Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1905-08-26
A VIEW OF SAKHALIN
First Russian Land Seized by
the Japanese.
Why 1T WILL BE VALUABLE.

IN. N,pponttcs Are Great Fish Eaters,
che IsIapd, Which Is Probably the
worlds FINEST Fishing Ground
VIII De Greatly Prized-ExtremeIy
Rich In coal.
Sakhallu Is the first territory actually
forming part of the Russian empire,
which Las been occupied by the Japa-
nese since the war in the far east be.
gan says the New York Times.
~ The island, geographically, is part of
the JaL!af'ese group. For other reasons
the Jhl,a-lcse regard it as legitimately
theirs. ~ aborigines are the Anus,
the sans people as the aboriginyS, of
Japan, &"d Japan actually regarded
the sout'!ern part of the island as hers
until ,hh gear 1876, when, in the Ian
guage td the histories, it was "ac-
ouirei," by Russia in exchange for
some Of The southern Kurile islands.
In rsai{fy the exchange was forced
upon Sop8n against her will, and it has
been alhost as great grievance
against Russia as the events of twenty
years oi'erward, when Russia deprived
Japan e the fruit of her victory over
China lt.d took that fruit herself.
What Russia has done with Sakhalin
is well spown. She has turned it into
pcna, settlement, which Is probably
roW TIE most terrible in the world
Ghasti, accounts of the condition of
The coEpicts in the island have been
printed In American newspapers. In
t,a living death which is theirs they
bacotrlg more like wild beasts than hui
man ii.ugs, and the slightest careless
ness u. The part of the guards is GER
tain ~ result in bloodshed. 1t is under
stood thnt some of the convicts have re-
Gently l'cen made to join the Russian
army IN AIanchugia by means of prom
ise. oe freedom when the war is over.
Wl3at tapan "lll do with Sakhalin,
which Of course she will demand as
one AZ the peace conditions, is fairly
evtdept. IN the first place, the island is
probaolF the finest fishing ground in
the world, and, as the Japanese eat
more ds5 than aly other people on the
globe the territory will be OF immense
value 10 Them for this reason alone.
But Sakhalin Is also extremely rich
In coal and, it Is believed, in gold and
Other metals. Neither the climatic con-
dltIn of the island nor its soil is suit
ed To-: agriculture, but almost it's en-
fire surface is covered with forests,
chiefly COnivefous, and these will
doubtless be Used by the Japanese for
extensive numbering operations.
The acquisition Of the island will add
I large area 10 the Japanese empire,
There are $4,000 square miles Of land In
Sakhulin, and the population at pres
cut IL less than one person to square
mile. The surface is largely noun
tahons, the elevations extending even
n to tie sea. The western coast for the
: most part presents the appearance of
steep wall, varying In height from 100
to ECO feet, and Is practically without
inCeptatiCn. The eastern coast is Ill
most as preciptous as the western,
wv % iR1lC lliNlCDlcu anu IOllllS
uumter Of agoons.
In the northern part of the island
there are three mountain ranges, two
running along the coasts and the other
down the middle. They vary In altl
tuue from 1900 to 1900 feet and are
ali densely wooded. In the south an
other mountain range runs along the
EASTERN coast, and third covers the
southeastern part Of the island.
The climate varies in different parts
or the island, but Is mostly very BE-
we're. The snow occasionally reaches
depth of seven feet.
The principal Russian settlements
are Alexandrovsk, the seat of the ad-
mlnlstration; Rykovskoie, Korsakovsk
and urayievski.