A SURPRISE PACKET.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 May 1917, Page 5

A SURPRISE PACKET.

JAP. ARMY CROSSES CANADA. MILLIONS TO GO TO FRANCE. ' I (From the San Francisco Correspondent of Dunedin Star.) Although strongly associated'with the j Entente Allies, it was learned in the United States with the greatest surprise that thousands of Japanese troops have been landed! on the west coast of Canada during the early part of Mnreh Ivy the Allies and transported to Quebec, and are now in France. It was definitely known that the first brigade of Japanese troops, numbering •ZSfko men, pasßefl' through Canada in the first few days of March, bound for France. The information was learned from J. L. Tobias, chancellor of the Chicago Law School, who learned of the troop movement from an inspecting engineer in the employ <>f the Canadian Government. The engineer has now returned to his home in Chicago. Here is the story as told to Tobias: —"I thought the entire world would know by this time the Allies had begun to transport Japanese troops across America to France. Not until my arrival in Chicago did I become aware of the cWWOtSMpi <*f this news. I was not the only astonished' one when I saw 29j000 Japanese soldiers marching- in Ottawa last weel?. had come from Vancouver. In the palaoe the troops were reviewed',.?® ex-Premior Laurier. Afterwardß tl|S| an exhibition of their fitness By doing a double-quick inarch for a to the railway depot. At the dcpoti|itey ! '' were entrained for Quebec and the jour.ney across the sea. Their outfit was perfect. They were equipped for ajong campaign. I was told by Captain "Ajeltine, head of IfcvCanadian. battalion, «e----«ently returned from the jtrenches, tita* this brigade was the first of a large number of Japanese soldiers which/the, AUiejj are sending to France. He; estimated! that within two months, more than a, million of Japanese troops would foe an the trenches in France. The Canadian officer explained thafythe fist brigade of the troops to pass through Canada werty. veterans of the Russq-JapancseWi", an& werei the pick of the Mikado's army." Long ago military experts.dn tire] jDnitfed States expressed surprise that England had not enlisted the proffered help of the Japanese army on the European battlefields, for the Orientals gave every evidence of their unbounded bravery in ousting the Germans from Kiau Cliau.