Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1914-08-20
GREAT SACRIFICE DEMANDED BY THE MIKADO

Toxic, Aug. l6-Japan has sent an ulimatum to Germany de-
mandmg that she withdraw her warships and evacuate Kiau-Chau.
Unless Germany Internationally accepts by August % Japan will
take action.
The news that Japan has sent an ultimatum to Germany is Off
ciany confirmed.
Simultaneously with the announcement of a despatch Of an ul-
tmatum by Japan to Germany which is expected here to be followed
by war, Takaaki Kato, minister of foreign affairs, conferred with
George W. Guthrie, the American ambassador, and made a broad
statement calculated to assure the United States that American in
terests in the Orient would be safeguarded and the integrity Of
China upheld.
Kiau-Chau, from which Japan has demanded the withdrawal
of Germany, is a town on the peninsula of shangtung, China, leased
with adjoining territory by Germany in 1898 and soon afterward
made a protectorate. The German territory has al area of about 200
square miles. Germany also controls an extended water front. Using
Tau, the seaport in the territory controlled by Germany is strongly
fortified.
:, Japan's pltimatum to Germany, in which it gives the kaiser I'M
and carries with It a menace ace Which hS William an Il Will Will ID dc wei We'll to heed heed.
Bnveloped as he is in the forces of England, France, Belgium and
away from hin any chance he might S have Of = eiti% euba victory victor y Ni'S'
20 oda 1T was announced sd in press dispatches, during the past week, that
ders to proceed to China. Military experts estimate that nt 100000 90 men
Germanys possessions in China are the lure which is drawing
Japan gaEt n into INTO the the conflict They are situated upon the hs northeastern
these German holdings is through Kiao-chau bay and this port is
nese) one Of the strongest Notifications in the world, is nearly d.
pssts ne Of the 81 Y !Gf Sss ses: 11Fboagd P9 5spsn has a pron 1i%at tRe ot ther
Great Britain and France viii wink at any aggression japan nna may
make upon Chinese territory if Japan should land troops to aid their
1"fJ ASNPAhhS GS SIHdISs
Germany loss of its Chinese possessions would be a terrible
blow from a commercial standpoint. If it is expelled it will lose the
trade Q fte valuable province Of Shan Tung and the trade which
filters down to the sea from the Hwang Ho o + Yellow river. Japan
would gain accordingly and would have a foothold in China which
no one believes they would ever willingly reinquish. 1t is expected
than France and England would welcome the Jap i'll China in pref
erence to the ambitious regime of the German. Japan's merchant
marine is negligible and the mikado desires room for expansion rath-
er than commercial supremacy upon the sea. It is imperative that
Japan have more land, as its millions of inhabitants are nearly
crowding one another into the sea. Korea and Manchuria were the
guerdons for which Japan wrested with Russia but the lure of rich
China is the incentive which now causes them to send the ulhmatum
to Germany.
Japan stands fifth in rank among the navies of the world and
the effectiveness of their gunnery and ability of their admirals to
maneuver was starlingly demonstrated in the RussoJap conflict.
Japanese naval officers received their training in the majority of in
stances in the naval school Of Annapolis and those who did not were
trained by American officers who had been hired by Japan for that
purpose. Japan today has nine modern battLeships, five cruiser bat
tleships, 13 older batteships, - frst-class cruisers, 10 second-class
cruisers, nine third-class cruisers, five gunboats, 60 destroyers, 81
torpedo boats and Is submarines. The roster of officers and men is
5l,O54 in times of peace, but this number is increased in times Of war
to 114,O0 men.
Count Ito, Count Togo and Viscount Inouye are the admirals Of
the japanese navy and their genius has already been proven.
Japans land forces r. an even greater menace to Germany if
the kaiser fails to heed the Japanese ultimatum. The mikado has
more than 100000 trained fighting men, the majority Of whom saw
service in the RussoJap conflict. In addition to this it also has a
reserve force of 2,0OOOOO unorganized, but available for duty. Prince
Yamagata, Prince Oyama and Count Oku are the japanese field
marshals an dthey have written their names large upon the pages of
war history.