The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-05-11
EASTERN WAR SITUATION
Resume Of the Russc-Japanese Con-
Rict by an Expert.
STATUS OF AFFAIRS IN KOREA
The Japanese Have Failed in Their At
tempt to Bottle Up" the Russian
Fleet In Port Arthur - The Mikado
Has EGO 900 Troops in Motion-Eussia
to Put 100000 Soldiers in the Field.

to Put 100000 Soldiers in the fleld.
New York City.-Tha war expert OF
the New York World gives the fol
lowing interesting resume of the Rus
so-Japanese conflict:
The war has lasted eight weeks. in
that time the japanese have won
mastery of the waters in the scene
of conflict, have kept apart the Rus
sian squadrons at Port Arthur and
.Vladivostok, and seem to be anxious
enough TO engage either squadron II
it can be coaXed outside Of the range
of the guns in the Russian forts.
Attempts to bottle up" the Port
Arthur fleet, made and opposed with
equal bravery, have not been perfect
~ successful.
While the cenSOrS on either side take
care that no accurate information De
given of the damage of the fleets, 1t
remains that the Russian cruisers Boy
arin and Variae. the gunboat horietz,
the torpedo boat Steregutschni and the
torpedo transport Yenisei, have been
DESTROYED. So has the Japanese gun
boat SLIM.
On land. the Japanese, without seri-
Gus conflict, have entirely occupied
Korea, thus completing Japan's first
step in the campaign. According to
reports. carefully censored also, the
Russians have taken themselves-it
cannot be called ''retreating," because
the movement must be part of their
plan-to the Manchurian bank of the
Yalu River. In all the SkirmisheS the
Japanese have been victorious, admit
tedly. In the only engagement Of I'M
portance. that at Chongfu. the Rus
slams first admitted, then denied, de-
feat.
1t is stated that the Japanese have
260.C0C troops in motion and G0.OOO
more under arms in garrisons and at
the depots. Military experts believe
that Japan will operate three armies,
each numbering about 100000 men. the
second army landing west of the Yalu
River. and the third army southeast of
Newchuang.
The landing of a heavy Japanese
force west of the Ialu's mouth is eX-
Dected to force the Russians to aban-
don the Notifications they have built
north OF the Yaiu TO oppose the cross
ing of the river by Japan's first army
from Korea.
The Japanese. it is reported. have
landed force already in Manchuria.
at Takushan. to the east of New
chuang. and. consequently in the rear
of the Russians.
Tie Russians deny, officially. that
Japanese troops are in Manchuria.
One mans guess is as good as an
.other's-provided the other is not on
the Japanese general staff-as to where
Japan'S second and third armies will
attack.
AS to the number of Russian troops
in the theatre of war. At the begin
ming of the war there were the garr-
sons Of Port Arthur and Vladivostok
and a certain number of troops in
Mukden. Harbin and other centres. On
March % the Russian Government an
nounced officially to the Senate that
up to that date 100000 troops had been
transported over the Siberian Railway.
According to the Russians 1000 troops
a day are arriving at Mukden. The
Japanese believe that Russia cannot
maintain more than 100000 troops;
that the country cannot provide, nor
the railway transport, sustenance for
more On the other hand, Prince Khil-
d koff, the Russian Minister of Rail-
ways. who has returned to st. Peters
burg from Lake Baikal. declares that
the railway is working at only half
its capacity.
1t needs no prophet to say that the
first great battle will be fought when
each side thinks itself capable of win
ming it. Much depends. Despite her
solemn assurances of neutrality. tickle
China may declare herself the ally of
the victor in the first great land bat
tie.