Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1904-02-15
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NOT AN ILL MATCHED PAIR.
Bradstreets gives some interesting |
facts regarding Russia and Japan.
The Russian empire comprises about
one-seventh of the land surface OF the
globe. Including internal waters, it
covers an area of 8,66O,3 square
miles, and it's population is estimated
at about 129,000,000 inhabitants, OF
which zoos, GIG square miles and 1867
264, 1876 Inhabitants were in 1900 COM
Aprised in European Russia. It has, an
annual revenue amounting to about
5000, 900, and expenditures some
what in excess of that sum. The Rus
sian army On a peace footing numbers
about 100000 men and on a war foot
ing about 100000 men. The navy
is understood to comprise about 10000
officers and men. IS, f..
Japan, the island empire, comprises
an area Of 161, 198 square miles, in
Guiding Formosa and the Pescadores.
Its population, including the islands
specifically named, numbered 47,O00,-
900 inhabitants. Its total area is
therefore less than one fiftieth that Of
Russia, and it's population is but little
over one third as large. Japan has a
revenue amounting to a little over
:.$121 ,000,0 900 and expenditures little
under $120,000,00O. It's army on a
peace footing numbers about 10000.
and on war footing about CSC, 900. Its
navy comprises about 10000 officers
and men. Japan's total naval strength
lis below that of Russia, but her best
battleships are superior to the best of
the Russian vessels, and her available
force at the probable point Of contact!
is believed to be greater. Again,
while her army on a war footing sinks
into insignificance compared with that
OF Russia, it will strain the resources
of the latter to bring to the scene Of
war a body of troops equal in number
to those that Japan may send against
them. -.
s&: It should be recollected, in making
any estimate of the relative strength
of the two powers with reference to
the employment of military force in
the Far East, that the Japanese troops
will be SO near their base that they
may be said to be almost on the
ground, whereas Russia's operations
! will have to be conducted at a great
distance from the center of her power
Russias troops, of course, far outnum-
Der those of Japan, but such Of them
as are to be employed in the Far East
have to be carried over four thousand
miles of a single track railway, and
Il it will take considerable time for her
Z to send over that road forces sufficient
to cope with those which may be
readily placed in the field by Japan.
Toxic is but a thousand miles from
Port Arthur. Kioto, which is to be
the imperial headquarters during the
war, is but eight hundred miles away,
and Sasebo, the japanese naval base,
3 is but five hundred and sixty miles
from the Russian stronghold. More
over, only a hundred miles separate
the coast OF Corea from that of Japan,
and her seeming ability to command
+ the sea approaches renders the land
1 ing Of troops on the mainland very
easy matter, and, as matter of fact,
considerable numbers of Japanese
/ troops have landed in Corea within
the last few days. The immediate
} military problem therefore, It will be
seen, involves not merely a consider
alton OF the absolute strength OF the
4 two opposing nations, but also COM
parison OF the relative amounts OF
military and naval force that may be
4 brought to bear by each in a territory
@One-fourth OF the distance from the
Japanese capital that It is from the
seat OF the Russian government.
b From that point OF view, and for the
purpose Of the immediate operations,
the ANTAGONISTS are not 50 Unmatched
y a. they might seem Il regarded simply
from the standpoint Of area and popu-
{ 1ation. s5,
IL
The Fargo Forum comments thus on
the resignation of Warden boucher: