The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1904-08-05
JAPANESE AND PORT ARTHUR.


and other papers which collate the
opinions OF others as we'll as some
that have opinions of their own, the
Kansas City journal SAYS.
The secrecy with which the Japanese
guard their war plans Is very appar-
ent in the divergent opinions of Eu-
ropean experts and critics about the
programme at Port Arthur. In Ger.
many IL is next TO the unanimous
opinion that Japan cannot take Port
Arthur by assault, at least without
loss so great that assault Is barred
from serious consideration, and, of
course, long siege Is predicted. In
England the military experts writing
for the leading papers differ on this
question. The London Times and the
London Mail profess to know that the
japanese strategy board has ordered
the japanese generals In the field to
take Port Arthur without more ado.
However the Literary Digest has gath
cred from British military literature
a number of expressions which raises
serious doubt of japanese ability to
take the Russian stronghold in that
way. For example, the London Stand
ard says:
THE question is being anxiously dis
cussed in Japan whether the investment
of Port Arthur is to take Its place
among the great sieges of history, or
be terminated by rapid coup de main.
The answer might no doubt, be sup
piled by the Japanese general staff If
that competent body chose to reveal
its plans. 1t depends in the main on
one of those terrible calculations which
it is sometimes the duty of military
commanders to make. What is the
price, in terms of human life and suf
fering, of wounds and death, which 1t
is worth while to pay for abbreviating
the delay and suspense in the Lao
Tung peninsula? There may be no
special reason for the Japanese to be
in a hurry, since it is tolerably certain
that Port Arthur cannot be relieved by
land; and as for the Baltic fleet, Ii
cannot arrive, if it arrives at all, soon
enough to be of practical service.
Nevertheless the Japs must be anxious
to get rid of the entanglements of Port
Arthur, so as to be relieved of all fur
Their apprehension as 10 the maritime
position, and in order to set free their
entire army for advance into Central
Manchuria."
There would be a distinct feeling of
disappointment If the japanese did not
gloriously carry the intrenchments of
this Russian stronghold. The French
experts confidently predict sudden at
tack instead of a wearisome siege. This
nil ~ "a
writing for the Paris Gaulois as fol-
lows:
The japanese want to capture Port
Arthur at all costs. If they have to
lose 100000 men in front of the fortress,
they will do so. Such are the present
plans discernihle in all recent news
from the front. There is nothing i'm
probable in them and they harmonize
with the military situation as 1t now
exists, as well as with the character
sf the japanese"
There is a view of the situation not
mentioned by the European experts
which undoubtedly will have a strong
influence in determining the Japanese
course before Port Arthur. The only
real losses as yet inflicted upon the
Japs have been at the hands of the
Russian fleet at Vladivostok. The Japa-
nese naval force on guard before this
Russian port seems unable to prevent
raids. Not only have these raids been
successful in sinking several japanese
ships with their loads of soldiers, but
they have seriously impeded the work |
of the fleet of transports. 1t may be
that the japanese admiral on guard .
slams in their harbor and that the sue
ressful raids have been due to his lack
Of vigilance, but the fact remains that
the Russians have made several dashes |
and returned to their harbor in safety |
And 1t cannot be otherwise than that
the Japanese military staff would give
much to capture and sink the Russian |
fleet at Port Arthur in order to have
"A bigger force with which to capture
or confine the Russian flying squadron .
operating out of V!adivostok.
But better than all these reasons for
that Japan intends a fierce
assault upon Port Arthur is the gen.
eral fighting system of the Japanese
people. The siege has never had a
place in Japanese tactics. In her war
with China, and so far In her war with
Russia. her plan has been To hurl her
armies in open assault, marching live
divisions over the dead ones which
nave partly cleared the way, caring
nothing for heaps of dead and wound
ID, so long as more and more men are
hrust to the front to gain eventual
'ictory. And it cannot be denied that
uch tactics result in success no mat
er how much We may shrink from the
horror OF the slaughter, And perhaps
n the long run this kind of fighting
nay be more merciful than the play of
Wit against Wit and the practice of
strategy. In our own civil war we
we're appalled, by the numbers who fell l.
Oh the field. But for one who fell
'pectacularly in assault or defense, four
lied from causes attributable to the
ong drawn out character of the strug-
gle. Beyond doubt, If the North and
the South had met each other and
fought fiercely over the space of few
months until one or the other of the
armies had been next to annihilated
the death list would have been less
han the total OF the four years strug-