New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-08
NOTES on THE VAR.

We now told that the japanese will make
no important land advance until they have
massed one hundred thousand troops at Ping
Yang. That Is rational and credible. But Il
was ten days ago that were informed that
two hundred thousand japanese troops invade
Manchuria and Siberia" The latter news Is
less sensational than the former. but II has the
advantage Of being more accurate. and accuracy
is "A desirable quality even IN twentieth century
war news
The report is confirmed that the Japanese have
been bombarding Port Arthur with effect from
the rear The probability that they would do
so was long ago mentioned In this column. and
II pointed out that the distance across Coun-
try from Pigeon Bay to Port Arthur was only
between seven and eight miles. an easy range
for big guns and even for S-inch guns OF the
best make. Pigeon Bay. by the way is often
called Dove Bay and is thus named on The
Tribunes war map.
The fact that Pinch shells were thrown into
V1adivostok seems to indicate that at least one
battIeship was in the attacking squadron, for
guns of such calibre are not commonly carried
by cruisers -Four OF Japan's older protected
cruisers do. II IS true. carry each one gun Of
125 inches calibre. But II is scarcely suppOsable
that those vessels were sent TO blockade and
lombard Vladivostok. The effective use Of big
guns at long range requires them to be carried
upon something better than four thousand ton
protected cruiser.
The japanese. we are told. avoided subjectinS
their ships TO the plunginS fire Of the Vladivos-
tok batteries. OF course. It ought to be pretty
we'll understood by this time that no warship is
match for we'll constructed land Notifications.
II cannot destroy them, and IL is vulnerable 10
their fire. Note the contrast between ship and
battery as a target. The ship presents an area
OF six thousand square feet more. while the
gun shore and the embrasure through which
Il peeps present not more than twenty-five or
thirty square feet. shell from the battery
striking any part OF that big target is pretty
sure to do serious damage while the earthen
embanknent Of the fort may be peppered with
shells without any serious results. The jap
anese realize this. and Will not rashIy put their
ships In place where they can 90 no harm out
are likely 20 suffer destruction.
The expensIveness OF war IS strikingly shown
by the fact that in the ineffective bombardment
of VladIvostol1 the japanese used 100000 worth
OF ammunition
In the Boer War the formula II regret to re-
port" with which certain unucky British Of
fcers prefaced their tales OF woe. became by
word Admiral Alexieff promises TO immortalze
himself with his PREDATORY formula. Il most
humbly inform your MAJESTY
The report that there 10000 Tunguse ir-
regular troops in Southern Manchuria. causing
trouble for the Russians. Is an extraordinary
one. The Tunguses are not NIanchurian tribe.
but inhabit the Taimar Peninsula, on the Arctic
Sea, the northernmost part OF Siberia. thou
sands OF miles away from the Regents Sword
1t seems impossible that any such number OF
them has been drafted into the Russian Army
and has now deserted from II. The report must
refer to some other TUnguses than those gen.
orally known to the world
The daring and the achievements OF the Jap
anese upon the sea need excite no surprise
Centuries ago the Japanese were the Vikings OF
h. heir ir1nk the ierrnr OF