Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-04-30


ut mere than hundred thousand"
Touci Ing upon the financial strength
II the two iations, the correspondent
declares that Russia has muc.l great.
cr financial resources than japan. IL
:.:Hch great number Of soldiers md
moro ships. Japan's annual revenue
Is about s125ODOOOo. Russin's an.
nunl revenue is s1,o0o.00O.0On and the
final relative borrowing capacity of The
TWO nations is probably in about the
same proportion
Then, as II tic relative military
strength OF the combatants we arc
told: "The Staleslrail's Yea. Book, an
| English publication regarded as IN
authority on such matters. AMI GER
tainly not likely tn color anything
in favor Of the Russians on against
| The Japan"s. says that tile rcace
| strength of Japan's army is $1,000;
reserves. l5S.0o0. and total war
strength of about $4,000. Of the
| Russian nIIny the StatCSman'S
Year Rock says: The lowest estimate
that can he made of the peace strength
of the REssnn army puts the the
number OF officers at 42,O0n and rank
aud file at more than LODI, 900. the
total number about 1.l00.00G In war
the total strength is about $4,000 If.
liccrs and 4,500.00U rank and file, n
.ctal Of 100000 men. with SCI 600
hnrgca.'"
1t Is difficult to combat some of The
statements made with such cock-Surc
asscrtivcncss. but there is at least
c:c point on which ii is unnecessary
tn indulge in speculation and that IS
| the borrowing capacity of the two ma
tions. While Russia cannot float a
loan anywhere in the world, a Iapa-
ncSc loan is ten times oversubscrib-
| cd in twcntyfuur hours after the
bonds are placed on the market.
That is nor test of sentiment. but
| The cold, calculating estimate of
| financicrs, men who are rich because
they saugcd such matters properly
AS to the relative strength of the
two armies the figures of the States.
mans Year Book scarcely give one n
clue by which to consider the contend.
ing forces. 1t Is commended by en-
ncrts. and there has so far been moth.
In; 20 indicate that the estimate is
wrong. that Russia cannot maintain
al Amy in Manchuria Of more than
100000 men. Incidentally the tondi
tons existing in Russia itself prob
ably will preclude the possibility of
maintaining force even that strong
When the rcvolulionistS and The dis.
c0ntcntcd laborcrs begin their cam.
paiSn for the overthrow of the Roman
off dynasty the difference between an
empire based upon the loyalty and de-
votion If all It's people aud an en-
pirc conceived in absolutism. which
rules over II court and bureaucracy
honcycomhe,i by graft and which
seeks to strengthen itself by placing
The ban upon individual thought and
freedom of conscience. will he mani
tested. IL Russia were unilcd it still
! would have hcrculcan task on lis
hands. What can be said of the huge
whimpcring giant which staggcrs
| along in the blindness of s,ublr,rn
pride. unwilling TO admit weakness
and impotence which is patent to all
ether Observers?
"Fcace" makes the remarkable
declaration that tho Russian fleet In
The China sea is stronger than the
Japanese fleet. there is another Rus.
sian .Gualron Or the way AMI still
another almost ready to start from
Russia, and a powerful fleet in the
Black Sea held there only ny treaty.
which may he abrOgatcd at any time,
and. besides. Russia is probably allie
tn build ships much faster than the
japanese can. particularly those of The
heavier class"
This writer must have some private
source Of information There certainly
~ ~ ." i"~S iii"'Sntioito ti"l si'N
Russian fleet in the East is superior
to that under Admiral Togo and Adj
miral Rojestvansky's action in hug
sing neutral waters. until driven out
by neutral powers certainly does mol
bear the earmarks of supreme conf
dencc. Perhaps peace" has forgotten
hat Inc Russian admiralty considered
it wonderful feat of gcneralship for
tho Russian fleet to get as far as
Malaccn Straits without encnuntcrin-