The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1904-10-05

AS many reserves are about to fol-
low, less perfectly drilled, but with
good officers. The tactics Of the
Japanese army are to constantly food
with their right wing advancing
along the heights. the eastern flank
of the Russian army retreatine
through the valley
"A great battle is to be foreseen
as imminent in the mountains be-
tween Mukden and Hardin. also
expect an energetic resistance at Kir-
in, although this can no longer be
selected as point Of concentration by
the Russian army in full retreat, un-
able to stop far short Of the Sum
gari. Kirin is the objective point of
the Japanese army, as Vladivostok
is for the navy, in the 1904 cam
paign. If they capture Kirin before
the beginning of winter, the Japanese
can, to their own advantage. deprive
their adversaries of fertile and cul-
tivated regions, which have until now
so important that. once acquired, the
Japanese will not push on to Hardin
even If they find themselves in a po-
sition to do so.
This much seems to fall to ia
pan; but other considerations now
come into play. The Russian armies
which Japan has until now met in
Manchuria consist mainly of trans
Baikalian and Siberian natives, and a
few divisions of reserves from Euro
pean Russia. The real Russian army
is only beginning to arrive on the
scene. Furthermore. the effect of the
first successes and the feverish en-
thusiasm in Japan make fine soldiers
of all the Japanese, even without
training. A like phenomenon was
seen in France in 1872. But this
spirit does not last indefinitely.
In respect to the winter campaign
which Russian seems decided to carry
on, perhaps too much confidence has
been placed in the inability of the
japanese to resist cold. I happen to
know that for several years the Jap
anese staff has been systematically
training the troops for winter cam
paigns in the northern japanese
islands In the winter Of 1901-190e,
an entire japanese battalion persisted
maneuvering in the SHOWS of Yezo
island. And the Chino-Japanese war
continued throughout the winter Of
1894.
with Kirin and Vladivostok to
H. IArA Ia, f,,t IL
new point of concentra ton to be
found, with supplies, munitions and
reinforcements coming with difficulty
over the single track railway, Rus
STA is faced by the future necessity
of regaining inch by inch all the
ground lost since the beginning of
the war, before the victory can be
really hers. One only line Of con-
duct seems to lie before her: To re-
gain the mastery of the sea at any
cost. So long as the Japanese can
land freely In Korea and at Niu-
Chwang, they will have the advan-
tage in numerical strength and in
supplies of all sorts. But let the
new Russian fleet cut Off the Jap
anese invading forces from their
home base, and the advancing armies
of Kuropatkin can crush them.
1--WE are. indeed, witnessing a
struggle not only between two ma
tons, but between the Giant of the
Land and the Genius Of the Sea. I'm
til the mastery of the sea is decided,
thousands of lives may be sacrificed,
millions of dollars may be squan-
dered on land battles. but nothing
will be gained. The prizes Of the
war will belong to the force which
eventually controls the sea-"