The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-03-16

The reports received from several cor
respondents of the Times who are in a
position to supply accurate information
enable us to advance a step toward
penetration of the customary veil OF
mystery which enshrouds the proceed
ings of Russian armies in the field.
Until evidence is given to disprove
the very complete and remarkable sum-
mary of the Russian forces east of
Lake Baikal, sent by the Peking cor
! respondent of the Times on January
81, the estimate of numbers therein
given holds the field. Reckoning up
the available troops of all arms, the
correspondent placed the total strength
on the date given at 100000 men and
266 guns. His telegram must be re-
garded as a tour de force in the art of
military intelligence, and as a model
of accurate and concise reporting. A
critical examination of the very COM
plete details sent in this remarkable
telegram only serves to confirm its
accuracy at almost every point.
1t includes the whole OF the troops
of the First and Second Siberian army
corps and of the Kwantung military
district, besides fortress troops, from
tier guards and other forces not inclu-
ded in the larger units now present in
East asia.
The names or numbers and the nor
NAL garrisons of all these troops are
concerning them can therefore be rig
orously checked. The telegram in
question contains proof that account
has been taken of the latest changes
in Russian military organization in the
Far East since it enumerates regiments
which have only been formed during
the last few weeks on the strength of
of quite recent date.
We are also enabled for the first
time to ascertain which army corps in |
the West is being drawn upon for re-
OF four regiments nam |
ed, NOS 123, ia, $50 and 14O, the first |
two belong to the Tenth Russian army I
corps of the Kharkoff district, and tie |
TO the Seventeenth or Mos
,ow army corps. Whether the remain +
ng units of these corps are under or
lers or on the move Eastward there is
It present nothing to show.
Besides these regiments of the active
.rmy, there are, it would appear. six
cen battalions of reserve infantry in
Ianchuria- It is probable, but it is
lot quite certain, that these belong to
he First Siberian reserve brigade,
whose headquarters are at Chita- The
Times correspondent very properly
that the numbers he gives
the full war strength and
axes no account of waste. The num-
ers, in point of fact, accurately repre- :
ent the war strengths which are cred
ed to Russian units by the best and
ltest information at disposal. The I
.ussfan troops in East Asia are always
ominally on a war footing, and it may
2 added that for some time past COM
anies of infantry have been drawn O
ON European garrisons and sent East c
complete effectives. 2
Many considerations arise from a
ose study of this information It FL
ould appear that out of 266 field guns n
nly thirty-six are OF the new quick 4
ing pattern. This statement may be I
impaired with the announcement that g
as been made. on the faith Of German r
ports of Russian origin. that the y
hole of the artillery to he employed | L
yainst Japan lis now armed with :
Iick-firing guns" Both the Russians &
Id the japanese artillery are at pres n
It in the stage of transition, and moth y
e is more difficult than to secure ac- "
Irate details Of the progress of the