Arizona republican., 1904-07-27
The War as It Stands.

With the occupation of Newchwang by the Japanese forces yesterday one of the main otjectives of Japan's campaign was achieved. With the ex- ceptton of Port Arthur, the whole of the l.saotung peninsula is now in the hart1H of the Japanese. and Russia has been driven from every sea port in the eass except Vladivostok, in the frozen north. Port Arthur may hold out for weeks or even months, but it's even tHAi equalization is a certainty. It is closely invested by land and sea, and the nr|Y hope now of the beleaguered gasTtson is that relief may come from the Baltic fleet. But even a decisive defeat of Admiral Togos squadron would not materially relieve Port Ar thur. The Russians would then have a temporary base, it is true, but there is no reason to expect that General Rodezu's besieging army will relax it's efforts until the coveted ciCy has fal- len. Nor has Russia much ground for hope, at best, that a great battle on the sea will result in her favor. Prac- tically, therefore. the Liaotung penfn- sula is already lost to Russia. From Newchwang, on the western coast, to Antung and Wiju on the east. at the mouth of the Yalu river, the Japanese have established a cordon which ef- fectually cuts the peninsula off from Manchuria.
 What the loss of the peninsula means can be fully appreciated by Russia alone. If permanently busted there from. I;ussiI must acknowledge the defeat of all her cherished plans for an outlet to the ocean in the far east. After the expenditure of treasure measured by hundreds of millions of Toubles, the czar completed the won- derful railroad from Moscow to VIad lVostok, a distance of 5000 miles through northern Asia. Vast expendi- lures in addition were Iavished op the construction of the seaport of Vladiyo- stUk' only too late to find that VIadi- Vostok is commercial impossibility. For seven months in the year the har- bor is tightly frozen. Just IS the full significance of this miscalculation was daWning on the Russian mind. q way was opened to the south. Japan in her war with China had wrested the Liao- tung peninsula from her adversary and the treaty of peace ceded the pen insula and Port Arthur to Japan. The emperor of Germany went to the res cue of his Muscovite friend. Tn q speech portraying in vivid colors the impending yellow peril" he aroused Europe against Japan. If Japan were permitted to reap the fruits of her vic tory over China, he argued, the island empire would soon form a protective alliance with China, would train the Chinese soldiers in modern warfare and the yellow races, standing together would menace the civilization of Ellrope if' indeed, they did not overrun the world as had Genghis Khan in the dark ages. The concert of Europe" inter- Venetl 60 protect China from the ra- pacioOs Japanese. The mikado was persuaded, in the interest of the world peace, to relinquish all the evil t5ences of his victory.
 There0Don the European grab-game began. Japan out of the way. Europe proceeded to cut the Chinese melon. By the simple process of "leases," Chi mas principal eastern seaports were taken over. Russia leased" Por. Ar thur Germany leased Kio Chow. Great Britain leased" wei-Hei-Wei. The French were satisfied with Ton quin. Then Russia practically aban- doned Vladivostok, and began at liar bin, on the Tram -Siberian'lne and con- structed a branch railroad to Port Ar thur, GOO miles to the south. Port Ar thur was to be the Russian Gibraltar. Manchuria and the Liaotung peninsu- la became Russian possessions in all but name, At last, Russia had an ice