Daily Kennebec journal., 1905-08-03
THE RUSSIAN ENJOYS ARRIVE.
Continued from Page One.)

her forces, her resources and her pow
er of eXistance are not known, but tho
people are even mistaken about the
true results of the war. The Russians
nave had reyerses. but this does NOT
signi1y that they have lost the power
"hlch was known to the Muscovite em-
pire before the war; it does not mean
that Russia has been negligible pow
er nor that Japan has acquired by re-
suit OF the recent victories such as to
make the Russian empire consider
them truly redoubtful enemy"
Mr.. Witte recognizes the good quail
ties or the Japanese militia and naval
organizations and does not believe any
othcr european nation would have
been able to resist Japan as Russia
has done.
1t must be taken into cOnsidera-
ton, said Mr.. Witte, that the Japan
ese mad been preparing themselves for
war Tor about 10 years. while Russia
was entirely -unp-eparod. wishing and
trusting in peace, that the Japanese
fought i'll their own neighborhood un-
der all favorable conditions. while the
Russians had to be sent 5000 versts
| from their Headquarters by a railroad
entirely insufficient to their needs and
to fight a colonial war with all co-effi-
| clients against them.
There is not in history another eX-
ample of a similar disproportion be-
tween enemies. Nevertheless all the Of
ficers of European armies who followed
the war are unanimous in affirming
that the Russian troops, both soldiers
nfftnnr- -;tl, i,
Bile bravery, but they had to withdraw
on account of the combination of cir
cumstances with which their personal
valor could not contend.
'On the sea the Russians found
themselves constantly in inferior con-
dltions. The squadron of Rojestvensky
was sent against Japan not because
the Russians had much confidence in
| its success. but because they could not
renounce from a military and moral
point of view any chance. no matter
how uncertain of obtaining even par
| tial victory.
suppose for moment that the war,
instead of having taken place in Corea
or in Manchuria, had been fought at
the true Russian frontiers, then the
japanese would not have been able to
face the Russian forces for more than
six months. However. even as things
stand, the Japanese have not made
such progress as is generally believed,
in fact, they will have to advance
four times aS much as they have done
in the last year and a, half to reach
Russia proper, in which case alone
they might consider themselves in Il
position of imposing the conditions of
peace. But they are very far from this
and the more they advance north the
more the respective conditions of the
Russians and the japanese will be re-
versed."
According to the Russian plcnipoten-
tiary, those who do not know Russia
well, oppose to these reasons the spec
tire of the internal conditions of the
empire imagining all kinds of cata-
clysms. but even about this they are
mistaken. NJ. Witte did not wish to dis
cuss at this time the events in Russia.
affirming, however, that they have not
the character nor the gravity attribut-
ed to them. nor can they bring about
the consequences which have been
supposed partly by those prejudiced
against Russia and partly by those ig-
norant Of Russian internal affairs.
What is going on in the Muscovite en-
pire, he said, cannot have any infiu-
ence on her foreign policy and even
less on the continuation or cessation of
the war.
1.-THE great majority Of the Russian
people," said Mr.. Witte. do not attach
to the conflict in the Far East the i'm
portance which is given to it III Eu-
rope and America. 1t is considered as Il
very distant colonial war, but the
whole Russian people would rise as a
single man the day in which they
should think that it is no more the
question of a colonial war which is not
dangerous; but of a conflict threaten
ing the security of the country
NJ Wittt indicated. notwithstanding
these views, that he does not mean to
say that he will not make every possl-
BILE effort towards the conclusion of
peace, adding that he is favorable to
peace as A Russian and as a man. hav-
ing always worked to prevent war and
understanding that at present nearly
the entire world desires the end of the
war"
However, he feels that TO reach this
object it is necessary that the Jap
anese should be animated by the same
feeling.
When the Kaiser Wilhelm DE Crosse
arrived at her pier. Mr.. Witte handed