122
THE RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR.
war..
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
[February 13, 1904.
(Daily Press, 10th February.) The Colony has not been lacking in rumours during the past twenty-four hours with regard to the war between Japan and Russia. The sum total of these, however, amounts to little more than that hostilities have actually commenced, following on the withdrawal of the Japanese Minister from S. Petersburg and the Russian Minister and Consuls from Japan. Our Shanghai corres- pondent telegraphs the report that the Russian mail steamer Mongolia, belonging to the Chinese Eastern Railway Company, which left Shanghai for Dalny on Sunday, has ben captured by the Japanese. This vessel is one of two fast steamers on the run between Shanghai and Dalny in con- nection with the Tran-Siberian line; the sister-ship Manchuria has been in dock in Nagasaki recently; whether she too is now in Japanese hands is unknown. This seizure is undoubtedly an act of war, and is a sign, moreover, of the activity of the Japanese fleet. Various other sensational reports current yesterday seem quite with- cut foundation.
From the independent (and inhuman) | will not neglect, and that is the campaign of standpoint of the naval and military critic, lies. Happily her character is too well e coming war must be one of intense known to deceive any but those who wish to (Daily Press, 9th February)
interest. As far as the warships are con- be deceived. At last, without a shadow of doubt, war cerned, this conflict is the first in which two between Japan and Russia is an accomplish naval forces meet on equal terms as regards ed fact. We were able to publish the first up-to-date equipment and modern resources. news of this at 9.30 o'clock yesterday morn. ยก'1 best of guns best of armour will ing, on the authority of a telegram received b. f. ind on both sides. This was not that morning from our London correspon- so in the China-Japan or Spanish dent, simply announcing a declaratio oferican war. About the men behind the This news was amply supported in guns we have yet to learn much. British several quarters during the fore-noon, and and other naval critics have expressed them lastly by our Kobe despatch. We selves in high terms of the Japanese sailor. publish in another columns me of the The Ru-siau seaman too has received eu- confirmatory details obtained yesterday, logies, more especially from Continental As early as Sunday rumours were abroad writers. The test of war must settle the in the Colony that the Japanese Minister question of relative merit. As for the mili- had been recalled from S. Petersburg, antary forces, the war cannot at first affect act equivalent in the present, circumstances to a declaration of war; but they could be traced to no definite source and were there- fore looked on as more than dubious. It now appears that the local agents of a certain Japanese firm did receive on Sunday a telegram to that effect. After such a sep war could be but a matter of hours, and there is no doubt that Russi will make the most of Japan's act in taking the first step. As we have said before, however, Russia has endeavoured for long to goad Japan into such a course, and the moral responsi- bility most certainly lies with Russia. Japan has been perfectly straightforward and has delayed action far beyond the expectation of her hostile critics. Had she been animated by the "chauvinistic" spirit attributed to her by the Russian Press and the pro-Russian sympathisers in Europe, war must have commenced at least a week ago, probably much earlier. On or before the 27th January the Japanese Govern- ment intimated to Baron ROSEN
at Tokyo that an early answer to its Note of the previous week was desired. Continuing its dishonest policy, the Russian Government held back the reply, while causing the report to be circulated in Europe and elsewhere that its toue would be cou- ciliatory and conducive to peace. Evidently nothing would please it better than that Japan should go ou negotiating further. But Japan was not blind. Having from the beginning stated the irreducible minimum asked for by her and seeing that Russia made no real concession during the whole course of diplomatic dealings, she waited for the end of last week and then, after a momentous conference on the 4th instant, decided on the action which she has now taken. It appears that the actual delivery of the Russian Note was not awaited. It reached Admiral ALEXIEFF on the 4th instant, and if approved by him, was to be forwarded to Japan, reaching Tokyo yester- day at the latest. But it was reported last week -on the authority of one paper only, the Loudon Daily Graphic, it is true that the contents of the Note were known and telegraphed to Tokyo by the Japanese Mi ister at Tokyo. In any case, it was practically certain to be evasive and dilatory as before, and, while courteous in wording, insulting in its real purport, which Was practically to ignore Japan's right to a voice in international politics. The result is the only one possible-War. Russia ha really asked for war, and she has got it. She may have believed that she could frighten Japan, and that so actual conflict might be avoided. It hardly seems likely, however, that she thought so." It is more probable that she despises the Japanese and has embarked on the struggle with con- fidence in her ultimate success. Time will show whether she is justified. We believe
not.
