vance from the Yalu." the General an
swered. There are. enough men in
garrison at Port Arthur to defend the
fortress and they are provisioned for
a years siege. The enemy has landed
at Kinchou, about thirty miles north
of Port Arthur, and they must cross
the Kinchou mountain through a mar
row pass, strongly defended, before
they can attack the intrenched posi-
ton of our troops outside the main
fortress of Port Arthur. In the mean
time our business is to deal with the
japanese army now threatening in the
vicinity of Liaou-Yang."
You say it is likely to be long
war; I began; do you think other
powers will be involved before the
end?"
IF the Japanese are uniformly sue
cessful, I am sure other powers will
be involved" was the ready answer.
Why, if the japanese are success
ful?" I asked.
Because the Chinese will not be con-
tent to let the japanese boast that they
were solely responsible for driving out
the intruder"
And that would furnish an excuse
to Russia for calling on her French al
ly, under the agreement regarding the
interference of a third power?"
General Dessino did not Immediately
answer. I did not expect a categorical
reply. AS military agent of the Rus
sian Empire it is not in the province
of General Dessino to tell all he knows
to the newspapers of the world, and
I have reason to know that he would
be especially chary in talking of this
delicate phase of existing conditions to
the representative of an American
newspaper.
Finally General Dessino asked a ques-
! ton in his turn: DO you think it
| would be necessary for Russia, in the
event you have mentioned, to call on
an ally?"
My own answer is immaterial; but
clearly General Dessino had properly
answered my question.
TT is your opinion, them went on,
that there is an element of danger in
the Chinese army around Pekfn and
north of the Great Wan?''
Decidedly. But Immediately, I fear
the mounted bandits of Manchuria
more than I fear General Mas army
or the soldiers of Yuan Shi Kai. 1t is
the guerrilla of Kirin and the region
roundabout Hardin that will annoy US
before the Chinese army decides to at
tack our railroad communicat ions. And
I believe that the Japanese are already
at work among the brigands south of
the Amur.''
You do not refer to the Hunghuis-
zes?" L interrogated
mo; am speaking of the remnants
of the wild tribes that were subdued
long ago by the Manchus-there are
thousands of them, well mounted and
well armed-the Japanese have seen to
that
I asked General Dessino what he
thought of the Japanese as a fighting
man, and this military expert gave fair
tribute to the ability and the courage
of his country's foe. "The military men
of Russia" he continued, have never
underestimate the Japanese in any
particular. I may say that Russia, of
all the civilized nations, most thorough
~ appreciates the danger that lies in
what has been called 1.-The yellow peril
the dominance of the japanese in the
Extreme East. And we are not now
minimizing the difficulty of the problem
that confronts US. The Japanese are
brave; they have acquired in a Won
derful degree many of the deadlieSt
traits of the Western civilization; they
are a proud race. an ambitious nation,
and a determined people. The Russian
knows better than others what he has
to contend against when he comes in
conflict with the most intellectual, the
hardest and the most fanatical of ORR
entail nations. These people do not fear
death; they are intensely patriotic, and
they know that Russia's success means
the utter elimination of the japanese
Empire from the roll of monarchies."
1T is not the intention of Russia to
subjugate Japan, is it," I asked.
Mo- was the answer: but what
rank can Japan hold among the pow
ers if she is beaten in this struggle-as
she will surely be beaten unless her
allies, open and secret-come to the
rescue?'
I understood the yelled allusion to
America.
Il think, however, the General con-
tinued, that the United States and
Great Britain viii regret the success of
Japan as bitterly as Russia may regret
the uOledl VI IkliSSIdi dIlilS S1AlO
sian plans in the Far East. I am sure,
from my personal knowledge of the
Japanese character and japanese pur-
pose, that Japan will not be the plant
tool in the hands of the British and
American commercial eXploiters that
those enterprising gentlemen imagine.
Japan is not the nation to serve as COM
pradore for any other nation, and I
am sure that there will be no open
door when China is under the donina-
ton of Japan. To the victor belongs
the spoils, and Japan will have big
bill to pay for her victory. That viii
be Russia's consolation IN defeat-not
a very substantial return for all she
may sacrifice in this war, you viii say,
but something, nevertheless"
What we said thereafter was of no
mportance-mere speculation and idle
rejoinder. But 1 am glad that I met
General DesSinO for now I know that