The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1904-02-19
JAPAN and RUSSIA.
Relative Strength Of the Two
Warning Powers.

The area of the Russian empire IS
s66oooO square miles, so thatit comes
next to the British empire IN extent
among the great powers. The popu-
lation is 10000, 900. The revenue
is e2O7, 900, 900, and the expenditure
the same.
There are large reserve funds in the
treasury, on paper, at all events, &C.
ia ing about $1,000, 600, while
sum Of coz, OO0,0 is kept in gold in
the state bank. The treasure Of the
church, W i:h Is said to he worth
sl00, 600, 900, or even more, could be
utilized in any great national emer'
gency.
The area of japan is $4,000 square
miles, or one. third larger than the
area of the United Kingdom. Her
population is grsater thar that OF the
United Kingdom standing at ~, O0O,-
coo in 1900, and is increasing at the
rate Of 500, 600 annually. Her revc-
nue. and expenditure are each Sl5O,-
900, 900, and she has reserve funds for
war totaling about $50.000,000 or
rather more, available only in great
national emergency.
The Russian army is recruited 10y
compulsory service, and on a war
footing can dispose of 5,000,0 900
trained men. But onlya small part
of this army is available in the far
east. since the question of supplies
has to be kept in mind. The war
strength of the Russian army in Asia
is 239, 900 men. In the far east the
Russians are believed to have a force
of about 200, 900 men, 40, 900 of whom
are Cossacks or mounted infantry
In Port Arthur is Il garrison OF 30
600 men. The army under Admiral
AleXieH can be reinforced from
Europe by the Siberian railway at the
rate Of about 1000 men per day, but
it is not certain that auch u rate
could oe long maintained. Two army
corps are stated to be on their way
from European Russia to the far east,
and their strength may be taken
together at 68, 900 men.
The Japanese army has total
strength of 500, 900 trained men, of
whom 232, 200 men with 79S guns
form the field army, organized i'm
thirteen divisions. 1t is recruited by
compulsory service, It's great weak
ness lies 10 the paucity of its cavalry
as this army only numbers seventeen
regiment, and 10000 men. This
weakness is compensated to some ex-
tent by the extraordinary marching
power and mobility Of the infantry.
Japan has the predoniinance in ma.
val force Her il"et consists of II @
following important fighting ships:
6 large battleships.
& modern and very powerful ar
mored cruisers
lo other powerful cruisers.
II destroyers and torpedo-gun.
boats,
go torpedo boats.
The whole of the above force is
moblied and ready for service. 1t Is
commanded by Vice Admiral Pogo
ana is probably in the Korean chan
mel, on which stands the JAPANESE
naval base of Sa>ebo.
The Russian fleet in eastern waters
can,ained:
At Port Arthur
Seven mttleships.
ohe modern armorcd cruiser
Six protected cruisers.
Twenty DIS rogers and torpcdo
boats.
At Nladirosfok-
Oae modern armored cruiser.
Three other cruisers.
Ten destroycrs ard torpedo boats
Korea, the bone of ontention. is y
small state with an area of 81 Ooo
square miles and a population of TO-
100000. 1t is governed BY an
emperor, and is nominally indenen.
DENT but for ten years struggle has
been in progress between the Japanz
csc and the Russians as to who shall
be the real masters of it. The
japanese have the right of maintain
ing a force of 1000 men to prote,, thu
telegraphs there, which are ,hoi,
property. The Russians have oh
tained forest concessions in the north
on the banks of the Yalu.
CT rnA