The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-12-25

quickest: and they did most OF the
fighting. The railway was completed
as rapidly as possible under the direc-
ton of Prince Khilkoff. minister Of
communications in the cars cabinet.
who WAS educated on the Pennsylvania
railroad and is very appreciatiye Of
the opportunities he enjoyed in this
country. During this war he has given
Us the most remarkable exhibition OF
transportation skill IN all history. The
problem he had TO solve was infinitely
more difficult than any that ever came
up during our civil war or during
any other war. Very few accidents
harI med. Very few deteutions oc-
CURED. The entire line was given up
to military purposes. All trains ran
ten miles an hour on a fixed schedule.
the only exception being one express
train between Moscow and Irkutsk.
which ran each way four times a week
at the usual speed. Even the mail
trains We're kept down to the ten
miles-an-hour schedule. Prince Khil-
koff adopted the slow but sure policy;
be sought safety rather than speed.
The construction of the tracks
around Lake Baikal was a stupendcus
undertaking and was carried on with
the utmost visor and skill. The lake
is the crater of an immense volcano.
and the mountains come down sheer
TO the water. The only way TO get
around ii was 10 cut a shelf 100 miles
long on the edge OF the rock, and
thirty tunnels We're required in that
distance, very much like those on the
Swiss railroads and on the Corniche
road along the Riviera. The tunnel
through the Kinghau mountains. two
miles long. was completed ar the Same
time, and a large number of sidines
ana stations were added to those thai
already existed. All this time. during
All this construction work, YOU must
remember. the mobilization and the
forwarding Of troops and eventhe fight.
ing was going on. This movement of
troops has been almost contiguous
since the beginning of the war. The
road has scarcely been idle q day,
continuous procession Of trains only
Two or three hours apart has been
passing east and west day, after day
and month after month without cessa-
ton, and the manner in which tlle
movement has been conducted is an
extraordinary object lesson in trans
portation.''
How long viii it take TO send back
the million and more men who are now
in AGanchuria ," I asked.
There Will be no difficulty in send
ing them all home during the eighteen
months allowed by the treaty OF
peace, replied Colonel Hoff. THAT
gives the Russians eighteen months
from last fall; that is, they win have
until year from next spring TO evac-
uate, and ] suppose they will send a
portion OF the army home by sea.
assume they win send the Siberian
troops home first. That would be the
natural programme. although, so far as
| am aware, it has not been announced
ThoSe that have seen the longest and
hardest service are likely to be sent
first
The arnv is i'm magnificent condition.
said colonel Halff "and il is composed OF
sDlendid fighting material-tVpical Rms
sian peasants, illterate ox-iike, stupid.
srolid. enduring but docile and good
natured. They are easily susceptible to
discipline. obedient To their officers and
TIER priests. loyal to their religion and
to the car. They are men of. large stat
ure and perfect physical DEVELOPMENT.
good constitutions, accustomed to prfya-
ton. hardened 20 fatigue and capable OF
harding weapons with skill"
What effect has the war had uDon
them?''
They have been Transformed from IN
peasants into seasoned sol
diers, and are much more intelligent be-
ngs than when they were first brought
1Ut. They were all cOnscriDts They were
forced into the service. They had to 20
and they went reluctantly They had
never heard of Manchuria, and did not
know anything about Japan. They had
40 knowledge of the causes OF the war
and most OF them had never been out
side of their native villages. bat during
he last year and half they have learned
a lot Of things, have developed into. good
soldiers and are very much improved in
by their experience and OBJ
servaticn, as well as by drill and disci-
oline.
\ =
The Russians have put up a wonderful
light. We have not given them half the /
,redit they deserve. You have heard a
great deal about the ValOr of the Japan
sse. but very little about that of the
Russians. The organization ana the
handling OF the Russian army have been
much better than is generally believed, /