The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-01-05
SOLDIERS COMPARED.
In a studious article on Russia's mill
tary strength, the Star says:

In a StudiouS article on RuSSia'S mill
tary strength the Star says:
In the Russo Turkish war, the calibe
of the Russian troops and their hand
ling by their generals can be more sat
isfactorily judged. They certainly bea
the Turks, but they had pretty hare
4 work to do it and they gave up tn.
fruits of their victory when Disrael
called their hand by moving Indiar
troops to Malta. The Shipka pass prov
ed a very hard nut to crack while the
| capture of Plevna called for the full
| strength of military resource, More
over, no matter how brave the individ-
ual Turkish may be, the Turkish Off
| GERS are not good leaders, and the
| Turkish government is so corrupt that
proper stores, proper ammunition and
so forth were lacking.
| Both Russian and Turkish troops
have improved since the war of 1878
in way to win the respect of military
critics. That conflict inspired reorgan-
ization. Osman Pasha's forces were
irregular fighters who moved about the
country like great mobs, but who,
planted behind defences, each man
equipped with rifle, a bag of cart
ridges, a jug of water and a loaf of
black bread, could not be dislodged ex-
cept by strategy. OF strategy the Rus
slams knew little. Their way of fighting
was to advance en-masse upon the
enemy and try to overcome him with
brute courage and force of numbers
Their dead We're piled UP like cordwood
at Kars, Plevna and Shipka pass; and
not until the asthmatic skeleton,
Todtleben, who had learned strategy in
central Europe, was summoned from
st. Petersburg. did the Russian chances
improve. 1.-THE way to get Shipka
pass he said, lis to march a Russian
Army into Turkey by another route
and by this simple expedient the Turks
were compelled to evacuate their strong
position and take UP another and more
line of defence.
Now the Turkish Army is a compact
and highly disciplined
force of 100000 men and Russia has an
army of modern soldiers, led by educat-
ed officers and equipped for any mill |
tary work.
In the japanese, if war comes, they |
Of all the allies who marched upo
7eking the japanese presented the most |
appearance. Though not |
the leading column they soon |
ook the advance and the hardest work
fell to them. Faultlessly brave, tire |
ess and Intelligent they won the adj
and incurred the jealousy of |
heir allies in the field.
The qualities which go to make the
Japanese soldier are Cd Courage. The
Japanese soldier does not know the |
meaning of fear. He neither deserts
Tor struggles in war; he does not dread
Heath nor set too high value on life.
ID Patriotism. In this he is fanatical
Beside the Emperor and his country. |
amily. ties, business, health, danger are
Is nothing to him. Gid Obedience.
brought up 10 OBEY MS Ieudal lOrd
without question in the old days he
,beys his superior officer without ques-
ion now. QVO Marching capacity. |
Accustomed in civil life to walk instead
If ride, to pull the ricksha and to carry |
lis own burdens, the private soldier
an outmarch any European; and as
he takes along his food or has it carried |
by a fellow coolie out of uniform, he
needs no wagon train to cucumber his
(V) Physical size. The
Japanese soldier is short man, and as
all troops fire high in battle he is more
likely to hit a tall European opponent
than the European is likely to hit him.
)VD Leadership. The japanese officer
s a man who forever studies his pro- |
fession. Peace does not enervate him
Or make him rusty. He gets no soft
oillets and seeks none; but day in and
lay out tries to make himself a better
officer
An army so organized and Differed
Will give even the Russians trouble. I
though the appearance of the latter on
he Manchurian coast awoke the re-
'pect and admiration of every officer of
Admiral Evans fleet who had been to
lee them.