Can Japan beat Russia.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 2, 4 January 1904, Page 4

Can Japan beat Russia.

Discussing the chances of success in tho event of-war between Russia and Japan, the Spectator says f—" The Cor.vinent will at once decide for Ituk ie, ; but the Continent does not quite, appreciate all the advantages which Japan, t it sjiej can but, clteffr her own waters., will at the outset possess. She is very near to the seme,,- shb n:.'. in her. own cjimate, and her nulitary onganisation is almost German in its perfection. S_he has a larger population than France, her army includes 632,000 drillod mon, w her ppople are sntd to be unusually ready to serve. Those resources arc, of course, nothing to those of which the Czar can dispose ; but the maintenance of a mighty arinv, many thousand miies from its real base, is a mo6t difficult and costly task ; communications will depend upon a single line of railway, which in part at its course pussies throMffh ditJaffectud country ; and the Russiuiis will be in a climate to which they are but little accustomed. That may seem a trifle, but it will aggravate an historic dillicultv •of Russi-an generals, the reajdiness of their ill-fl.d soldiers to die when pressed by climatic or other unaccustomed serverities. The Japanese, moreover, will march quicker, will know the country better—the Rureyian fuss atout Spies and maps practically admits this,—ar.d will be less discouraged by occasional defeat. Alj the.i.- cc«nsidorati ons njd, however tribal whefl compared wis.fi tlhi great unknown quantity upon which the oldest soldier in Europe would hesitate to ofTer a decided opinion. Can a thousand Japanese in the open resist, and drive lack a thousand Russians ? The Russians deride the idea. Tho Japanese affirm that it is well founded. Experienced English officers and experienced Sikh Subahdar:i inclined during ine expedition'to rescue the Legations to the Japanese opinion ; hut there is as yet r.o irresistible evidence. The Japanese have defeated the Chinese with certain ease ; but they have been sljw to conquer the hillmen of Formosa, ■at jl they hiave never yet ccvnUi.dwJ in regular battle with European troops. Their scarcity of cavalry will hamper them, and there may be weak points in their armour as yet unre-vc-akij. If nevertthelens, with aunitcrs fairly >V; iu!, they caw defeat the Russians, thieK the politics of all countries he>d fcy tho i yellow race, and jnany of the HUrope&u States besides will enter upon « new pfciM."-