The San Francisco call., 1904-02-12
A BRISK WAR.

" OR a war less than a week DID, the brush between
r. Russia and Japan has been only brisk. but has
furnished several surprises interesting professors
OF the OF 1t is already evident that Japan has
made the same studied systematic and careful prepara-
ton that Germany made prior the Franco Prussian
In that struggle it found that Won Moltke was III
possession of grade and condition of every French
road, had the and weight capacity of every
bridge and knew the topography of the country around
every French fortress and stronghold. Equipped with
this knowledge time lost in marching backward.
The forts and their garrsons were left in the rear
while the German forces marched around them attack
unprotected cities and and invest the garrison
their leisure. after solating them.
The leaders of the Japanese navy educated in this
country learning their profession Annapolis, and
only to have absorbed the tactical knowledge
ary, but have become impressed with the dash and
initiative which have characterized navy from Paul
Jones to Dewey. They know the waters which they
fighting and their gunnery all that is to be desired
in that too, they have taken lesson from navy. In
the Spanish met ships that equal in all
respects but that One of the captured Spanish admas
explained his fight by saying that the Government had
refused to furnish the navy with ammunition for gun
practice and therefore he found his armament
useless because his had practice in handling it.
Japan has practiced that unwise economy, and
her gunners able hit ship in her vitals either
above below the line The next significant
action may be expected land. 1t is believed in mill
ary circles, here and in Europe that the Russian mill
ary force in Eastern Asia has been purposely
stated by that Government This belief is strengthened
by the capture of troop ships by the Japanese navy with
soldiers board If Russia had the force pre-
tended have with the railroad bring more, it is
hardly likely that she would be using transports and the
slower by water to recruit her strength
If it be that the Japanese have the Siberian
railroad beyond Port Arthur, their land tactics rise
equality with their naval skill With that cut 1t
probable that the military force available by Russia
less than that which Japan has within striking distance
1t will be very interesting if the Japanese tactics succeed
actually equazing her land strength with that of her
gigantic enemy If the railroad be permanently Grip
ped and Port Arthur be invested by land and sea- there
will ensue struggle of the most vivid interest to the
whole world.
IF Port Arthur fall the pride and prestige of Russia
fall with it. In possession of Japan the whole scheme
and military purpose of the rans-Siberian railroad
lost Russia, for Port Arthur is the terminal of that
line toward which aimed from the time left Slatoust
European Russia, and jumped the Ural Mountains
Russia's long lease Port Arthur. for ter
minal secured from China by craft and duress and
Russia Immediately began fortying it like another Glib
ratar outpost of the empire OF this there was
necessity the purpose of Russia peaceful and
sinister. The Canadian Pacific Railway has terminals
the United States, and extensive running connections
with our roads, but they for commercial purposes
only treated advanced posts the British
Empire If the Japanese take Port Arthur by their
prmacy isolate it from the sea, Russia's covert
plans will prove have been merely putting her imperial
foot where it gets stepped on
The Cars empire gets but little sympathy in the cap
als OF Europe and almost in the United States
Along the Rhine the unspeakabe inumanty of the Cos
sacks remembered and the Western nations saw them
duplicated in China during the Boxer If it be the
destiny of Japan avenge atrocities that
record of any savage people, the world will her its
thanks.