The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-08-02
STUDIED THE JAPS
At HIS LEISURE
U. S. NAVAL OFFICER TELLS OF
HIS OBSERVATIONS.
Thinks 1.-THE Man Behind the Cum
Is Winning Jap-Russ War, as Was
Case in the Spanish War-Was AL
lowed to Inspect Japanese Naval
Station and Dry Docks.

cit is the man behind the gun who
is winning in the Japanese Russian war
Just as much as it was in our war with
Spain,'' said Chief Master of-Arms W.
K. Belknap of the naval recruiting
station, which took up quarters in the
federal building today. "Of course it
is the long training that teaches the
men, but when it comes to the fight.
ing, they are responsible for victory
Belknap was on the Oregon in it's
two years cruise in As1at1c waters
as a fighting nation, which has been
accorded to but few. The other mem
bers Of the recruiting station have also
seen service in Japanese waters. The
recruiting party is the largest sent tc
Minneapolis for some time and Mime
apolis will be the headquarters for the
neighboring territory. The member:
are: Lieutenant s. I. NJ. Major; as
sistant surgeon, A. II. Wise; chief mas
ter of arms, w. H. BelknaP; CHIEF Yeo
man, w: B: Jernigan; hospital steward 9
Floyd.
Easy for Japs. -.
"Japan,o continued Belknap, "could
not help but win. We call them copy
lists and imitators. Perhaps they dc
copy, but after they have learned every
thing that can be taught they take the
ton and sanitary regulations. All ma
lions have the theory on paper but
Japan not only has the theory but the
actuality.
NWhen we were on the Oregon we
had a chance to see the system. That
| was in 1900. At that time they were
prepared for war altho few realized 1t
The Oregon struck a rock about thirty
miles off Port Arthur and stove two
holes near the keel. You could nav
driven team and wagon thru them
One was 12x16 feet and the other 2Ox24
We found that the Russians had NJ
suitable docks at Port Arthur, nor hat
they the men to do the work. We the1
started for Kure, a Japanese naval sta
ton on the inland sea and fully 70
miles away. When we got to the hal
Dor the Japanese took entire control o
everything.
eve had expected to find that fol
eigners did the overseeing and tn
mathematical calculations. As matte
of fact, the Japs did everything. The
had three drydocks. One was larg
enough for any vessel in the worlt
They started to work to put on ten
porarv patches which were complete
in twenty-five days. The patches wel
only intended to be strong enough
last until we reached home por
However, they were practically, perm'
nent, and 1t was a year lacking or
in America. Here it took eight month
to fix the holes and cost more tina
, $1,OO0,OO0. The Japanese charged onl
!, for the material The labor and TT
dockage was thrown in. In Hongkon
we had to pay the English governme1
5000 day for dockage alone.
, Inspected Naval Station.
s "The most interesting thing was TIL
e we were allowed the liberty of the nav
station. This honor has never been q
corded any other foreign boat or of
GERS, as it is a naval base. Everyth11
was perfect from the facilities for doc
I selves. Everything fitted into the sy
tenn. There was no conflict between t.
. departments and no red tape. Abo
= all the men were loyal, but not servi
9 They were always working. hard, dri
q ing and trying to learn what was e
: pected Of them. They were content
! NOn the other hand the Russians (
|, fore a fight deal out double ration
!. grog, and then expect the men to be al
7. to Shoot. The men are not loyal, b
IS servile, and when things begin to
g wrong that is. the end of it. In the {
DAYS a gunner could be drunk and st
manage to hit the other boat as tn
y were SO close together that it would
{ almost impossible to miss. Now t
B boats seldom get nearer than a half
/ three quarters Of a mile. Calculate
y for the wind, tide and pitch have to
: made. When the japanese began t
I last naval fight their storm Of fire "
( SO accurate that the Russian gun ere
( were killed almost before they had
& chance to begin action. The long, ira
Z ing told and the japanese could I
+ have lost. 1t was not submarines
J mines that did the work. 1t was 4
& man behind the gum