The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-04-16
Russian Disasters.
Their Effect on the Prestige of the
Country as a World Power.

Their Enect on the Prestige u InS
Country as a World Power.
The many serious disasters which
have thus far overtaken the Russian
fleet will undoubtedly impair the
prestige of that country as a world
power. and cause grave doubts as to
the value of her alliance in any in
ternational struggle. National pres
tige now depends so largely upon
the efficiency of navles, there are so
many points at which a well-man-
aged fleet can infict injury upon the
enemy. that Russia's loss Of her
most important battleship is a much
more serious loss than it would have
been a hundred years ago. Were
Napoleon alive now he would prob
ably revise his statement that God
is on the side OF the heaviest bat
talions, and say, instead, that vic
tory depends On the man behind the
gun.
There is little doubt that adequate
knowledge of the necessities of naval
warfare, on the part of government,
officers. and men. would have pre-
vented one or both of the disasters
which have crippled the Russian
navy. 1t is a pathetic fact that Ad-
miral Makaroff, who was a man uni
versaIIy respected and liked, among
aliens as well as by his country
men, urged upon the government the
very reforms for lack of which the
Petropavlovsk was destroyed. He
long ago saw the necessity Of pre-
cision of discipline and training, in
which the Russian sailors are lament
ably deficient, and advocated smaller
battleships and more torpedo boats.
The truth of the matter seems to be
that the Russian government, rely
ing on its acute and resOurceful
diplomats, and its immense resources
in the matter of food, money, and
men, has failed until now TO per-
ceive that neither diplomacy nor re-
sources will make up for lack of
thorough practical training in the
rank AID file
Whatever the Russian losses on land
may be, sagacious observers have
predicted, they must IN the end WIN
the fight because Of the superiority
of their numbers and wealth. But
neither Of these factors can repair
the loss of battleships. A battle
ship cannot be built in a day, and
it will be impossible for the Baltic
| feet to reach the scene Of action
/ for months to come With q feet
/ intact and in working order, and
/ superior 10 that of Japan in every
way. Russia could have had the
| smaller country at her mercy in a
/ very short time. With her feet
/ crippled, she gives Japan The ines
Unable advantage of the possession
of the sea. Japan can pour troops
and provisions into Korea as fast as
she pleases, until the limit of her re-
/ sources is reached, and that viii not
be for some time. Meanwhile, it
/ Will take many months for Russia
/ 10 bring her army on the scene of
action, and even then it is not GER
tain whether the superior dash, in
! teligence. and initiative of the Jap
anese will not enable them TO hold
/ their own against a Russian force
| considerably larger than theirs
Korea, q mountainous country, with
a population certainly not favorable
TO Russia, and Northern China, with
a population reported 70 be pro-Jap-
anese, could bGsmore easily defended
against Ruscsan invasion than taken
By a Russian army. In short, the
! prOgresSsof Japan has thus far been
+ due bQtn 10 her own thorough train
ing snd patriotic spirit. and 10 the
/ lacS of training and inferior initia-
/ - displayed by her enemy.