The Democratic advocate., 1905-06-03
Great Sea Fight.

Russia has played her last card in the war
with Japan, and has lost, at least for the pres
ent Her hopes rested upon victory OF the
fleet under Admiral Rojestvensky over Togo's
Japanese fleet. The armadas met on Satur'
day and Sunday in the Strait of Korea, and
the Russian fleet met with crushing defeat.
Roestvensky's best ships were all sunk OF
captured, and none but the smaller and faster
craft escaped In the battle Togo was aided
by submarine mines, which sent several OF
Roiestvensky's battleships to the bottom, and
the main part of the fight was done by his tor
pedo boats, which we're swift and easily man
euvered So far as reports show, but five OF
Rojestvensky's ships escaped TO Vladlvostok'
The japanese officially report the loss OF but
three torpedo boats, and the loss is immaterlal
compared to the great gain to Japan. Had
Roiestvensky gained victory, Japan's cause
would have been lost. Without navy the
army in Manchuria could not have been fur
nished supplies nor be reinforced. AS 1t is,
Russia is in sore straits Almost without any
fighting ships and her army in Manchuria
outnumbered two to one, her chances OF over
coming Japan seem hopeless. The five or SIX
ships she has at Vladivostok will soon be
shut in and eventually fall into the hands
of the japanese as did the Port Arthur fleet.
What will be Russia's next move is not
now known. Serious dissensons and troubles
at home from the very beginning have hamp-
cred the government. These troubles will
now become more serious and Russia's only
hone is to ask for peace and set to work to
establish peace at home.
1t is probable Japan will not be allowed to
insist upon harsh terms, or to gain her desire
for permanent occupation in Manchuria. She
has shown q power on sea and land that has
astounded Europe, and she will not be allow
ed to grow too big and become the controlling
power of Asia. Already the 'yellow peril, j
as her importance as fighting power has de-
veoped. is being discussed seriously, and
events in the near future will be important to
the world.
Russia seems to have bundered from the
very beginning, and the laundering seems un-
accountable, except that the big empire deS-
pirsed the littleness Of her opponent or great
incompetency prevailed among those IN
charge of the conduct of the war. With more
than double sea power and double the land
force. Russia should have soon forced Japan
to sue for peace. Instead of pouring troops
into Manchuria and sending the Baltic fleet to
the aid of Port Arthur and Vladivostok, she
allowed her armies to be ingloriously defeated,
with a loss of several hundred thousand men
in killed, wounded and captured and her fleet
at Port Arthur to be destroyed Had the
Baltic fleet been equipped and sent to the and
of Port Arthur by July last, Togo's boats
would have been at the bottom Of the sea in-
stead of Rojestvenskys and the war would
have been ended months ago Without a
fleet Japan would have been powerless to
maintain an army in Manchura.
With victory on her side, it is not probable
that Russia would have been permitted to have
all she would have desired. The United
States and Germany France and other powers
have declared against the dismemberment OF
China. A cessation of the war between Japan
and Russia seems to be in sight, but the terms
of peace may be subject of considerable con-
troversy.