Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-28

Russians. General Kuropatkin evidently
understands his business, and where Will
You md Drawer or more gallant character
than General Stoessel? General Oyama has
shown his ability as a Commander. and the
same is true of General Euroki. As to Cen
efal kodama, the chief of stan, he Is to a
large extent the brains of the japanese
army. None of these men Is young. All
have been connected with the great deveI-
opments going on in Japan. and have risen
IRON rank TO rank until they attained their
present position.
There is one thing I would say pbout
such officers in contrast with the general
opinion held as to their position. The popn-
lar Idea Is that the general of an army goes
dashing along at the head of his men
swinging his sword and calling them to
come on. In the lighting of today the com
manders are well to the rear connected by
telephone and messengers with different
parts of the field. They play the game OF
war after a fixed plan and the breaking
away OF regiment or company IS not
noticed. All the working is toward general
results"
Many Night Battles.
1t VIII seem odd to the old soldier of
the Urited States Capt. March went ON.
to know that most of the fighting between
the Russians and the Japanese Is done at
night. This is caused by the destructive
nature of modern guns. The artillery mows
down men like wheat if the gtnners have
daylight to help them. The guns are long
ranged and the destruction is awful In
the later battles the japanese have used
the darkness to make their way closer TO
their enemy. Today they might perhaps
De mile away. firing at the Russians be-
hind their Entertainments. Tonight they
would make a rush and get perhaps 2mD
rect nearer and there they would throw up
lresh earthworkS and dig trenches. The
aruiiefy would keep firing upon them, but
IN the darkness not one-tenth as many
would be. shot as in the daytime All the
next day they would lie in those intrencb-
ments, and when night came would make
another rush under fire 1900 feet nearer
ana dig another set of trenches to form
their resting place the following day. and
the third night, perhaps, would storm the
battery These night attacks have been
common upon the part of the Russians as
Well AS to digging. l doubt whether there
has ever been war in which so many
Notifications have been thrown up or so
much digging done in proportion to the
time occupied. large part of Manchurla
looks as though il had been occtpied nv
mound builders"
Port Arthur
How do you regard the fall of Port Ar
thur, captain? Does that indicate that the
war is nearing an end?'
Not at ALL was the reply. II don't
think the japanese look upon il in that
way, and the Russians certainly do not.
Port Arthur has been very profitable in
Vestment for the Russians. 1t has kept
l00Uoo Japanese busy and away from the
fight with the troops farther north 1t has
paid for itself fifteen times over for all it
has cost in both men and money The Jan
anese estimate that it contained 10 600 men
L think the number has been overrated''
What do the Chinese in Manchuria think
about the situation?''
they seem TO regard it entirely outside
their business" said Captain March .If
the Japanese and Russians choose to kin
each other. why should they care as long
as each army pays them well for what it
takes. This is the case at present Both
Russians and Japanese want to be friends
with the Chinese, for in case either should
secure possession of Manchuria it would
nave the Chinese to deal with For this
reason, perhaps, the Chinese are well paid
Tor their services and supplies. Nearly all
the transportation is done by them The
vehicles used are heavy Chinese carts which
will carry a ton more on the level The
price for cart is 10 yen per day equal to
$50 of our money. This is n fortune in
China.
Are the Chinese afraid?'
mo. They come and watch the fighting
until they get tired, and then go back to
their farms. They are ready to be hired for
all sorts of work, and as they are lusty
fellows many of them more than six feet
in height, they make excellent laborers In
deed, l don't see why they would not make
good soldiers. What they need is organiza-
ton and good leadership"
FRANK g. CARPENTER