The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-01-13
CAN RUSSIA BEAT JAPAN?
Cars Empire Will Not he Victo-
riOus in Case of War.

riOus in Case of War.
From the London Mail.
Notwithstanding all pacific assur-
ances to the contrary, there is only one
possible outcome of the situation in
the Far East. Japan and Russia are
face to face, and it is impossible for
either of them to draw back. There
must be an appeal to the sword, and
Japan has not a day to lose before
drawing it.
The only element of doubt in the sit
uation is whether she has not already
waited a little too long for the attain
ment of the result which last July was
almost a mathematical certainty for
her. In the interval Russia has dou-
bled her force on land and has nearly
doubled it on sea in the Far East.
l am told on good authority all
though 1 will not vouch Cor it's truth,
that France. whose aid could not be
asked for against a small power like
Japan by the Northern Colossus, and
whose direct Intervention would at
once bring England into the field under
the terms of the Anglo japanese Con-
Nention. has still so far shown her
complaisance to her ally as to sell. or
to agree to sell. some of her ships of
war to her, and that the arrangements
for quick transfer of crews in the
Levant have been made
In any case, Russia has turned to the
best account the six months interval
between the breach of the Manchurian
Convention last April and the second
breach few days ago. A great part
OF her military and naval power for of
fensive purposes has been concentra ted
between Port Arthur and Yongam- Pho
Unless Japan decides to act quickly,
before the naval reinforcements now
on the way reach the scene of contest,
she will find herself in a position of
manifest inferiority on the sea. She
will have waited too long. and instead
of setting the initiative in the Far
East she will have to retire into the
second line behind the uncertain pro-
ceedings of the United States and the
hating policy of England.
why Japan Nust strike.
1t is because the loss of the posi-
ton to which she aspires, and rightly
aspires, would so clearly follow if she
were to quail at this moment before
the formidaby demonstration of her
rival that Japan will act, and act be-
fore those Russian ships have passed
Singapore. I wish to emphasize that
point of passage. "the gate of the Far
East, because, just as France is cred
tied with acts of coplaisance toward
its titular ally, so might we very we'll
render similar service to our ally If,
at the moment of the Russian ships
passing this point, she stood in need
of a helping hand. But the fortune
of war will probably have declared
itself before that day, and we shall
know with the rest of the world
whether these reinforcements are
Fastening onward to confirm a sue
| cess or to add to the spoil of the vic
tors.
In the eyes of Continentals, with the
exception perhaps of the instructed
opinion of the Berlin headquarters
staff, which, l believe, retains an open
mind on the subject the person who
declares that that gigantic impesture
known as the Empire of All the Rus
sias. which is rotten and unsound from
foundation to pinnacle, is about to
| receive it's first rude lesson at the
hands of an Oriental race and power
| is regarded with the supercilious Gu
riosity that is bestowed on a maniac.
Japan's Advantage.
And it is very natural that the pos
sibility of a Russian overthrow on the
| Korean coast should be summary re-
jected in Paris and Brussels, where it
would entail the immediate revision of
all political calculations. The collapse
of the Northern Colossus at the touch
Of Ithuriels spear, in the hands of the
| Mikado and his sea captains, is not
| a vision that our friends in Western
Europe can bring themselves to antici-
pate as within the bounds of posi-
bility before it has passed into the
stage of history.
But a careful comparison of the two
| heets-Of their quality, and, above all,
of their gun power-leaves no room
for doubt that the advantage, although
not so decisive as it was in July, is
still on the side of Japan. If the Jap
anese establish their superiority, or
even their equality, in the first stage
of struggle, it is certain that as the
struggle progresses that superiority
will become more marked because
their repairing yards, arsenals, and
coal depots are close at hand. Both
the contesting fleets will be badly maui
ed in the first encounters, but in the
succeeding rounds, to use the language
of the ring, the Japanese will be able
to come up smiling and the longer
the struggle continues the more in
contestable will be their advantage.
refer exclusively to the naval war;
what happened on land is an entire
~ different matter. 1t would not
press for a solution. The Japanese
could afford to rest on their laurels
to see what other powers were doing,
and, above all, to await the develop
ment of events in China as the sequel
to Russias reverses.
To understand Japanese policy cor
rectly it is necessary to point out and
to remember that Russia's non-evacua-
Ion of Manchuria is not the real rea-
Son for Japan feeling the necessity of
declaring war on Russia and accepting
he challenge that has virtually been