The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-06-06

churia every yard of the line must
be defended from attack by disguised
Japanese and hostile natives, so that
it is improbable that Russia can for
a long time to come concentrate at
the front fighting force superior to
that of Japan.
Even if the Japanese advance as far
as Hardin, a movement which is re-
garded as fatal to their chances of ul-
innate success. they would be far near
err than the Russians to their base of
supplies. The military correspondent of
| the Times says that Incredible exer-
ton will be made to retrieve the stu
alton, the Russian being stout fight
er, who has great traditions, and is not
disheartened by defeat The Japa-
nese appear to have the game in their
own hands if they keep their heads
cool and their ambition within
bounds An advance on Hardin is
| a serious military risk unless the
Japanese can bring 250,0O0 combat
ants into line 400 miles from the sea;
| a defeat here spells disaster On
the other hand. it has to be remern-
bered that at the same place the Rus
SLAMS are some four thousand odd
miles from their proper base in their
own country while the Japanese have
proved themselves quite as competent
on land as at sea.
In any case, Japan has triumphantly
acted on Captain Mahan's advice, as
given to a maritime Power to grasp
firmly some vital chord of the enemys
communications, and so force him to
fight there" The acquisition of Korea
and the occupation of the Liao-tung
Peninsula. followed possibly by the fail
of Port Arthur and Vladivostok, will
sever the vital chord of Russian East
Asia and Russia must fight on ground
of japanese choosing, or not at all.
General Kuropatkin has doubtless ex-
pressed the determination of official
Russia in his declaration that the war
will be fought to a finish, and that no
intervention will be tolerated: but
here, again, the position will not be
of Russia's own choosing. It is an
nounced that a Russian loan of
$4,000, 900 is being foated in Paris. |
This simply means that Russian finan-t
ces cannot stand the strain of a pro- ]
longed and devastating war, and that !;
the Cars troops cannot fight without /
the assistance of loan moneys. France I
has already advanced $500, 100000 to |
her ally, and it is fairly certain that |
further supplies viii be cut off if the ,
Japanese continue their victorious |
career to such an extent as to make ,
the reconquest of the Far East a task |
of years.
Japan is intrinsically a poor country,
in having had to make enormous sac
riffces to be brought into the first rank
Of modern civilization, but as compared
with Russia, her financial position is
sound. The japanese National Debt is
only Ell 6s. 4d. per head of population,
that of Australia being e5l S. 4d. per
head. The railways, tramways, water
works, factories, and mines of Japan |
are financed with Japanese money,
while most European countries are
largely indebted to foreign loans not
,nly for government but also for munic-
pal works.
Mr.. o. Eltzbacher, in the April num-
per of the Nineteenth Century,
gives some striking illustrations of the
'apid progress made by Japan. Thus
t appears that the epostoff1ce of Japan
Employs greater, number of men
han either Austria or Russia, and
hat more letters and parcels are
by thespost in Japan than
n Russia, though the Inhabitants of 4
he latter country are three times
more numerous. The Japanese rail-
Ways, built by money in the country,
how net profit of S.4 per cent for
he State lines, and So per cent for
he private lines. When the finan-
ial pinch of the war comes, it will
therefore, probably be found that the
laying power is on the side of Japan,
ven as has been the military and
avail skill.-The Queenslander.