New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-07
TIE ACTION At TLADIroSToK.

-. ,,- nous after a week or silence
- q a., --,,,,ve has come at last. The bonn
harduent OF VladivOstok by the Japanese net
though net particularly effective, Is hleIlS sis
nifcant II indicates that the japanese are ii"'
idle or hatfied. but are vigorously cohuucuns
an aggressive campaign. with wide il hot an
o,,,,,,-s,iD, strategy. They arc menacing llng-
Eoyv end New-Chwang. investing Port Arthur
pushiny hack the Russians on the lower laIu,
ipy,sin AIanchurla from the east coast oil
Coroa and blockadlng and bombarding Hladl-
,os+ot all az the same time That they are
able 10 do this IS largely due, OF course, 10 lhe
great mobility Of their sea power. and Is an
other illustration Of the enormous value OF sea
rovve- in war. Incidentally, too. II indlcates
that the japanese feet has not suffered serious
loss thus far but IS deemed strong enough 10
deal with the Russian sQuadrons at Port Arthur
and Vladivostok TO guard the Corea Strait ana
10 look after all other Interests that require Its
attention.
The incident indicates also. what Is Indeed
stated elsewhere In cur dispatches, that spring
Is openinC and the seas and harbors are get
ting freed from Zee. A few days ago we heard
that the harbor Of ChinnamPO was clear. so
that Japanese troops could be sent directly
thither, instead Of having 10 march up from
Chemulpo. Now Il appears that Vladivostok
also is open 10 navigation, although. as may be
seen on the excellent war map which we pub
Ished Yesterday, il lies two hundred miles
north OF the ice line All the coasts Of Corea
and Of Southern Manchuria may therefore be
assumed 10 be free from fee and accessible 10
the japanese feet. They are also equally &C
cessible 10 the Russian feet 50 far as the latter
Is able 10 make use Of them. IL does not appear
lust where the Russian Nladiv0Stok squadron
is. or was at the time Of the commandment II
it was in that harbor, 81 did not feel strong
enough 10 come out and engage the enemy,
which would indicate that the japanese were
there in great force with some Of their big
battleships. for those Russian cruisers are
splendid vessels, and would not be held back
by any secondrate feet. IT, on the other
hand, It was and Is outside, Il may presently
find itself compelled 10 fight its way in again,
or else be disabled through lack Of coal. How
ever those cruisers carry enough coal, when
their bunkcrs are full TO steam 10000 OF 1900
miles, 50 that they can remain out long time
without replenishing their supply.
One more obvious indication IS that the
japanese are bent on carrying the war into
Africa" Tladivostok Is not on disputed ground.
II was taken from China but that was a good
many years ago, and Russian possession Of It
has long had the sanction OF the world. Indeed
II is about as indisputably Russian as IS ST
Petersburg itself. Yet the japanese attack Fl
just as though Il were in Corea OF in the dis
puted part Of Manchuria. That is an enforce
ment OF the principle that when two nations
are at war with each other they are AT war all
over. at every point OF contact between them.
such an incident as this has doubtless been
foreseen by the Russians. II viii be no SUP
prise 70 them that the japanese have attacked
the capital city Of maritime Siberia. Yet # Will
doubtless exasperate them more than the AZ
tack upon Port Arthur or anything else that
mas occurred II VIII seem to them little short
OF an invasion Of Europe itself by the militant
members OF the yellow race. and It viii rouse
mem 10 their utmost endeavors 10 meet and 70
defeat their Rudacious foe.