The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-09
VAR THUS FAR A PRELUDE
r1rBCER STRUGGLE NEXT YEAR
rs NOW EXPECTED.
au,s,a and Japan Both Preparing for 1t
.-:acerlorlty OF the Japanese In Ar-
tnlery and Cavalry Conceded--Japan's
/ UIsh Explosive Superior in the Field.
.snettai caeh ps.paleh to THE SUN.

spccf1r Gable Despatch 10 THK SUN.
LONDON, Get. s.-For more than fort
,,,h, no authentic news of Importance
hos been received from the fighting centres
IN the Far East except Gen. Stoessel's ac-
oount of the September attack on Port
,,tbur. There and in Manchuria events
rhch will decide the campaign Of 1904
.re still awaited. Speculation as to what
will be the issue OF these events has now
heen exhausted and actual news Is awaited
impatiently'
That the Paltic feet will really sail Is
now accepted generally as n fact, but the
answer to the question when 1t will start
ia that i. probably depends on happenings
,,the front in the immediate future. How
aver, with the campaign OF 1904 concluded
there is no longer any doubt left that 1t
il only prelude to a longer and sterner
one in 1905.
As vet there is no glimpse not only OF
peace but of an opening for peace. Gen.
Romanoff who was recently In command
NJ the Sixth Division at Laoyang and who
has been invaded home, is now In st.
Petersburg. He has given his opinion
as to the result OF the next campaign, which
Ia not an optimistic one. He says that he
does not despair, but he doubts that even
soo 600 men will be able to outf1ank the
japanese
Gen. Romanoff believes that Gen. Kuro-
patkin was greatly hampered by dread Of
the consequences of a severe defeat, which
might have ended the war Gen. Romanof
thinks that victory will depend upon the
collection of an overwhelming force OF
artillery and an enormous supply OF am
muntion, but he points out that the Japa-
pese can resupply themselves in a week,
while it will take the Russians six weeks
to do 50. 1t has been noticeable recently
that the Russian experts no longer claim
superiority for their troops over the Japa-
nese. but regard the question Of compare
tive numbers as all important.
In respect to the quality of the Japanese
Army, the correspondent of the Standard
al the front sends interesting criticisms,
and his knowledge and experience give
value to what he says. The correspondent
writes that there seems to be an impress
sion that the Japanese artillery is better
than the Russian. 1t has even been spoken
Of as the finest in the world. This he
SAYS, is absurd in all respects save one.
Russian, they have shorter range, their
projectiles are lighter. they are less mobile
and they are not quick firers.
Their one claim to superiority is the high
explosive used in the common shell. The
battle of the Yalu, the correspondent says.
was perhaps responsible for the extrava-
giant estimate Of the guns value, but it
must be remembered that in the lombard
ment of April 20 howitzers and not field
guns wrought havoc in the Russian posi-
tons, while on May the Russian guns
fired only sis shots. Tho Japanese are
practical people and they acknowledge
the inferiority of this arm.
After describing the gun in detail and
declaring that it is inferior to the II. A.
12-pounder used by the British in South
Africa and far inferior to the lS-pounder
field gun the correspondent continues:
The mobility of tho Japanese field artil-
lery is seriously affected by the inferior
quality of the draught horses. On July 81
one division was able to bring into action
only thirteen guns in spite of the use Of
double teams. The horses ere small and
badly trained"
Discussing the Japanese cavalry, the
COTTebpOIhleuI tRlIiiltS plItt VIC IL any NSh-
sures passed on that arm OF the service
are based on observation OF few isolated
units. Not a single foreign attache or
correspondent has seen even a troop of
cavalry in action or on patrol. Still, it is
impossible to avoid the conclusion that
the cavalry horse, like the artillery horse,
is poor, weak and lady trained. The
equipment is not made on scientific prin-
ciples.
While the Japanese are bad horsemen,
they are worse horse masters. Most OF
the horses are stations and are noisy and
disorderly. The saddles are Ill fitting and
are often on the withers. The riders seat is
badly balanced and the curb snae!e is in
constant use, even at walk. There is
very large percentage Of saddle gals
and fistulous withers.
The Japanese officers. however, declare
that when an opportunity for testing ar
nves the Japanese cavalry will not be
found inferior to the Russian cavalry.