Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-03-03
RUSSIA WILL WIN WAR.
Our Army Officers sny--Chief battles
IN he Fought In ManchuRla-
Jnpan's Handicap.

10 optain permission to join the foreign
armies at war were greatly disappointed
10 learn that the Russian and Japanese
governments had taken the application
IN their behalf sander AMUSEMENT, says
the Washington Tribune bureau. This is
construed as a virtual donial at the re-
quest. The men had been busily employed
IN reading up the literature on the coun-
tries where they hoped to spend the
next year or two All of them count on
long war Colonel r. II. Crowder, one
OF those designated, and member of the
general staff. is of the opinion that the
war may drag along for two years, ana
most other army officers entertain the
same view. The military information di-
vision has been compiling information re-
lating to Russia and Japan ana the Ter
ritory likely to be the theatre OF opera
tons, and will shortly issue book on
the subject. An elaborate map OF Man
churia Is already on the press and Will
shortly be accessible The liveliest inter
est Is maintained in the army and navy.
with the sentiment somewhat divided 50
as to place the majority of the army
officers on tho side of the Russia and the
navy with Japan. Perhaps this is for the
reason that army officers, especially
those who have been ir China and have
seen the Russian troops. have n great
| respect for the Russian forces. They say
| the Russians have the best engineers in
Europe in their army, just as they proba-
bly, have the worst engineers In the world
IN their navy.
RUSSIA CAN FURNISH MORE MEN.
Army officers accordingly predict that
| Russia will win In the war. the follow
ing view may be accepted as typical; 1t
comes from an officer OF an experience
| abroad. with an intimate acquaintance
with the two armies and their oHlccrs.
In MT IN n
situation would rot be made much easier
| for Japan The real contest. which will
count in the end, is the lana fEhting,
and this will be-, In Manchuria | think the
strategy of the "Japs" will be to drive
tho Russians out of Manchuria. but do
| you suppose that the Russians will sub
NIT? Tho japanese will be able to nag
them and hester then by interruptions
| of the Russian transportation of supplies
| They may even drive the Russians back
| from Manchuria. but sooner or later Rus
STA will have in the field ready TO night
| the "Japs" twice and three times as
many men as the "Japs" can at any pos
| sihlity raise and support. In calcula-
tions vf relative strength, you must re-
| member that the "Japs" will he away
from home. and that the problem or
transportation Of munitions of war and
the ordinary supplies for troops In the
field will he for the 'Japs' quite as
much as for the Russians, with sea
travel adding to their peril, The Rus
slams have the railroad facilities, and
YOU may he sure that with an army of
! 1000 0no mon and force of l6o,1w cavalry,
the Russians will not lie down before
the Japanese. l look for Russian re-
treat from Manchuria at first. but after
endorsements arrive, as they VIII by
| every train. believe YOU Will find the
| Japanesc dislodgc1 forced back into
Korea and finally driven home. Perhaps
in that extremity the Russians the Rus
| slams will have the aid Of the Koreans.
who are none too friendly tow"ri the e
Jaranese. The military strategy of tho
situation which takes into account the
resources of Russia, which has at hand
| thc abundant means or supplying inc
troops with -four and beef, leaving for
the trains the transportation of men ana
munitions do not think Japan IL In an
/ enviablc position. and with the tempcrt-
mcnt Of these people it Is possible the
! first reverse ar two will have discouras-
/ ing eject. foN must take into c"hsidera-
tion the logged determination OF the
| Russans It counts for everything
When it was announced that the Jap
anesc had moblizcd $4,000 troops mt four
! Japancse bases there was much curiosity
to know Just how this body of soldirr%
would be transported to the scene or
! military ACTIVITY. Ii they ar" to 80 to
|
be the first step in the operations of tho
Japs against the Russians. there Will
| have to be somo elaborate preparations
| for over sea transportation. Our own
uuartermasters. who have been Watching
that feature, say that for this purpose
II Is likely the Jlparosc will employ
the national steamships withdrawn from
the Pacific Mail line. The men will doubt
loss be crowded on board the steamships
! without much attention to their needs
or comforts, and while this will not
| add to their pleasure it reduces the prob
| lem of transportating vast body OF
| troops over sea to the art of compression
Resides the trip from home ports and
bases Of supply Is not a long one. and
does not require as much consideration
OF the soldiers az do our trips across
the Pacific The time of the voyage is
thirty-six hours.
our officers believe the Japanese on
land will depend largely on long Marches
which may not be the easiest part OF
the campaign for their, especially in the
| climate of Manchuria AT this season
| Everybody counts on the Japanese de-
struction of the Russian railroads at
every point possible, and for tins pur-
pose there need not be Il large force
hut rather one which shall be mobile
! to the degree of elusiycness, and trained
in the work Of Interference. The Russian
railroad facilities are said to be sufficient
Ia transport to the scene of conflict a
greater number of troops than Japan can
possibly mobilize in the same time at
the same place, even in Korea.
Hives are n terrible torment to the
little folks and to some older ones.