New-York tribune., 1905-01-02


would not be extended TO Corea. Japan eonsid-
cred control OF the Hermit Kingdom TO be vital
90 Japanese interests. and viewed with alarm
the concessions granted to Russia on the Yalu.
Behind this contention lay the grudge dating
from the close of the with China, when
Japan The spoil of her victories handed 10
power whase promises to restore the territory
30 China broken. Japan had been prepar-
ing for the struggle for years. Great supplies
OF food were purchased abroad. the arsenais
were busy turning out guns and ammunition,
the army, drilled under German methods was
put on q plane of the highest efficiency, and the
navy at the opening of the war ranked sixth
among the powers. Most OF her ships were built
abroad. many of them in England. Russia did
not, apparently. expect a conflict; in any case
she was unprepared when it came. Her army
IN Manchuria II Is said good authority. did
not then number more than $4,000 men. and the
siberian railway proved inadequate to carry the
needed troops. Official corruption protected
and fostered by autocratic form of govern
.nent, was said TO be widespread 1t is alleged.
for instance that sufficient money was provided
20 lay down q double line Of one hundred pound
rails across Siberia where single track, with
sixty pound rails. now runs The navy which
ranked fourth among the nations, and whose
strength in the East supposed to be supe-
rior TO Japan's has shown itself far inferior,
shough 1t has been greatly hampered by the
hack of docks for repairs.
JAPANs UNEXPECTED ATTACK.
Japan's attitude became so uncompromisng
howard the end of January last that Russia
rdered the feet at Port Arthur to hold Itself IN
readiness Seven battleships-the Retvizan'
Ahe Peresviet the Czarevitch, the Sevastopoi
the Pobieda. the Petropaylovsk and the PoltaVa
and six cruisers-the Diana, the Askold. the
f'allada. the Novik the Bayan and the Boyarin
1,-rf. THa
had been sent to Chemulpo. and the Rurik. the
Rossia, the Gromoboi and the Bogatyr were
practically icebound at Vladivostok. NJ Kurino.
Japanese Minister 10 Russia, broke off diplo-
matte relations on February and Japan began
hosSilities without the fOrmRlity Of a declara-
ZION OF war. The first news Of fighting reached
the world on February 8. Early on that morn
ang japanese destroyers made dash on the
Russian fleet off Port Arthur. torpedoed the
Retvizan. the Czarevitch and the Pallada. and
escaped with trifing loss. After daybreak ff-
teen japanese battleships and cruisers opened
IRE on the feet and shore batteries the Poltava,
She Diana. the Askotd and the Novik being
damaged on the waterline. The engagement
LASTED an hour On the preceding day Japan
ese squadron escorting transports to Chemulpo
found the first class cruiser Variag and the
third class cruiser Korietz IN that harbor. The
Russians were forced 20 leave port. Battered
by the Japanese fire. they retreated to the ISL
ends off the harbor. where the Variag sank and
the Rorietz was blown up There were about
hundred casualties among the two Russian
crews. >yn~- -r,--
OPERATIONS AT PORT ARTHUR.
The destruction by a Russian mine Of the
of ninety-five men, and the sinking of the Boy
Russian torpedo transport Yenesei, with the loss
arin, with her crew of 1917, February l6 IN
doubtedly hastened the recall of the unfortu-
nate Admiral Stark and the appointment of Ad-
miral Makarof as commander of the Port Ar
thur fleet. Admiral Togo was making desper-
ate efforts TO block the entrance TO the harbor
by sinking stoneladen steamers, but the fire
from the Russian forts and the stranded Ret
vizan frustrated the first two of these attempts.
Eombardments did little no damage TO the
fortress, and the Japanese admiral, after short
cruise Of seven of his warships, in the course of
which they vainly bombarded VladivostOk
long range March took one of the Elliot
Islands base for his fleet and settled down
10 blockade of Port Arthur. Admiral Max
aroff reached Port Arthur on March g. and at
once began TO repair the shattered Russian YES
sells and to send oHt, destroyeFs gainst the jap
anese fleet. Several actions took place between
the opposing small craft, the Russians losing
two cestroyers. On March % the warships
again sheed the town with little result
third attempt TO block the channel on May 3
Was partially successful, but the Russians were
out a passage. The japanese countermined the
harbor. Makaroff, April 13 made a sortie
with all his available ships. The japanese feet
stood inshore. opened g. heavy fire and forced the
Russians back to the harbor. Near the inner
entrance the battleship and flagship Petropav-
lovsk struck mine and almost Immediately
sank, carrying down with her the Russian ad-
miral and over six hundred men, among them
the artist Verestchagin. Grand Duke Cyril mar
rowIy escaped. Another mine slightly damaged
the Pallada.
JAPANS FIRST HEAVY LOSS
The Japanese also had their share Of misfor-
tune. The battleship Hatsuse struck mine on
May 10 and sank, Only three hundred of her
crew OF eight hundred being rescued and on the
same day the armored cruiser Nisshin ranmed
and sank the cruiser Yoshno, 210 of her crew
losing their lives The small cruiser AIiyako
was also sunk by a mine in Kerr Bay after the
occupation OF Dalny Togo's blockade of the
harbor was not too strictly maintained, his in
tention having been. apparently. to entice the
Russians TO engagement in the open sea-
Admiral Makaroff had taken his warshps on
one short cruise TO tie Miao-Tao Islands. and
Admiral Wittsoeft. who succeeded him, made
iBeyeral sorties from the inner harbor. al the
Russian warships were reported repaired on
June 16. and June % there was a sharp ac-
!tion between the fleets. though no serious dam
age was done TO either side.
All this time the japanese army and reserves
were being modified. A small force had seized
Masanpho the day after diplomatic relations
had been broken, and troops began landing at
Chemulpo the day following the destruction
of the Variag and the Gorietz General Kuroki