The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-04-05
JAPAN NOW EXPECTS WAR
TO CONTINUE MANY MONTHS.
Plans Mobilization Time for Execution and When
Soldiers Landed Hos tile Ground Much Hard Marching
and Fighting Will Remain Be oneCscar King Davis Tells
Mikados Fighting Men Are Sent to the Front


! man sleeps ON a mat ~ feet wide by
feet inches long, which he lays down on
the deck. On these transports the men
sleep on the upper dec. and horses We're
carried on the main and lower decks and
in the hold Each horse had a stall 2N6
feet. What the Japanese intend to make
their main objective is at present pure
speculation, and one mans guess Is Just
as good as anotherS. So far nothing has
appeared to make anything clear. The
mitin road in Korea leads directly from
Ping-Yang to Win, on the ialu River.
Beyond that it bears away up through the the
mountains by way of Fung- -W WaiS-chcng
toward Alukden. The japanese are al
ready in force at PingYang- Ii seems to
he the expectation here that the Second
Corps now going forward will go to ko-
rea also. II that turns out to be the fact II
Will indicate that they probably intend to
push w. the great road toward Mukden
That Will mean big fight somewhere
about FungWang-Cheng.
The country Is very infamous and
the road eXecrahle. 1t is so bad that 1t has
been explicitly said at the War Office that
the army would not undertake TO employ
wheeled transportation of any sort. but
that implies that they Will endcavor TO
20 say that any attempt To drive the Rus
slams out Of tieir strong positions with
only the assistance OF mountain guns VIII
be extremely hazardous. This line Of at
tack. however. threatening the Russian
line at the center. would keep the Nusco-
vit"s guessing. To occupy Mukden would
Stuk at once.
The vaun,ed fortress at the top of the
i.ifo-TunG Peninsula has already demon
Strlted its weakness and is rapdly aSSum-
!n-, the condition of n very Sore felon at
t;Ie tip of long finger. When the Japa-
nesc get ready 70 cut the peninsula and
shut shut 90 I'll II" supplies; Port Arthmr for mus.
much longer siege than seems 10 be the
case.
The Chimes, have declared neutrality in
ali h.,. I and
the .Iapaaese have accepted it. That
means that turning movement on hluk-
den, in support of the main attack on
Fun@-Wang Cheng. would have to land
somewhere In NiuchWang.
WORRIED ABOUT CAVALRY.
Japanese operations in the fiat open
country in Nanchuria are almost certain
10 be seriously harassed by the CossaCk
cavalry. unless that. too. proves to be as
much overrated as was the Russian naval
strength. But strong column operating
up from Niuchwang would undoubtedly give
the Russians great trouble and be of ire
nendouS assistance TO the main co!ufnn In
Its heavy task of getting through the
mountains beyond the Korean frontiers.
There remains Nladvostok. protected by
an i:npassable river. the Tuulen, and by
rugged mountains. and defended by hills
and great guns. There is talk that the
japanese can 80 up Amur Bay and land
guns of the navy. II that Is POSSIBLE. it
may make their task much simpler. But
If they have to land on the mainland be-
low Possiet Bay and march up. the job is
not likely TO be finished this summer.
They have already sent some troops to
Wonson. on the east coast of Korea about
half wa; up. and there is talk that col
umn will be landed thereabouts to march
toward NladivOstok. That will be a hike"
worth seeing If it is attempted.
There is no talk here but the Japanese
TO settle the bill they must hold Russian
territory IL they are to exact indemnity
from the Car. Port Arthur will not slIf-
flee.
40 doubt with most of the japanese.
these is more desire TO take Port Arthur
than Eladivostok. They feel that it
would be retributive Justice to capture it
cation is that they will sratify that de-
1t has been officially intimated to the
three principal columns OF Japanese
troops. The course of only one of them
mas been indicated In any way so far.
ihat Is the one low forming In Korea
MAY INVEST PORT ARTHUR
1t seems to be indicated by the situa-
ton that one of the others will land
somewhere on the Liao-Tung Peninsula.
either to assist the main column bv a
turning movement toward Mukden or to
invest Port Arthur. More likely the in
vestment vest, Mt OF Port Arthur will be under
taken by an Independent force and the
turning movement will be made That
leaves the third column for Vladiyostok
Eut, as said before. it is too early in the
game TO make any DEMONSTRATIONS.
The headquarters staff has not yet been
entirely selected 1t Is understood that
General kuroki will be the Commander in
Chief OF all the armies in the field
Neither Marshal Oyama nor Marshal
Samagata will take the field in person |
General kuroki is expected to go with the |
main column. which will have the central
position.
Less tnan half the japanese Army has
neef ordered out, and it is apparent that |
II Will be weeks. if not months before the |
serious work of the summer gets under |
way. Some of US who have been WAITING
here in Toxic for nearly two months for |
the opportunity to get to the front with |
me japanese troops find little consolation |
now IN remembering that we wrote long
ago that the Japanese would not under. /,
take winter campaign''