Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-02-13
AMONG ARMY AND NAVY MEN.
Authorities at Army and Navy Club
Predict Land Attack on Port Arthur.

Authorities at Army and Navy Club
Predict Land Attack on Port Arthur.
Especial Correspondence.l
Washington. d. c., Feb. l3.-Natural-
iy the next move TO be made by Japan
in her attack upon Port Arthur is the
subject of speculation among military
men. The nerve and intrepidty OF the
little Japs still remains the admiration,
OF naval officers who believe that the
Japanese will continue to make the bet
ter showing on the sea. They argue
that naval battles are determined by
the intelligence and alertness OF the
personA rather than by the power or
the guns and In these points the Japs
have much the advantage. The RUS
slams are poor seamen and their navy
is slack IN Ms discipline. on the other
hand a finer drilled or more thoroly dis
clplined body OF men than the Japanese
navy and army cannot be found.
Captain Geo. r. F. Wilde, who recent
~ succeeded Rear Atrmral Sigsbee as
comlnandant at the League Island navy
yard and who was active In the Phil
lipine war and served on the Asiatic
squadron during the boxer troubles.
says OF the Japanese gunners:
Their craftsmanship ds marvellous.
have seen them send shells between
the masts OF merchantmen lying IN
their harbors or Off the coast and when
firing at stationary targets their aim
was uncomfortably accurate"
Navy officers who are watching the
contest closely believe that it is tho
purpose OF the Jays to make tse sea
saf.> for her transports just as soon as
possible when she will pour her troops
into Manchuria by sailing around past
Port Arthur and landing above at New
Cshwang. which Is within easy striking
distance OF the Marchurian railway.
This Will shift the scene of lighting 70
Manchuria instead OF Korea.
Expert Predicts Land Attack.
Emil l.. Conan. now in New York,
who was proprietor of the Cliff House
at Nagasalki, Japan, for twelve years.
ana later chief g1inner's mate on the
Olympia, peweys flag ship at the battle
OF Manila Bay. insists that Port Arthur
IL taken by the Japs viii be taken by
a land attack 1854 he witnessed the
combat in which the Mikado's fightlng
men wrested the fortress OF Port Arthur
from China. He explains:
zone important thing TO be consld-
cred in an attack OF this kind" he said.
sis that Russia has not a gun trained
on the road leading to the fortifica-
tions, or one so placed that It could be
used TO sweep the approach.
Sixteen miles from Port Arthur. be-
tween the latter place and Tat Lien
Wan. is the only place that landing
can possibly be effected. From that
SPOT TO Port Arthur there Is road
II II can be called one-thnt runs at an
angle OF % degrees. II Is obstructed
by immense rocks.
"At this time of the year, consider
ing the stress OF the weather. 1t is con-
sidered impossible. An attack by land
would hardly be worth trying before
May. when the ice and snow melt. un-
less the japanese are willing to UNDER
go great hardships and prtvation.
1T was by this road that they cap
tured Port Arthur in September, 1894.
and 1t will be by the same road that
they will do II again. II only required
five hours for the Japs to climb the
great rocks to victory that time. 1t
may require longer the next time, but
Russias only defense from the rear g
in pot shooting the enemy as they
come up the rocky incline"
Will ee Long War.
Most military men agree that decl-
sive action can not come in a minute.
for there is a great deal OF necessary
detail connected with military opera
tions Of any magnitude. Japan may
be able to render Port Arthur untena-
BILE for Russia within very few days,
for 1t has been apparent that the Rus
sian fleet is on.very bad shape hoth as
to men and officers. But before any
great movement OF troops can take
place on Manchurian soil immense
stores OF ammunition. provisions and
medical supplies. to say nothing OF for-
titled bases from which to operate,
must be provided.
In London and among British at
taches here 1t Is expected that Port
Arthur may fall within week. These
critics predict that the war will be over
by July, but the more conservative au-
thorities predict a protracted struggle
Russia is doomed to suffer defeats at
the first. Her navy is no match for the
Japs' and her Manchurian army has
been greatly overestimated. Disabled
and defeated on the sea, they will
probably adopt the tactics OF their gen.
erals in the Napoleonic wars and re-
treat inland by long marches and the
fatigues of inland warfare. Operat-
ing so many thousand miles from their
base, however with the laps close 20
their homes and possessing control OF
the intervening sea the Russians will
have no such advantage as they had
against Napoleon.
York, Pa.-Back water from the tee
gorge near New Holland has caused