New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-20
NOTES on THE VAR.

The uncertainty OF war news IS strikingly
shown I'm the contradictory reports concerning
the Russian invasion OF Corea- one dispatch
stated that they had crossed the YaIu River
and had occupied Wiju. y second denied that
they had crossed that river at all. \ third
declared that they had not only occupied Win
but had actually pushed on as far as PinE-Yang
Assuming this last to be true. the Russians
have penetrated Corea 10 the distance Of a hun
dred miles. and are little more than a hundred
miles from Seoul itself. Ping-Yang lies about
thirty miles from the west coast OF Corea, on
the Ta-Dong River. and is the most important
city in Corea north Of Seoul. 1t IS indeed the
third city OF Corea in size. and perhaps the
most famous Of all in Corean annals. 1t was
founded more than three thousand years ago.
and was for ages the capita! OF the kingdom.
Chinampho. at the mouth OF the Ta-Dong River.
being its port as Chemulpo Is the port OF Seoul.
In the oldtIme wars. In the days OF kublai
Khan, Ping-Yang was the scene OF more than
one decisive battle. In modern times 1t was in
vested with peculiar interest to Americans by
the fact that IT was the scene % the massacre
OF the crew Of the American ship General Sher-
man. IN 1856. tragedy which led to the send
ing Of armed expedition 10 Corea TO destroy
n lot of forts in punishment for the outrage
In fact that incident had much 70 DO with the
ultimate opening OF Corea to the world. SIN
later. i'm the war between Japan and China. ten
years ago. Ping-Yang was the scene of one Of
Japan's most overwhelming victories
II the Russians really have reached Ping
Yang. they must be I'm great force to venture so
far without the support OF a fleet of the coast
II no military opposition was offered TO them.
they probably marched thither with ease. for
there IL a good road all the way down from the
Yalu River, along which It has been proposed
to construct railroad. and on which. indeed
.sor,e railroad construction work has been done.
Such n march by the Russians would indicate
that the japanese have made no Important
landings on that coast OF Corea north or che
muIpo. II will be recalled. however. that the
Japanese are said to have landed an army Of
10000 at won-san on the east coast. Just oppo-
site Ping-Yang. and not more than seventy-hve
miles from # across country. 1t is not known
that there IS any good road across the noun
fains at that point. But there may be. and
If there is the japanese army may u'lI[s y ~
advancing against the Russians. Inc japanese
won their great victory over the Chinese there
nv marching against them from two directions
at once II the Won-San army should come
across country and another army come up from
Seoul at the same time. the strategy or ten
years ago might he repeated against the RUS
slams.
Rpt # seems Incredible that the Russians
should have been permitted to penetrate Corea
SO far without resistance. unless the japanese
are planning to trap them by sending neet 10
the YaIu to cut of their lines at the rear. on
the other hand, it seems incredible that the
Russians should have marched into such a trap. :
especiallv II they are removing their military /
headquarters from Port Arthur to Hardin. An /
iDvason 81 Corea with New-Chwang or Monk /
den as a base would be rational With Hardin \
as a base 1t would be prepOsterous.
Hardin would of course. be an admirable base |
from which TO conduct a Fabian campaign, In ,