The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-09-21
LAL SCIENCE
AND NO FUSS
A CORRESPONDENT TELLS HOW
THE JAPANESE FIGHT.
Their Artillery Work Is Said to Be
Nor NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Does His
Work Silently and in the Utmost
Secrecy. ...
Secrecy,

London-Lack Of detail as to the fight
ing methods Of the Japanese has often
left us in doubt as to the value of their
victories and prevented us from forming
a proper judgment as to the prospects
Of the milxado's troops in battles yet to
be fought. The: closeness of the censor
ship has made 1t impossible for the cor
respondents to send the interesting de-
tails which every student of the war
wishes to read. kilograms, then, have to
be supplemented by letters, and of the
latter there is no lack. One letter, from
the Central News correspondent with the
Japanese army which crossed the Yalu
under Kuroki is just to hand, and it con-
tains some much-needed detail which is
of particular interest at the present mo-
ment, when Important land decisive bat
ties are on the point Of being fought.
The following extract shows how well
laid is every plan Of the Japanese and
how Anticipated are the methods Of the
Russians. -.."
On April 30, Kuroki, says the corre-
spondent, had all things ready. His guns
had that day demolished or totally de-
1eated those of the enemy, whose main
work had been silenced, In fifty minutes
by a fire such as beggars description
Almost every Japanese shell had found
us mark the shooting was magnificent
phenomenal superhuman
Spouting Volcano.
1. The conical hill had been for an hour
spouting volcano Of flame dust and
smoke; then It stood with crest battered
and smashed, still grim, but silent For
days past had watched the Russian gun
ners standing stark against the skyline as
they served their long-range weapons and
pumped shrapnel along the wide arc of
the Japanese position All the traditional
contempt of the fool in his folly had been
mere evident. No attempt to mask or con-
ceal his position, guns or men, was made:
they stood in open view 49,
Day after day they were permitted to
work their will without opposition from
hurokIs guns, while I-who knew-pic-
tured and imagined the manner of their
awakening and enlightenment Now it
mas come. and the gallant disdainful ig-
gone. .0 Adj - '
It Is practically an axiom in modern
warfare that entertainments are the spe-
cial prerogative of the defense, and bv
tnelr AID position may be rendered
practically tmpregnable. Yet the trenches
on the banks of the YaIu were the
trenches Of thirty years ago.
NO attempt had been made to disguise
or hide them; they stood-a fair mark
Tor everyone to see. The Russian guns
blazed away In open view, the Russian
soldiers stood sharp against the skyline.
Apparently contempt for their enemy and
ignorance of modern warfare led to their
destruction. -. -. -.
Defeat Inevitable. ~
But, apart from these facts, their ulti-
mate defeat was inevitable, for while
General Kuroki had an Overwhelmingly
superior force at his immediate disposal,
he permitted no inkling of such a fact
70 reach his enemy's ears. Every device
Tor the preservation of secrecy-that great
factor In War-had been made use Of and
improved a1lot s upon. There was nothing to in
d1cate that among the rolls and folds Of
ground lay hidden and congregated all
the numerous units of a mighty army
e Inc enemy had been harassed and men
anced on each flank Of his long extended
position, while at the real point the at
tsack1ng force lay "perdu," absolutely
"doggo," and lured him into false sense
and inactivity: Then, suddenly, the Japa-
nese general put into practice a
maneuver old as the hills, but ever fresh,
and, concentrating all his available
strength, struck straight at the heart Of
his enemy's position. ~
One thing that you notice very much,
adds the correspondent, is the absence
of all unnecessary noise in the Japanese
army No blare of bugles sounding the
reveflle greets the approaching dawn and
reveals the position to wakeful foe
NO shout or whistle calls echo thru the
nils; every one does his work silently.
Ir every detail of organization and adj
ministration. from the greatest to the
apparently Insignificant, the great. fac
tors OF success in war--silence and Sc
crecy-are maintained. Another remark
able thing is the total absence of con-
fusion. The army marches, accompanied
by all its impedimenta, and leaves no
trace. No long lines Of stragglers per-
functorily going forward, no disabled
transport carts block the narrow tracks;
there is nothing to mark its passage save
the torn roads and fattened ridges OF
the adjacent paddy fields.