The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-02-20
iI'S NO WONDER
RUSSIA DELAYED J!
RECENT FIGURES SHOW. EAST.
ERN FORCE TOO SMALL.
National Review Editorial Written
Before War Began Said It Was
Folly for Russia to Bring on Such
a Crisis in the State of Preparation
Then known to Exist in Her Terri
tory in the Orient.

The National Review of London for
February, summarizing figures secured
by t'the famous Picking correspondent Of
the Times Gondon). shows that Russia
only a very few weeks ago at most had
a very small instead Of very large force
of men with which to cover an immense
territory in the far east. The, Review
speaks of the "presumptuous folly Of those
Russian statesmen or soldiers who are re-
sponsible for the present crisis" and then
discusses the Times fgures.thus:
According to this estimate-which
comprises all the troops east Of Lake
Baikal in Siberia, and Manchuria, the
guards of the whole Of the Manchurian
railways, as well as the railway between
Vladivostok and Khaborovka, the guards
of the Amur river, and the garrisons at
Vladivostok, Possiet bay, Dalny and Port
Arthur-Russa's total paper strength In
this vast region is only 3,115 officers, 49,
479 men and 266 guns Moreover, we are
told to read these figures bearing in mind,
first, that the line of communication be-
tween Manchuria and western Siberia
consists Of a single line of lightly con-
structed railway secondly, that the Man
churian railway traverses 1,555 miles of
unfriendly country, whose people may
conceivably regard the Japanese as lib
orators; WHILE thirdly, these numbers
| represent the full war strength, and as
| sumo not a single man is sick or absent,
nor a single gun disabled. The naval POI
| sition of Russia is summarized in the sig
nifieant statement that all the Russian
fleet, with the exception of four armored
! cruisers which are at VladiYostok. is now
I lying at Port Arthur, twedged In con
| fined harbor or rather basin, with only
one dock. available for repairs.
1.-THE riter's detailed analysis Of the
Russian military forces Is as follows: To-
tai infantry. 2, 100 officers and Jos 1923 men,
mainly composed Of East Siberian rifles
We should not forget, hoWever,-and this
appears to be Russia's solitary advantage
over Japan-tfat each regiment possesses
4 one company of mounted infantry. which,
/ together with the Cossacks,. are probably
/ about the best irregular cavalry in exist
ence. They have the ability of the Beers
! for getting about and taking care Of them
selves, and the same wonderful eye fol-
country. The Russian cavalry now avail
able for war against Japan consists Of Las
squadrons withs60S officers and 81 ,914 men
\ made up of six regular cavalry squadrons
! from Russia, 81 5squadrons Of trans -Bailka2
! Cossacks and #55. Frontier Guard squad.
rons The artillery consists of 36A bat,
teries and 266 guns viz. 10 field batteries
with eight guns each, andsone of six guns
/ four horse batteries (sK guns)
i two mountain batteries (eight guns)'
1 and one mountain battery (siS
! guns); one heavy battery of eight
/ guns one horse mountain section
tain battery (six guns): one heavy battery
of eight guns, one horse mountain section
(two guns), six batteries of six quick