Durango semi-weekly herald., 1905-02-13
A YEAR OF THE JAPANESE WAR.

A YEAR OF THE JAPANESE WAR.
When, year ago next Wednesday.
Vice Admiral Togo's torpedo boats
and destroyers swooped down in the
middle of the night on the Russian
fleet In the harbor OF Port Arthur
ana sunk several OF Its vessels, every
body supposed that the war would
have come to an end before this
time The attack was so audacious
and so successful that the nations
were startled. It became clear In an
instant that power had Just made
its advent with wnich the world
would henceforth have to reckon. On
the 9th daylight attack was made on
the Russians in the harbor. in which
Others of the cars vessels we're dis
abled, and on the same day two Rus
slams cruisers. forced out OF the har-
Dor Of Chemulpo. were attacked and
sunk. From that day the 1900 miles OF
coast line from PORT Arthur down
through the Yellow Sea, around tho
peninsula of Korea and up through
the sea of Japan to Vladivostok was
in the control of the fleets OF the mi
kado. Several attempts were made
by the Port Arthur squadron to break
out of their prison, and a raid or two
was made by the vessels shut up In
the harbor OF vladivostok, but these
availed nothing except to snow that
the comand OF the sea was In jap
ans hands.
In all the operations on water and
land from the beginning the advan-
tage has been with Japan. yet the
war may sul be far from the end.
This is because the task is little
larger than the world had supposed
Korea. one OF tns prizes OF battle,
England and New York. and a popula-
ton nearly as great as that OF the
same locality. has fallen into Japan
est hands. Manchuria, the principal
prize of the war, with an area as
great as that OF Texas and Arizona
and n population equal to that OF Tex
AS and all the states and territories
west OF the main divide OF the Rocky
Mountains. Is still in dispute between
the combatants. Japan has Mancnu-
|
Gibraltar of the Orient. and all the
southern end Of the province up to
Mukden. Near that point the entire
Russian army is at bay endeavorIng
thus far successfully, to delay the VIC
torious Japanese in their march on
Harbin. at which place they will get
control OF the Siberian railways main
line and hang Vladivostok in the air.
Meantime a Siege for that outpost Ii
reasonably certain just as soon as
the disappearance OF the snow snd
Ice permits military and naval move
ments In its vicinity. 1t is assumed
that Russia's Baltic fleet, now hiding
somewhere in the Indian ocean, is out
of the reckoning. and that Japan's
, mastery Of the sea will not be cnal-
, lenged
Decidedly the victory In the ngnt-
: Ing has been on Japan's side thus far,
but how about the relative strength
{ of the combattants financially? Here.
too 1t Is probably that Japan has
= nothing to fear, From the report OF
t Russia's minister OF finance. Just
e published. 1t appears that the war, to
+ The end Of 1904, cost Russia In the
n neghborhood OF s3I2.0O0.0O0. The
!. cost TO Japan IL not known to the
r world with any approach to definite .
l. ness. but 1t Is undoubtedly less thar
Russia's. Each power has hoated
n loans since the beginning Of the war
but the amount OF these cannot bt
given with any confidence. It wosslt
- appear on the surface OF the figure,
o that nation Of 13O,000.000 people
J. ought to be able to whip nation o
h $1,000, 900, but several qualifying cir
l. cumstances have to be considered. Tn,
D. smaller power in this case is neare
x the seat of war; 1t was better prepar
I. ed for the war; II mas. through II
- supremacy on the sea, the comman
se of the whol,, coast line OF the seat q
war. and has all the physical advaI
~ ages on Its side. Moreover. 1t ha
,e just received an unexpected and pow
erful reinforcement by the nre l
I'd the rear from Saratof to st. Peter
re burg and from Warsaw to Holingfor'
which has been opened on the cza
- The latter will have not only a mate
~ ial effect, but will have moral cons
quences OF far-reaching scope 1t vi
ph keep at home hundreds OF thousant
be OF troops which otherwis might /
al sent to Manchuria, and 1t will arous
I'd the resentment OF the world. whic
ut has already forced Grand Duke Via
I'M amir to make an explanation OF II
es atrocities committed In st. Peter
burg and other places by his order
"A Then, too. as shown by Paris rsce
ed refusal to subscribe for the husSis
ce loan. the money changers are to
at reckoned with. who open and clio
the gates OF the temple Of Janus.