them so much. Both armies have proved their value as fighting-machines. The dis- parity in numbers is enormous, but numbers cannot be utilised without many accessory circumstances. The lesson of South Africa taught that, if teaching was needed. Japan, even though she wins at sea-and that means that she has the complete control in Northern waters will not assuredly begin a vast land campaign to drive Russia out of Manchuria. That would be madness. That she will occupy Corea is certain, if she is successful at sea. Sh has no doubt The news from London, through REUTER'S commenced that part of her campaign Agency, shows that Russia bas, as we anti- already, for at the end of January there was cipated yesterday, made a point of Japan on the island of Tsushima, hal'-way between not awaiting the arrival of her Note-after Kiushiu and Corea, a large force of Japa- an interval of twenty-two days!--and has nese troops, possibly the bulk of Japan's claimed that such procedure throws on sixty chartered transports, and probably the Japan "the whole responsibility for the Japanese squadron or part of it, at least. consequenc s which may arise from a rup- The exact details were not of course known ture of diplomatic relations." No one will owing to the telegraphic censorship, but it pay any attention to this statement outside was known that the prices of food on Russia. It is of a piece with_the whole Tsushima had risen rapidly in a short time. dishonest line of diplomacy adopted by The reports of actual landing of Japanese Russia during the recent negotiations, which troops in Corea at the end of January is so well illustrated as late as in that or beginning of February were not believed authoritative statement from S. Petersburg by the more weighty Anglo-Japanese news- quoted in REUTER's despatch of the 7th papers. That they could land at Fusan instant, wherein it is asserted that the in a few hours was, however, recognised. Russiau Goverument has gone as far as it There can be at the present moment no possibly can to meet Japan's wishes, and Russian warships eruising about. The at- that if Japan is animated by the same tempt to leave Port Arthur last week failed; peaceful sentiments ns Russia she will a similar attempt from Vladivostock had receive fresh proposals in a manner per- ben pr viously defeated, although no de-mitting of an eventual accord. Such an clared state of war existed, by the appear- ance of a Japanese squadron, other essay be made now? If so, a naval engagement is inevitable. Otherwise the news we may expect to hear first will concern Japanese movements in Corea or Russian in Manchuria. The possibility of Chili being affected also is obviously contempla:ed. It is not for nothing that the Borneo yesterday took up 71 of the rank-and-file of the Sherwood Foresters bound for Tient- sin. It seems more than probable too that the Peking garrison will be strengthened, even if only because of the danger of the Peking populace being seriously agitated by the war movements in the neigh bouring province. Northern news indica es that Chins strongly suspects a Russian at- tempt on Peking. The Times correspondent has warned us that Russia is egging on China to throw in her lot with Japan, so as to give Russian troops an excuse for ad- vancing over the Manchurian border. The position of the Legatious looks precarious in any event. It would suit Russia's book only too well to be able to pose as their rescuer. Her impudent boast of being a champion of civilisation would echo more loudly than ever if she could stir the wor-e elements in China to attack the Europeans in Peking, in supposed support of Japan against Russia. One side of the cam- paign we may be quite sure that Russia
Will un-
impudent disregard of truth, we venture to say, has never been witnessed even in the imaginative annals of Russian foreign politics. But what are we to make of the Tsar's journey to submit his cause and the Russian Empire's fate before the altar of the Troitzko monastery, as his fathers have doue in the past before drawing the sword ? Nothing more than that the Tear is now a complete puppet in the hunds of the war party. Never anything but a weak man, NICHOLAS. II. may at least be credited with being sincere; but that he is both super- stitious and readily gulled has been obvious all through his reign. His love of peace has been a stock remark of politicians; yet the influence it has had conduct of Russia is infinitesimal. Paris correspondent of the Loudon Times recently had a very just criticism on this subject. Remarking that the continuance of peace, in spite of the critical state of affairs, is often ascribed almost exclusively to the Tsar's love of peace, he says:-"My
on the
The
OWD information confirms the reports "recently current that it would be a mis- "take to give that fuctor, though it
undoubtedly exists, an exaggerated "importance. The Tsar's will has prove "powerless to improve the interior adminis- "tration of Russia. It is not necessary to "recall the deplorable deeds of tyranny "whichhave been committed in the name