The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1905-06-03
Great Sea Fight.

Russia has played her last card in the war
with Japan, and has lost, at least for the pres
ent. Her hopes rested upon victory of the
feet under Admiral Rojestvensky over Togo's
Japanese fleet. The armadas met on Satur-
day and Sunday in the Strait of Korea, and
the Russian feet met with crushing defeat.
Roiestvensky's best ships were all sunk or
captured, and none but the smaller and faster
craft escaped In the battle Togo was aided
by submarine mines, which sent several of
Roiestvensky's battleships to the bottom, and
the main part Of the fight was done by his tor
pedo boats, which were swift and easily man
euvered So far as reports show, but i've OF
Rojestvensky's ships escaped TO Vladivostok
The Japanese officially report the loss of but
three torpedo boats, and the loss is immaterlal
compared to the great gain to Japan. Had
Rojestvensky gained victory, Japan's cause
would have been lost. Without navy the
army in Manchuria could not have been fur
nishe1 supplies nor be reinforced As IT Is,
Russia is in sore straits. Almost without any
fighting ships and her army in Manchuria
outnumbered two to one, her chances of over
coming Japan seem hopeless. The five or six
ships she has at Vladivostok will soon be
shut in and eventually fall into the hands
of the Japanese as did the Port Arthur feet.
What will be Russis's next move is not
now known. Serious dissensions and troubles
at home from the very beginning have hamp-
cred the government. These troubles will
now become more serious and Russia's only
hope is to ask for peace and set to work to
establish peace at home.
1t is probable Japan will not be allowed to
insist upon harsh terms, or to gain her desire
for permanent occupation in Manchuria. She
has shown power on sea and land that has
astouuded Europe, and she will not be allow
ed to grow too big and become the controlling
power of Asia Already the yellow peril,
as her importance as fighting power has de-
veloped, is being discussed seriously, and
events in the near future wiz be important to
the world.
Russia seems to have blundered from the
very beginning, and the laundering seems I'M
accountable, except that the big empire des-
pirsed the littleness of her opponent or great
ineompetency prevailed among those in
charge of the conduct of the war. With more
than double sea power and double the land
force, Russia should have soon forced Japan
TO sue for peace. Instead Of pouring troops
into Manchuris and sending the Baltic fleet TO
the aid of Port Arthur and Vladivostok, she
allowed her armies to be ingloriously defeated,
with loss Of several hundred thousand men
in killed, wounded and captured, and her feet
at Port Arthur to be destroyed. Had the
Baltic feet been equipped and sent TO the aid
of Port Arthur by July last, Togo's boats
would have been al the bottom Of the sea in
stead of Rojeslyensky's, and the war would
have been ended months ago. Without a
heet Japan would have been powerless to
maintain an army in Manchuria.
With victory on her side, it is not probable
that Russia would have been permitted to have
all she would have desired. The United
States and Germany, France aud other powers
have declared against the ACKNOWLEDGMENT Of
China A cessation Of the war between Japan
and Russia seems 10 be in sight, but the terms
of peace may be subject Of considerable con
troversy.