The Hawaiian gazette., 1904-09-09
THE WAR SITUATION.

tiltl 10 Do iuuh'u AIMING u''lHtf'
battles. whether or no they will
ultimately attain that distinction de-
ponds upon the future ana may soon
be determined. At present II may be
fairly said that the contest was stub
born and a marked exhibition OF mod
ern strategy and tactics. In which the
latest development Of artillery. and
especially of the shrapnel fire, bore a
conspicuous part. The capacity of Ku-
ropatkin Is apparent, and, on both
sides personal courage was remark
ably displayed. The desperate adj
hesion to their personal conception of
loyalty their Indifference to danger
and their contempt for death, however,
have easily placed the Japanese in the
| foremost military rank.
i The story of the war since February
last results in the success of Japan,
to degree that can be easily compre-
hended without the study of details.
/ Port Arthur has been invested and
I apparently is in the last stage of its
resistance. The peninsula or irregular
! triangle of which II is the apex, has
been cleared and the Russians under
! Kuropatkln, hurled back to the north
towards Hardin, which Is the local
base of the Muscovite. The recent
japanese victories have advanced their
| lines to the north Of Liaoyang. in it
self of comparatively slight impor
lance, and a third point of defence can
hardly be found, except north of Muk-
den, Japan. therefore has already ac-
quired a strong hold on Manchuria,
| nf ha, nf
Korea and, unless arrested in its on
ward march, will soon reach the main
line of the Siberian railroad. Then,
after the capitulation or capture of
Port Arthur the Empire of the Mi
kado would be in n position to redeem
its promise of re-delivering the pos
session of Manchuria to China, al
ready having the legal title.
Down to the present, therefore, on
the land and on the sea- Japan has
been triumphant. Its acquisition of
Dalny was an important fact. The
dangerous position of Vladivostok is
another. But, taking the whole situa-
ton together, it cannot be said that
! the Mikados reported prediction that
the war will be long is not likely to
be verified. The marvellous element in
the contest is the unprecedented ad-
vance Japan has made in civilization,
which. as humanity is now constituted,
| includes the ability for defence and Of
| fence. When the signal was given. it
was as ready as Germany when Won
Moltke touched the button that herald
ed the doom of Imperial France. Its
| movements on the water and on the
land have been made in perfect COM
bination and on a settled plan, COM
plete in outline and in detail, and from
which no substantial deviation has oc-
CURED. Its knowledge of the fighting
grounds has proved to be as minute
and correct as typographical report.
No element of great campaign has
been overlooked. Neither delay nor
undue precipitancy has been permitted
The game of war has been conducted
like a game of chess, and every serious
check has been received by the Rus
slams. Check-mate to all appearances
is the logical end.
1t may be, it is barely possible, that
the japanese army will be pushed for
! ward after the retreating Russians,
until kuropatkin can select the battle
ground and gain great victory. But
the history of the last seven months
points the other way. Kuropatkin is
an able General whose advice has not
| been wholly followed and who, under
the circumstances, has shown military
genius in selecting alternating lines of
retreat. So far, however, he has been
fully equalled in ability and over
matched in numbers and in resources
and munitions. Judging from the
record and from historical analogies,
his chance of retrieving his failures is
small.
Friends of Russia. in Europe and to
some extent in the United States, are
busily engaged in sounding the note
of the yellow peril" 1t is essential.
they say, that the march of Japan
should be checked for the safety of
the world and they claim that the
"cockiness" of the japanese is so in
tense that, unless they are stopped,
they will exclude the great powers
from Asiatic commerce and virtually
MongolianiZe continent. All this talk
is simply ridiculous. Except in the
single item of fanatical loyalty which
is a powerful element in its success,
y Japan has withdrawn itself from the
Mongolian circle and has distinctly
ranked itself with the Christian ma
tons. 1t has bound itself by treaties,
the beneficial effect of which extends
to the entire civilized human race. Its
bulletins have been unusually moder-
ate and conservative. 1t has observed
, with rigidity the amenities and the
humanites of war. Russian barbar-
ism has been met by the kind of re-
, venge proclaimed in the Sermon on the
=. Mount. The Red Cross service has
been protected ana encouraged. Nc
single feature that characterizes the
o modern wars of civilization has beer
. wanting. Individual Japanese espe
cially the class with which Americans
l. are most familiar in their own country
Il may be and are "cocky" TO super
latiVe degree But no such absurdit!
Il has thus far marked the Japanes
q Government or the japanese nation.
Japan, with its intelligent and edu
: Gated soldiers who confront the stoli,
"a ana ignorant Russians, understand
y perfectly well its own limitations. |
T. Is fighting on It's selected ground 10