The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-01-18
From the New York Evening Post.

From the New York Evening Post.
 AN HATEvER might be the event VIZ ual outcome of tn h0s,illtlss ailla'a be. be, army and navy of the David of the east ern nations would begin a campaign with very considerable prestige honestly earned in the war with China, and enhanced dur ing the relief of the legations in Pekin. Of all the allied troops which entered China in 1900, the Japanese won the high est praise from military observers, for bravery and dash, combined with sobrety, good discipline and efficiency of transport. The officers had their men we'll in hand and cared for their simple needs with sur prisng forethought. And the intelligence of the enlisted men was second only to that of our American soldiers.
 This is one of the most important of the advantages possessed by the Japanese. Stout fighters as the Russians demon strated themselves to be in the Turkish campaigns of 1877 and 1878, capable as they are of withstanding hardships certain to overcome less sturdy troops. they could not enter into a struggle with Japan with the zest and enthusiasm which would inspire their-rivals. For the latter the struggle would be almost one for free dom and independence, with everything depending upon the celerity and intelli- gence of the first movements of the war. Excellently trained and organized as the Japanese army is. it can at best but
 
 number 43o, 900, of which 250,O00 were avail able for foreign service in 1900 That 1t Is weak in cavalry is generally admitted. Writing in the Journal of the United States Cavalry association of a visit to a Japanese cavalry regiment. Capt. c. D. Rhodes. of our new generl staff, last year declared that "the Japanese cavalry is. in efficiency. far behind the infantry and artillery, which, as we know. are of the first rank" This he attributed largely to the lack of proper mounts, Japan being wofully deficient in draft and cavalry horses of proper size. But it is character istic of the admiration of American of ficers for the Japanese army that Cap tain Rhodes recorded his belief that only a few years would elapse before the cav airy would be on a par with the other arms.
 The American observers of the Russian troops in China in 1900 formed a very low opinion of their military value. ''rhe treatment of the men is of the poorest" says an English critic, who admits how ever, that they are thereby soldiers inured to the severest hardshps. Just how many the Japanese would have to face in Manchuria 1t is extremely difficult to es- innate. Before the boxer campaign there were S5.000 troops in Eastern Siberia. The First and Second Siberian army corps which could in time be called upon, num- Der about 150, 900 men and 2S6 guns. Addi- tional endorsements might bring the to- tai Russian forces in the east to 100000 men. widely dispersed over a very consid- erable extent of territory. Should Japan dominate at sea, as is confidently predict- ed by the best professional opinion, she would be able to land a force far out numbering any army which Russia might assemble within the next four months. There can be little doubt that the size of the various Russian garrisons has been greatly exaggerated.
 But the chief weakness of the Russians would be in their communications with their base of supplies-Europsan Russia. Should Japan contro, the seas, they would have to fall back upon the Trans Siberian railway, frail. single-track line. badly built and badly managed. and interrupted by Lake Baikal. across which passengers