Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1904-02-19
OFFICIAL PAPER OF THE COUNTY AND
THE CITY OF DEVILS LAKE.
FRIDAY. FEB. 10, 1904.
RELATIVE STRENGTH OF RUSSIA
AND JAPAN,

IL
AND JAPAN, ....
In an article on "Ko1ea as Prize
of War" in the February Review of
Reviews, J. Sloat Fassett sets forth
interestingly the relative strength of
the contending powers, Russia and
Japan, and the following is his re-
sumo of relative conditions: gaa5 .
LAS to tire relative strength of
Russia and Japan available for the
purpose of a land and naval war in
the Orient, there is considerable diff
erence of opinion. According to the
military budget Of Russia, her army
would seem to be about 1,40O, 900.
According to the budget Of the Japan
ese empire her army would seem to
number about 14O, 900 with reserve
strength Of 140, 600 more Many esti-
mate Russia's military strength as in
The neighborhood of 5000, 900 and
even higher, and some estimate the
military strength of Japan as at 60O, !
900 and higher. As to the efficiency
of the military organization of the
two empires critics differ. The nav
al strength Of Japan is confessedly
greater than the strength of Russia in
Oriental waters. Russia mas on the
AsiatIc station seven battleships, with
one pattleship outside the Ossilaba, at
present in the Mediterranean, which
belongs to the Asiatic squadron, and
another, the Alexander III, which is
to be sent out in the spring of 1904
She has four armoled cruisers already
in Eastern waters, with another on
her way out which was at Bizerta on
December IS, last and one protected
cruiser of the second class. She has
twelve torpedo boat destroyers in
Oriental waters, and seven on the
way out. She has six torpedo boats
at Port Arthur, ten torpedo boats at
Vladivostok, aud four on their way
out from the Black Sea.
Japan has six battleships and six
armored cruisers, eighteen protected
cruisers, nine unprotected cruisers,
and greater number of torpedo boats
and torpedo boat destroyers than
Russia, and has two a1mored cruisers,
which she recently purchased, on the
way Tut. France, the possible ally
of Russia, has only one battleship in
Skhe Orient, four armored cruisers,
three protected curisers, with a num-
er of smaller boats. Eng land, the
! possible ally of Japan, has five battle
ships on the Asiatic station, two ar
mored cruisers eight protected cruis
ers, and a large number of torpedo
boats and torpedo boat destroyers,
and smaller Loats, besides having at
the East India station FIVE protected
cruiser. Neither Russia nor Japan can
we'll afford to nave war, for it takes
money to conduct, successfully, mod.
ern Wa-. Russia s national debt is in
s excess of So. 300, 900, 900 and the most
4 recent fiscal report shows a deficit in
revenues. Japan's debt is $2T6, 900, 0OO
and she has only about $26, 600, 600 in
cash on hand. But the issues at stake
are SO important, events grow SO rap
idly, the concern Of Russia and Japan
is so intimate. and the actual situa.
tion of Japan is SO desperate, tina,
ordinary considerations Of prudence
may be brushed aside and war begir
the outcome of which no man would
be rash enough to undertake to proph'
BY. further than that it is bound te
( be one Of most momentous interest
and consequence to the world at large.
The Cass county commission en-
have finally decidef to replace the
fine court house, which was destroyed
by FIRE last fall, with an $50, 00t
structure. Fargo people wanted one
that would cost 5000, 900, but the ac-
stion Of the county fathers goes to
show that Cass county is greater in
evidence than the greatest city ia
North Dakota.