Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1905-04-21
FriqhtfuI Losses of the War.

Although the statistics of the grea
battle of Murkden are as yet largel
| problematical, it is safe to say from
the press reports of losses from day t,
| day in various parts of the wide-extend
ed field, that approximately 500
men we're killed. wounded or captured
on both sides. The Russian loss il
thought to be between 1000 ani
l75, 900, large per cent. of the aggre
gate being represented in prisoners
several large units of troops having
been captured by the Japanese. Dur
ing the first days of the two weeks
fight the Japanese, being in the main
the aggre ssors, lost more in killed and
wounded than the Russians, but aftel
the grand retreat was we'll under way,
the Russians were literally slaughter
ed.
To remove at one fell swoop nearly
a quarter of million men from active
participation in hOstiities shows the
deadly character of modern warfare
as all the lurid descriptions of battle
could depict it. When a single battle
wipes out a number eq ulvalent to
large army, it must be doubted if such
war can be long continued, for it's
drain on the population and finances
of any nation would soon severely tax
its resources. Russia is. monster pow
er with its 130, 900, 900 people and colos
sal treasure, but the fficulty of tran
sporting sufficient troops to cope with
the Japanese fighting 80 near home
becomes apparent to any one when it
is considered that singletrack line to
poorly constructed railroad must carry
them between 5000 and 1000 miles and
provision them besides. 1t took Rus
sia months to mass in Manchuria the
Of men she lost in this single
battle, and under the most favorable
conditions it would take her a year to
replace the men who have been killed,
or captured in the year the
war has endured. Add to this the fact
that the great Russian army, all but
consisted of the very flow
er of the Russian sold iery-the regu.
lars or standing army of Russia--and
the unfortunate military plight of the
Russians will be perceived. The re-
servists, who make up new army are
mutinous, more or less cowardly and
raw as soldiers.
The London Daily Mail recently pub
lished semi official list of the losses
by Russ ia and Japan ia the
present war up to but not including
the battle of Mukden. According to
this authority, the belligerents lost
240. 900 men the first year of the war.
The figures of the Manchurian cam
paign are given as 81 ,250 japanese ard
Ill 900, Russians killed and wounded,
the prisoners numbering some 40, 900.
In the long siege Of Port Arthur, 55.-
700 Japanese and II 800 Russians were
killed or wounded, and with the fall
)f the fortress, 81, 900 Russians became
prisoners of war. In these operations
|, ,799 Japanese and 2.527 Russians were
ost on the waters around Port; Arthur.
In the whole war thus far. it is estim
ated that the navies of both powers
have lost 40, 900 men.
The authority says that the guns
and other material lost will
represent at east $3.50. 900, 900, while the
total cost of the war for the first year
is estimated at $500, ,O0O, 900, of which
at least $500, 100000 falls on Russia
The single battle of Mukden must have
cost Russia quarter of billion dol
lars. and it will add fearfully to the
totals for the war up TO that time.
This Is the cold, statistical side of
the case. Appalling as it is, it is not
to be compared with the sentimental
side--the widows and orphans, the
broken hearts, the desolation and
pinching poverty the war has spread
in every hamlet and well nigh at every
fireside in Russia and Japan. The
sacrifice of this nature is heartTeDding
and, in it's way. as pitiable as the suf'
ferings of the soldiers in the field.
Whatever the duration and result OF
tho terrific struggle in Manchuria, it
will serve rs all awful obj ject lesson to
teach the generation the curse of war.
May it tend to hasten the day OF uni
versal peace through international
arbitration
Ninety eight Per Cent.