The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-04-24

and only $50 miles from Mukden., 1t
would force the Port Arthur garrison in
on its defenses and cause the isolation
Of that place. The country north and
south of Niuchwang Is fat and open
There is a very slight grade on the Chi
nese Eastern Railroad south of Muk-
den. Moreover, that part of Manchuria
bordering on the Liao-Tung Gulf Is cut
up by bikes, and tidal creeks and
swamps abound. II is. therefore. un-
suitable 10 the operations of cavalry. If
japanese army were to attempt to
fight its way across the Yalu and
through Fung- Wang-Chang TO Mukden
or Liao-yang. on the railway. it would
have TO drive the Russians before IL out
of successive lines OF intrenchment in
a mountainous country easily defended.
Operating in a level country like that
about Niuchwang would be a very diff
ferent matter and the railway would
be close at hand, once a Landing had
been made. The railway cut and the
landing place held. re-enforcements
could be poured into Manchuria. A
place of great military value south of
Liao-yang and just east OF Niuchwang
is Haiching, a castle town, surrounded
by massive walls. Near by are COM
manding heights, invaluable for either
/ defense or attach.
Stronghold of Port Arthur.
! Port Arthur has been described i'm de-
/ tail so often of late that il will be suf-
hcient 10 say that il is one of the most
strongly fortified places in the world
| Indeed. it has been held by some OBJ
( servers to be overfortifie6. The entrance
/ 10 the harbor is narrow. and is fianked
! by commanding heights. upon which are
] forts armed with the heaviest guns. A
horseshoe-shaped chain OF hills encircles
| the harbor, with only one break. These
eminences are crownd with Notifications
which dominate not only the harbor but
/ the surrounding hills. The japanese
have found one place where from behind
/ the Liaoshan promontory they can
throw shells into the harbor and city
with virtual immunity to themselves.
The proof of this is shown by the fact
that when the japanese lombard from
this vicinity the Russian feet invariably
steams out into the outer harbor. Up
| TO date the daring attempts of the
Japanese to seal the narrow entrance
TO the harbor by sinking steamers there
have failed of that purpose, although
undoubtedly they have still farther mar
rowed the channel by their distractions
Spring Flood an Obstacle.
Twice Il year all Manchuria, the Lao
tung peninsula excepted. experiences
two great fioods-when the ice and snow
! melt during this month, and during
June the monsoons come. This region
has only the melted food augmented
by heavy transforms, and after that il
shrivels and bakes. Wells and most OF
the streams. except the Lao, dry VI
during the hot summer from April tC
i September, when the heavy frost comes
suddenly. and wiater is Ushered in witt
a vengeance. These floods play havoc
with the highways and the bridlepath:
connecting the towns, and they make
well-nigh impossible the maintenance o.
, even a trail over the Chang-Dai-shaI
> Mountains, which guard Manchuril
from the Korean side. A japanese arm!
Of invasion, starting from the northeast
ern Korean boundary near the uppe
, reaches OF the Yalu. or from Possie
, | Bav. with the intention of penetrating
to Kirin. on the eastern edge of thu
southern plain, would have a Difficult
, path ever two hundred miles or more o
rugged mountain country. The noun
: talns in this part of Manchuria attain
, an elevation varying from 5000 TO 500
feet An army pushing its way up tn
- Liao-tung peninsula would also have IL
, troubles The spring floods augmen
. | the mountain streams TO rivers, whicl
litter the narrow streams with noun
/, tain debris that is never removed.