The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-12-09
The Potency of Sea Power.

, The war in the orient, 50 far, has con-
frmed the increasing convictions that ef-
fcient sea power is essential for the
protection Of a nation IS rights and in
terests. Japan, without an efficient
navy, or with an inferior navy, would
have been hard-pressed by Russia, the
weakest of sea powers so far as the per-
sonnet of her navy is concerned. The
best fighting machines in the world, in
the hands of unframed and inexperi-
enced officers and men, are put in COM
mission at a tremendous disadvantage
in the presence of a smaller navy,
manned and directed by men who are
skilled and es have practical experience
in handling the complicated machinery
Of the modern warship.
The Japs are today hammering out of
shape and existence the last Of the ships
of Russia s Port Arthur squadron, and
there is only a small remnant Of her
Asiatic squadron left at Vladivostok.
It is probable that the Japs will COM
pei the surrender Of Stoessel and his
garrison before the first segment of the
Baltic squadron shows it's tunnels
above the horizon on the Yellow sea.
The crucial test of Japanese strategic
skill will come when Admiral Rojest-
vensky's squadron arrives in Asiatic
waters and endeavors to cut the COM
munications Of the Japanese forces on
the mainland with Japan. This squad
ron is to be followed by second, strong
in battleships, and perhaps by third,
as soon as battleships now under con-
struction are completed, reinforced by
several older battleships, cruisers, and
a large force Of torpedoboat destroyers.
1t is, doubtless, the intention of Russia
to. isolate the Japs in Manchuria from
reinforcements from home, and, massing
| all the available troops that can be sent
! to Mukden by the Siberian railway,
give Kuropatkin a total force of some
400, 1000 men to start southwark once
more and seek to overwhelm the Japs
by numerical superiority. Account, of
course, must be taken Of the superior
naval strategy shown, thus far in the
war, by the Japs, who, with two less
battleships, than Russia had, at the be-
ginning Of the war, and fewer armored
cruisers, probably were stronger in tor
pedo boats and torpedoboat destroyers.
It has been reported that the Japs have
five battleships in fighting shape now,
and are well supplied with torpedoboats
and destroyers, with which they can
make a formidable record, fighting a
navy that has revealed such nervous
ness and inexperience in the North sea,
The czar is making tremendous exer-
lions to wipe out the disgrace of ten
months of defeat on sea and land. His
efforts to induce Turkey to grant free
passage Of the Dardanelles to the Black
sea squadron, in violation Of the treaties
of Paris and Berlin, have so far failed
but, as the sultan has disregarded those
treaties by letting Russia g volunteer
warships 20 thru the straits and search
neutral ships, he, may stretch his com
plaisance further, if Russia will remit
some millions Of his big war indemnity
debt. The car, determined to exhaust
his naval and military resources whip
ping Japan, will play the role of Xerxes
as strenuous invader, and may posi-
bly, meet the fate Of Xerxes, when he at
tempted to wipe out little Greece.
i Afa