New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-06
NOTES ON THE VAR.

The report that a detachment Of Cossacks has
occupied Unsan may be true, but doubt it.
II il is true, ii is significant OF nothing unless Of
wasted energy the part of the Russian rough
riders. Unsan is place Of strategic i'm
portanoe. unless occupied by a large army. 1t is
many miles of the main road from Seoul to the
Nalu. on a branch road that leads nowhither in
particular. excepting to a ford of the river
among the mountains. A large army at Unsan
could threaten the flank and rear OF any army
that went on from Ping-Yang to VIII. but
force Of only five hundred Cossacks there would
be a negligible quantity.
The explanation of the Cossacks' presence
there, If they there, is doubtless that they
are one Of the numerous small parties that are
said 10 have been sent TO or across the Yalu
the upper reaches Of that stream. The great
highroad crosses the Yalu by ferry at its
mouth, at Antun6 and VIII That is the only
road over which it would be practicable to send
large army with artillery. But there is an
other road fording the river at Chang-Sung,
twenty-five miles up. and third at Pyang-Ha-
last named leads directly down to Cnsan, and
NAV have been the one pursued by these Cos
sacks These and other roads crossing the
upper halu are little more than scat tracks
Cossacks in 3sngle file may wallow along them
through the knee deep mud which prevails at
this time Of year, but an army could not pass
that way
Unsan. st will he recalled, is the site Of some
Those mines were the subject Of one Of the Wild
est run9ors in all the food of extra wild tales
which special correspondents have cleaned from
Shanghai coolies or evolved from their inner
consciousness, to Wit. that American troops
horse marines. doubtless-were being sent
thither to protect the mines from disturbance
during the Wa.
the reported arrival of japanese scouts at
Win. and the absence Of Russian troops from
that place. confirm the theory hitherto expressed
in these columns that only small scouting parties
OF Russians nave been sent across the Ialu.
and that the first resoiute stand Of the Russians
viii he made on the northern bank Of that river
Despite the sensational stories OF myriads OF
Russians swarming into Corea TO meet the
japanese at Ping-Yang. il has all along seemed
10 US inconceivable that any general would
lead an army across such stream as the YRlu
when the enemy had control OF the sea and
could al any time send a squadron into the
estuary and Gu: his communications at the rear
Few features OF the real news OF this war have
thus far been more notable than the lack OF
mention of names in japanese dispatches. We
have heard the names of plenty Of Russian gem
erals, adnIirals and who not at the front and
the way thitheT. But the names OF the
japanese commanders have been carefully con-
cealed. We have heard the names Of few
minor officers who have distinguished them
selves wro have heroically met death But
the only name Of a general commander that has
become at all familiar TO the reading public is
that Of Vice-AdmlraI Togo There has been
not a word about Niscount Ito the chief COM
mander OF the navy-under the Emperor.
Neither nave we heard Of Admiral Inouye
Vioe-Admiral Shibayama. or Vice-Admiral
there has been no hint concerning it. The two
great field marshals. Yamagata and Oyama. be-
cause OF their advanced age, are not to De
pected to take active charge Of armies in the
field. But who are the generals under them who
have been selected for the work? The names Of
the chief generals are wen known-Oku. Ko-
Dana. NoZu. Ruroh and Katsura- But which,
II any, OF these is directing the operations of the
army in Corea, and which is leading the inva-
sion OF Manchuria, the DISPATCHES have not re-
lated-nOt even the most imaginative.
The Identity Of some Of the division com
manders can. however. be determined through
the report concerning the composition Of the
army now advancing toward the Yalu. II COM
prises we are told the Imperial Guard and
mander OF the Imperial Guard is Lieutenant
General Hasegawa; Of the Second Division,
Division Lieutenant General Inouye.
The japanese are said TO be certifying Frlsan
the chief port and city OF Southern Corea, and
IIo-Je Island The latter Is the largest Of the
many islands along the southern coast OF Corea.
being twenty-five miles long by fifteen WIDE
and containing several towns. II Is directly
across Broughton Strait from Tsu- Shima the
large Japanese island in the middle of the
Strait OF C6rea, the distance from the
the other being about thIrty-five miles. These
Notifications will strengthen Japan's shortest
line Of communication with Corea and make it
more secure while her fighting fleet is elsewhere
The sending of troops and supplies to An-Ju
by wafer affords another illustration Of the
value OF sea power Having control OF the sea,
The japanese send their army along the
coast and keep IL constantly I'm touch with the
feet and they also save much land march
ing and transportation by the use Of ships.
They could send troops to Seoul by way of the
Seoul or Kan river. When they ready to
advance to Chang-Tan. the Im-Chin River
! utilized. Ping-Yang in turn. is reached by way
OF Chinampo and the Ta-Dong River Now
Anju is made accessible by the Chong-Chon
River, and the scouts who have reached VIII
VIII doubtless be reinforced not only by troops
marched up from ANU, but also by those sent
by sea up the estuary OF the Yalu. The same
process can be continued along the Manchurian
coast and wherever the campaign is to be con-
Quoted IN the East Asian Httoral
THE sARToRls-HALLE WEDDING