The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-04-16
CONTROL OF SEA
KEY TO VICTORY
Russia Hopelessly Defeated Unless
She Takes Time to Rebuild
Navy.
Bankruptcy, Commercial Panic
and Revolution Would Fol
low Long War.
Dismissal of War Party and
Whites Reinstatement Is
Counseled.
BULLETIN.

oo6.- 1iNs
St. Petersburg, April 1e.-(7:o2 p. m.)-
A report has gained wide currency hero
that the battieship SevastopoI at Port
Arthur has been lost. The latest account
received here was to the effect that the
sevastopoI was unframed.
A telegram from Port Arthur states that
three Japanese warshIps were damaged In
yesterdays engagement
New York Sun Special Service.
Chicago, April 16.-Walter Well
man, in Washington special to the
Record-Herald, says:
That Russia already is hopelessly
beaten and soon must swallow her
pride and sue for peace is the opin-
ion of some of the diplomats of the
highest rank at this capital. Such
views were expressed by members of
the diplomatic corps who met socially
not many hours ago and talked in
formally of the outlook in the far
east.
These men are not unfriendly to
Russia. They are simply statesmen
of the world, well-informed and able
thru wide knowledge and long expert
ence to catch the first faint shadows
of coming events. One Of them, we'll
known on both sides Of the Atlantic,
made use of the following words:
Russia is fast going the road to
ruin. The war Is virtually over, and
Russia is vanquished. Japan has
command Of the sea, and command
of the sea in modern warfare is VIC
tory.
Ruin and Revolution.
Russia cannot win without recov-
ering superiority Of sea power, and
III el,o
to prolong the conflict three years,
or until she can construct a new fleet
Of battleships. That would mean the
ruin of the Russian empire-hOpeless
bankruptcy, commercial panic, revo-
luton at home.
1.-THE car should dismiss the war
party at once-send Alexieff and Les
sar and all the other belligerents into
retirement along with ~Bezabrazoff. He
should reinstate White and lean heav-
lily upon Count Lamsdorff and the
other friends Of peace. He should
Immediately make overtures thru
Paris or London for mediation and
settlement with Japan, paying the
necessary price and saving what he
the war is hopeless. It is ruin and
suicide
Summary of Opinions.
The foregoing words summarize the
best opinion in the diplomatic world.
They would create a sensation If the
name Of the man who spoke them
could be given, tho this expression is
only that Of an individual and must
not in any way be taken as possessing
political significance.
1t is the belief Of diplomats, whose
opinions are of value, that now, be-
fore any great land battles have been
fought, and Japan has made only
trif1ing sacrifices of men and money,
Russia could secure terms Of peace
which might be regarded as favor
able under the circumstances-that is
to say, by merely granting Japan's
original demands, with one or two adj
ditions.
Besides guarantee Of the inde-.
pendence Of Korea and evacuation of
Manchuria. Japan would now doubt
| less insist upon the surrender to her,
or at least the disarmament and nen-
| tralization, Of the Eiao-tung peninsula,
including, Of course, Port Arthur.