Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-11
THE PRESENT RUSSIAN SITUATION

route is prolonged to Khanikin 1t means
the open door, to German products. No
doubt the perspective has caught the
eye OF the Berlin chancellor. No doubt
either that the fear OF this prospective
competition explains the attitude OF the
Russian press. The accumulated errors
made in that. Basdad affair. due to lack
OF clearheadedness and forethought.
ouuent witnesses Of the fact.
The London Times contains statc-
ment as to the proposed transpersian
railway to India. 1t says that NJ. Zveglnt-
self, Il member OF the duma, came To
London to submit a Russian PROVO To
connect the railways of Russia and India
by means Of an international line through
Persia. The enterprise. II was claimed.
could only be International. with leading
interests vested In Russians and English.
The scheme was not a menace Ia tho
Bagdad railway in course of construction.
AS 1t is. the latter railway cannot reach
the region proposed for the Persian line
for at least eight years. and there was no
| reas son then that the Bagdad might n,t
then connect with the line now proposed
The length OF the line necessary Ia
connect with existing Indian lines IL I.'so
miles. and roughly estimated the cost t.
complete would be GlS.3n.0o0. The en-
| tire cost would be Ell .O6o.0o0 The time
| for passengers from London to Bomhny
| $500 niles is placed at seven days. ana
! the cost at $40.
| Formerly when the question OF rail-
way to India was suggested Ii was con-
templated usually TO construct across
! Afghanistan. connecting the Russian Cen
! trail Asian railway from the Caspian 10
! Samarkand. and with Chaman. by line
running direct across Afghanistan from
/ the Oxus to the northwest frontier.
! How times have changed. and how
men and nations have changed. what
would have been said four or five years
ago of a proposition from Russia 10 Eng
land to build road to India? We know
the fear that possessed the English ~
India and OF England OF a Muscovite
movement,
That there is still n latent sensitiveness
! in the British mind which attaches 10 The
Kyber pass on the Afghan frontier the
article i'm the Times on the propos''i
route is evidence. Our empire OF India.
| says that journal. protected by noun
tains, possesses an exceptional interest.
! ANY line placing that semi-insalar posi-
! ton in direct communication with the
! rest of the world constitutes an affair or
| such grave Importance that II requires
| great scrutiny. And the Times adds
that the proposed line. however passing
through Persia. is far from presentin:
| such inconvenience as il II crossed AZ
ghanistan. The expression of doubt In
the British mind recalls the objections
made to the project of a tunnel under
the British channel which was proposed
four years ago.
But Britain is doubtless right I'm nurs-
ing sentiments which involve political
considerations. We are
No Marine accustomed TO think and
Route. to india Rut England
knows. as we know. that for a fact there
is no such maritime way. The Sucz canal
is. in fact. land route and Is susceptible
Of being blocked effectually by incidents
which might he impossible to prevent.
The annexation of the Viborg to Rus
STA is still being discussed. and a recent
article In the Obedinienie afiirms I'm en-
ergetic terms the necessity of the re-
annexation of the Finland government
of Viborg to Russia.
The journal traces the diverse fuctua-
lions in that government which have man
ifested themselves since Alexander T.
For example. in 1927 the Finnish senate
voted the annexation to Russia of the
district of kivineff. las patient as Rus
STA may be- writes the journal Russia
cannot admit the existence at twenty
hve kilometers from her capital and res
idence Of her sovereign OF state ari-
mated by hostile intentions. refusing to
recognize the general legislation of the
empire and tolerating revolutionary bands
within her territory"
! mass of commentaries and docu-
ments have been published on the causes
| Of Russia's defeat in Manchuria BY
Japan. ALI of these have been SO full OF
errors and contradictions that the mat
ter has resulted i'm almost inextricabie
confusion until now Gen. Silvestre. who
was chief of the French military mis-
sion in Manchuria, was an eyewitness
of the events and has just now submit
ted most valuable and concise report
to the French government under the titlo
of Considerations OH the Campaign I'm
Mo- h,rri, Il Thn Sfnn
are so clear and marked by such sober
sense that they must attract the earnest
examination of all military students. And
this is especially true when all armies
for manifest reasons are being subjected
to necessary reform.
-.
The former chief of the mission In
Manchuria commands at this moment
the artillery Of the place
Manchurian and forts Of Paris IL
has summary replied 70
Campaign. the following question
What were the causes of tho EuSsiar
defeat? Why was tho Russian arm
powerless to wrench victor from defp.
when at the end Of the war its effecti, e
of combatan:s far superior 10 thar
Of the japanese army: That war whir,
placed on the same battlefield tn, great
ast number of electives ever placed a.
presence. has il developed new am,
unforeseen tactics aud what are the les
SONS be found therein?
= Briefly. Gen. s;ilvestrc declares that
nothing new was dcveiopcd and thai in
case of war in Europe til. condition
of the war in ManchGgla would Mt be
renewed
The causes of the Russian defeat were
contained in the peculiar circumstances
for the Russian people and soldier Man
churia was unknown country and
the immense majority of the nation IA
well as the soldier could not ccmpr. bend
the interest Of its defense. II had no
hold upon the fiber. aHioar-propre or The
honor of the country Despite his nat
ural bravery the Rus sian soldier fought
! without ideal and without "a sense OF the
utility of his sacrifice. For The Japa-
nt Sc On the contrary, Korea and Man
churia represented an enlarged national
life and an assured future for himself.
The answers Ia The questions are found
I'm Gen. SiiyestreS conclusions.
As an artillery expert Gen. Stvestre
adds his views upon the effective use
of that arm of tie service. But there IL