The Siberian Railway.

Manawatu Herald, 27 February 1904, Page 3

The Siberian Railway.

HOW IT CAN BE DAMAGED,

In view of late cable messages regarding the Russian railway line '.orough Manchuria, the following article by a military expert in the London Daily Telegraph will be read with Interest The writer, having had considerable experience in Manchuria and the Far East, with Chinese, Japanese, and Russians, has gathered a few facts which may be of interest in their bearing upon the present situation. In the event of war, the Trans-Siberian railway would become a source of one of the greatest difficulties to the Russians.

Two points of importance In this connection are, first, the protection of the line; and, secondly, its Capabilities for transporting troop Sand Material of war. In the first place, it is beyond a doubt that the Chunchuses, or Chinese 1 robbers, who are mostly disbanded soldiers', many of them foreign-drilled, well armed with Mannlichers and re» peating Winchesters, . and provided withammunition, Would on every available opportunity harass the Russian troops; and, if permitted, destroy and take Up the line, burn the rolling-stock, and fire volleys into the boilers of the engines, as they did in 1900. Then, again, the railway for a considerable distance to the north-east of Port Arthur is commanded from the sea. This, should the Russian fleet meet with £ny disaster, would mean practically the cutting oft of supplies from Port Arthur. Hence the protection of the line will absorb, and keep to a certain degree inactive, a very considerable portion of the Russian forces now in Manchuria* Secondly, the capabilities of the line for transporting ,troops and material of war are extremely doubtful. The engines are mostly constructed to burn wood, but there is none available in the country. These engines are frequently breaking down, owing to the state they are kept in. At many parts of the line the earthworks are very liable to be affected by the weather. As to the military position in Manchuria, the Russians bold all the large towns, but, on the other hand, the Japs have fought and know the country, with all its weak and strong points, as well as, if not better than, the Russians. The Japanese will have the sympathy of all the villagers, for they well know that upon a town being taken by the Japs they immediately protect all the wealthy men from plunder, as they did in their quarter of Tientsin when it was captured in 1900, and Newchwang, captured by them in the Chinese war.