The Daily News. MONDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1903. THE WAR CLOUD IN THE EAST.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLV, Issue 250, 14 December 1903, Page 2

The Daily News. MONDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1903. THE WAR CLOUD IN THE EAST.

Thc< caljle news which we pwblish this morning indicates tlrat a crisis is imminent in the Russo-Japanese situation. Thiei'e is a strong war feeling in .Japan, and apparently the war party lias a powerful following in the House of Representatives, for we lind tlvat the reply to the Speech' from the Throne, uictopted without a ■division, is condemnatory of tine Ministry-* inaction. Hut. 'wiir, it has been remarked, is now so terrible a thing that the strongest Power may well hesitate before invoking its awful aid. A crisis is come, and in the face of Russfa's past failures to keep promises made ivgandijig th ¥

"open 'door" policy in Manchuria one can bawlly expect alio will now make any compromise sullicienUy satisfactory to the .Japanese, who are determined to uphold that policy. The Muscovite's habit of extending his M'unchu territory tpiietly; and insistently, regardless of promises, has 'gone on lwtg enough ; and the sturidy little Japs have apparently seen enough of this unprincipled grasping policy, and are detenni'iied to strike a blow at it. At any moment, thereioiv, we may learn that all these vwaiitt rinhblings luive taken a sterner meaning', and that these two powerful nations have deckled upon an appeal to arms. Regaiding the lifi.ivU'U'g' forces ti.uail'a'ble lor active service, Japan's army lunhbers about 400,000 niun. 1 fi-r cavalry regiments •howevur, aire lMvlibing like the equal of the Russian mounted troops, and this woukl clisccuia the value of the Miikaklo's forces in the liei'd. Japan has a large number of men in Kona—owtcnsihl.y artisans ; but in reality soldiers, and thus has secured ain advantage there. Should the Japanese be subjected to an invasion they won I'd |.>« in a sorry plight, were it moil for her nuigniiicent, navy, as her land fortilieations have been gieatly neglected. The navy numbers about 120 vessels, or excluding old ships and those of doubtful efficiency,say eighty battleships and cruisers, more heavily armed and of more modern design, lo g-o into action. Jin the Ea.st, that is, in Siberia, M-ancUui-ia, and Turkestan, Russia has an winy of noajrly 500, 000 men, one-third of whom are mounted,. If hostilities were declared, this vast army could not be all brought into action, 'though probably in a month half that num. ber coulld be made available, and with tune a much larger farce might he thrown into the struggle The Pacific seaboard is well fortified, and there are the niuginilicent ami almost impregnable works at Port Arthur Vladivostock, Talionwrai, Newcha.ni.' and other place*, the first named h*l ni'g specially armod with dynamite g'iin«, of enormous power and wide range. Russia's nuval fleet in Eastern waters, while not so numerous as .Japan's, includes at present two submarines, and others will shortly join the squadron. In addition there js a fleet of fast nierchiajit cruisers, which at an hour's notice could be converted into war ships of some considerable utility. Dealing with the lines of octio,n, a contemporary writt'i' says tlvat while it is premature to 'forecast a plan of campaign, it may be assumed that in the event of war hostilities would Iks naval at

first, and here .Japan would have a chacoo to oxen her tremendous power, and, after defeating the Russian squadron, blockade HSussiia's Far Eantem ports. Whether she would be able to effect their capitulation is a problem dillicult of solution, b\it any attempt to land troops in Manchuria in large numbers would only end in failure. On the other hand, should the unexpected happen, and Russia score naval victories, the path to an invasion of Japan would be open, and safe to suy with her inlinite resources Hussia could pour thousands of troops into Japan' and inflict a most crushing blow on the country, oik, from which it would take centuries 'to prupe'rly recover, But (Jhere is the question of intervention to be remembered, ami long 'before this Great Britain, perhaps assisted by other Powers, might step in the breach and ciy "halt !'' Aiso a warning might be unheeded, and we might be drown into the vortex of war, and provided we win ■.he invasion of Japan on (he part. oi Hussia would be doo:n>vd 10 the same failure that would in any cuso attend Japan's invasion of Russia,

ON THE FOURTH PAGE. History of the establishment of the Church of England In Taranaki.