The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-09-08
The Big War Up to Date

The Big War Up to Date.
IF the Japs have lost as many men in
the Manchuria campaign as reported II
seems only a question or a long Russian
retreat 10 annihlate the pursurers."-
Norfolk Ledger. rs
OF course. the above paragraph was
intended for a joke. but there is a
great deal Of truth in IT., for IT. would
seem thet he we plan Of the Russians
4 is being carried out as at first arranged.
n. It is we'll known fact that Russia was
not ready to enter into this conflict with
Japan and all the diplomacy at the com
31nand Of Russia's most astute diplomats
was brought to hear to hold off the ac-i
tual fighting until Russia could get In
proper trim. The NItkado and hts adj
y visors were wise enough to see this and
knew full well that delay was for them.
4 dangerous. Therefore, they hurried up
the preparations for war and they did not
have much preparation to make. for they
were already in condition to make their
best fight. 4! " al n
bnao and could not get read lin the
\ short time afforded by the 5persistency Of
Y the Japs, therefore, tho Russians plead
& for delay, and in the interest Of delay,
brought to bear all the diplomatic In
genuitys that they had at their command
4 Finally, when diplomacy could not hold
@ the fight OFF anys longer. hey accepted
4 the inevitable, and It would seem that
\ they have been making a pretence Of
actual fighting. and a very costly pre-
b tence it is, while theI i main object is the
necessary delay to enable the great en-
pire Of Russiafto get ready for the final
fray. I'll.
No country, outside OF the actual partl-
h cipants. Is more interested in this Russo
IA japanese conflict than England. Great
" Britain has a small army Of expert mill
,ary observers watching the great strug-
/ gle In the far East. Il would be well
86 for students of far eastern events to
! take the reports and observations of this
English contingent as their text book,
3 rather than TO use the reports either
from st, Petersburg or Toxic. At any
rate. SO far, it has been shown that re-
ports emanating from this British cons
tngency, have proven more reliable than
any that have come either from st Pc
tersburg or Toxic. x:-i7'
During the past few days tthe reports
from London have indicated very. plainly
that General Kyropatkin. TO say the least
OF 1t. is q. masterful rctreater II may be
observed that he has taken exceeding
great care of his men and his stores. He
"a not being annihilated and his losses In
killed and wounded, as compared with
those of tho Japs, seems to be from re-
" ports only as OF about ten to ninety.
It would not require military mathema-
tician to arrive at q conclusion from
these figures. 1t Is plain enough that
"a General Kuropatkin has figured out the
percentage of the losses and the per-
centage OF the respective ability to rein
force. Japan, in the nature of the case.
has but little margin from which TO draw
renforcements, while Russia's margin IL
4 Iimtless.
* II Russia Is given time enough to get up
her achievements. she can put ten men
IA in Manchuria for each one that the Japs
s$ XIII, while 1t is doubtful II Japan can
No replace single man that has fallen. AS
before stated. this fight was hurried upon
Russia before she had had time TO pre-
pare for 1t, and relieving the situation
Of lis whole military glamour. all OF
which is to the credit Of the Japs the
fact Still remains that Japan has not
whipped Russia by a jug full.
ii may be that the fall of Mukden and
the fall az Port Arthur which seem In
eyitable, will cause the European Powers
TO intervene and compel Russia TO sue
for peace. but II the Powers hold on.
and commercial interests viii probably
not permit them TO do SO. Russia will
keep the war up In her own chosen way
long enough to get In position 10 take
the time for preparation which she at
first asked for. IT seems TO us that
this time for preparation Is what General
kuropatkin Is fighting for, and all indl-
cations are that be will set II, It IS nc