Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-27
SKILL OF THE JAPANESE.
Major Kuhn Comments on the Russo.
Japanese War.

Major Joseph E. Kuhn. Corps of Engi-
neers. tells many interesting things about
the japanese soldiers in his report of mill
! tary observation in Manchuria during the
| Russo-Japanese war.
"As bridge builders" says Major Kuhn.
"the Japanese engineers displayed skill and
adaptability in utilizing the scanty resources
afforded by a country like Manchuria.
Their work was neat and, though light
sufficient for the ends in view. Their work,
however, like all the operations of the
Japanese, was characterized by delibera ton
and slowness. AS an illustration, the case
of the Hun river railroad bridge may be
cited. This bridge consists of twenty til rec
riveted spans, each 100 feet long. On the
10th of March, 1905, the Russians effectu-
ally destroyed three spans, rendering the
bridge useless for railway purposes. In
stead of attempting to repair the railroad
bridge the Japanese built an entirely new
low-level bridge alongside, using plate Cir
ders supported by trestle bents. and grading
up at each end to the existing railway en-
bankment. This work required six weeks
time and was done by the railway employees.
The repair of the existing railway bridge
could have been effected very simply by
cribbing built up from the shallow river
bed Zone damaged span was over dry land),
and l am confident that with American
troops the railway would have been in work
ing order across the bridge in less than one
week..
Fine Artillery Work.
Major Kuhn praised the artillery work of
the japanese and said:
I'm selecting gun positions great atten-
ton was shown in the matter of conceal
ment. Much of the firing was indirect
being controlled from observatory on a
nearby emnence or from tree top. At
Liao-yang. during the attack on the Shou-
shanpu position the Japanese artillery took
up Its position in the fields of kaoliang
which had at this time reached its maxi
mum growth. the fire being directed by OBJ
servers located in tree tops. house tops or
on step ladders carried by the batteries and
of sufficient height to enable the observers
to look over the top of the kaoliang. Dur
ing the attack on the inner lines at Lao
yang the fire of the main artillery position
was controlled by observers on the summit
of Shoushanpu about one mile to the left
rear Of the position. Observers are provided
with large telescopes or horoscopes and
have telephone connection with the bat
teries. Where no natural concealment eX-
lists, artificial concealment Is provided II
possible. During the battle of the Shaho
much of the kaoliang had been cut and
shocked. and the Japanese utilized these
shocks for copcealment."
Cleverly Concealed.
According to Major Kuhn. the japanese
took infinitely more pains and displayed a
far greater skill than the Russians in con-
cealing their works, one Of the forms being
mud walls, such that at Linshengpu 1t
was between the lines in front of that place,
also that Major Kuhn noted somewhat
novel type of obstacle, the Russians en-
ploying a line Of trestles and the Japanese
line Of tripods. The Russian trestles were
about ten feet long and four, feet high,
made like large Sawbuck, the legs being
braced to cross-piece of wooden braces,
spiked to the braces and cross piece. The
trestles were placed in contact with their
longer dimensions perpendicular to the front
and barbed wire strung back and forth be-
tween them. The Japanese tripod consisted
of three stout stakes. seven to eight feet
lang, wired at the middle and the ends
spread on the ground. Four rows of tripods
were placed in contact, both front and lat
orally, and barbed wire then strung back
and forth. The line of Russian trestle OBJ
stacle was over 400 yards long, while the
line Of Japanese tripod obstacle was about
$50 yards long. The two lines We're less
than 100 yards apart at their nearest point
Both were exceedingly formidable, and it Is
doubtful whether a man could have crawled
through either of them. They both in
volYed an immense amount of labor in their
construction and were devised to meet a.
special situation where hostile lines 200
yards apart faced each other for over four
months. Both were constructed under fire,
and the mystery is how the work was ac-
complished.