Evening journal., 1918-04-19
Written Especially for The Evening
Journal.
Bf "A. EANAkAMI

journal.
BY <. H. IIANAt<AMI.
(Author OF TJapan IN the World Poll
tics" ASA at the Door," and Amer
ican-Japaicse Relations.)
on Marcll3 90 a body Of marines landed
at Nladivofok from a japanese cruiser
at anchor i'm It's harbor The occasion
for this a,tion was the raid by band
OF Russians upon a Japanese firm In
that city resulting in the murder OF
one Japaiese and the wounding Of i've
others.
Apart from this untoward incident,
the pom Of Nladlvostok will continue
10 invle the attention Of the world.
Events In the past several months have
already thrust it into the llmelight.
mnireds Of thousands Of tons OF
American war supplies are piled uA
there an American cruiser has been
rushed to the port, and many Amer
leans fleeing from the chaos OF Russia,
are stranded there.
II the long expected japanese inter-
venaon (Which. by the way, was or
igiIally proposed not by Japan, but by
certain other powers) becomes an event.
uahty, Vladivostok Is bound TO become
the cynosure Of all eyes.
NAhAAN0NAWhr ~ nuAAlN HlkMlA NAAh DN~
minion Of the East" sprang into exist
ence in 1861 Up to the preceding year
the vast Siberian lttoral on the Japan
Sea, as well as It's hlnterland. belonged
TO China. Yet China's hold upon these
territories had been so weak that Rus
sia found no dhlculty In adding IL, In
1860, TO her own map.
Ever since its foundation Vladivostok
has essentially been a military and
naval outpost. It's prosperity has been
due not 10 ordinary trade or industry
but TO the enormous sums expended by
the military authorities for Is fortnca-
tion, as well as TO the presence OF many
thousands Of men connected with the
army and navy.
Vadivostok is one Of the most strong
IS fortified cities in the world.
The Shkot and Godolbin peninsulas
which embrace the harbor, virtually
bristle with guns Russian Island ly.
ing athwart the enterance Of the harbol
is likewise formldably fortified. anC
was. before the outbreak Of the pres
ent war. garrisoned by a whole division
Of troops.
To the west along the Amour Ba!
the line Of fortresses extends for man.
miles: to the east even Ussuri Bay al
most ten miles away. is included In tn
scheme OF defense. 10 is estimated tina
the entire lines Of defense consist o
seventy-six fortresses, mounting at leat
$50 guns. At the outbreak Of the wa
there were some $500 soldiers guard
ing these forts.
Along the naval basin military AMI
naval warehouses were constructed Of
such a grand scale that they are capa
bic OF storing supplies sufficient for
long siege.
Such a port. II controlled, even IN
directly, by such an efficient milihT
power as Germany. win become a grav
menace 10 Japan, lyins within fort
hours ride across the Japan Sea.
AS early as 1908 Mr.. r. NJ. HudgsOr
the British Consul at Vladivostok, de
scribing this port said THE bulk q
tho foreign European population her
is German. Commercially speaking, tn
town Is a German one. Not only tn
wholesale but also the retail bushes
IS in German hands and there Is indee
only one Russian firm Of real impor
snce"
This description is true with regar
TO other cities in Siberia. The Russian
are no match for the Germans IN trad
and commerce.
Like most other cities In Siberia Via,
ivostok Is "wide open"
In fairness we must admit that n
slow progress OF Vladivostok as con