The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-02-09
THE JAPAN-RUSSIAN WAR.

Ii war comes between Russia and Japan,
| 1T is to the interest of the latter country
| that it should be fought on the sea and
| in Korea. On the sea, while there are
conflicting opinions, the weight Of the au-
thorities is that Japan has the bes, navy
and the best trained men to man its war
ships. In Korea it would fight upon bet
ter terms than the Russians, for the peo-
pie of Corea speak and write the Japa-
nese language. The Koreans have no
military training or instinct and nobody
counts them as a factor. 1t would be more
pleasant for them to be ruled by the
japanese than by the Russians, but they
would not care much which nation ruled
them. The japanese must control Corea
or to be destined to remain an island
kingdom. If it has it's way, Japan Will
first force a naval battle and then confine
the. conflict to Corea.
Russia will wish to compel the Japa-
nesse to invade Manchuria and attack
them there. In that event, the Yalu
river valley and the Liao-tung peninsula
W ould probably be the scene of the earlier
land operations. Port Arthur, if neccs
sary, could be left to defend itself foi
many months, while the Russian forces
fell back along the railroad to the north,
disputing every foot of the Japanese ad-
vance. When we note the fact that Man
churia contains over 100000 square miles,
and is nearly as large territorially as the
southern confederacy of the United
States; that it is 500 miles in a straight
line from Port Arthur to the old boun.
Diary of Siberia on the Amur river,
and that the Russian army can fight
defensive campaign along that whole dis
lance, if it chooses to adopt a Fabian
policy of retreat, it is difficult to believe
that the expulsion of Russia from Man
churia can easily be accomplished, pro-
viGed that the Russian government proves
stubborn in the face of early Japanese
victories. The farther inland the Jepa-
nese were drawn, the more of a strain
in maintaining communications with the
sea would they have to endure; and t
is exceedingly doubtful that Japan could
stand the drain so long as her enemy.
While hardly as well prepared for {.
sea battle as Japan, the Russian army is
much the stronger of the two, and II
the fighting is done in Manchuria, the vic
tory will almost certainly be with Rus
sia The Russian infantry are fighters
not surpassed anywhere. The exact num-
Der of troops Russia would be able to
put into Manchuria cannot be known posi-
lively, but the lowest estimate is 100000
fighting men. At the end of the BoZel
uprising Russia had massed 900 men in
Manchuria. 1t has had its eyes wistfully
upon territory in Asia and has do doubt
larger force there than during the
could easily put 100000 men in the tleld.
Russias chief difficulty would be in trans
porting supplies over the single line of the
Siberian Railway, but that difficulty IS
not so great as Japan imagines.
The Japanese, army is said to number
100, 600 men and $500 officers in the perm
anent establishment, including ia field
guns, reserve of So 600 officers and men
with over 100 guns, and a possioia addi-
tional force of 200, coo more men who could
be mustered into service. There are go
900 horse. It's cavalry is the weakest por-
ton of Japan's arm of the service. It's
foot soldiers tare well drilled and regard
ed as very efficient.
AS to the Navy Japan has six battle
ships and Russia eight; Japan eight ar
mortal cruisers and Russia fve Japan
fourteen protected cruisers and Russia
eight. It will thus be seen that neither
has much advantage of the other, though
Japan's signal victory over China has
given it prestige that makes most
writer's believe that it is more than a
match for Russia on the waters.
To sum up: In quick, sharp, decisive
war, Japan would seem to have the al
vantage. If the war is prolonged and
stubbornly contested Russia will have
match for Russia on the water.