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March 21, 1904.J
JAPAN DURING THE WAR.
(FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.]
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
through the line, a contingency that will be disastrous to the Russians. It must be remem- bered that while the latter have an enormous length of front, they are at an infinitely greater distance from their base of supply than their opponente; they are haunted with the night- mare of Chinese and Tartar brigands tearing up the railway, and the menacin neutrality of China. It will also be necessary to keep up guards along the whole eastern length of the Siberian railway. If that is destroyed they ar practically et off from European Russia, to which they have the ana single rail
to
Tokyo, 27th February, Certain signe point to the fact that the authorities have ceased to despatch troops from the metropolitan and northern proviucs for the front, but how far these may be taken as in- dicating the true p sition of affairs it is im. possible to say, so great is the secrecy in which the Imperial Government envelops all its actions and intentions. The traveller approach. Now to contrast te Japanese and Russian ing Tokyo from the South during the last two nations. Japan may be a rich country, but when weeks cannot have failed to notice th immense one considers the enormous drain on herresources, number of flags that lined the railway, with long it is difficult at first to see how she can maintain | strings of hanging paper lanterns, showing a red the present war to a successful conclusion. Great sun, or perhaps an Union Jack, on their sides, quantities of four and tinned provisions have with here and there a triumphal arch of green. been purchased from Europe and America the Or at night every passing train would be sellers demanding gold or produce in payment. saluted with a waving of straw torches, and This is very reasonable, because when a country blazing bonfires, and, day and aight alike, is on the verge of war with another one does crowds of people shouting their national cry of not like to have accounts with her hanging Banzai Aloug this decorated route passed over too long. But this is not the time of year many time daily, all bound to the South, train- when produce can be procured. The season loads of soldiers and horses, with waggons of for tea and silk is later in the year, and rice stores and munitions of war. Or, maybe, oc- is entirely out of the question, as it forms casionally a train wold steam out of a suburban the staple food of the nation, and there is never station, played away by a band performing the very much over for purposes of trade. National Anthem Kimigniyo, containing per.
So pay ments must necessarily have been malle in haps some General or eren an Impei gald, which thus must have been going out of the Prince, and it is an excellent illustration | country in huge quantities. Where, then, will of the closeness, of the Government when Japan get the whe.ewithal it is consider. d that it
prsecute the was never possible war? The answer to this question is one that to ascertain the identity of the personage thu cannot but cause astonishment to Europe ns, grandly sped. But yesterday, with the excep-
for it will be met in a manner little dreamed of tion of a solitary flag or arch here and there, and never, we believe, put into actual ne before all the decorations had disappeared, leaving the For many hundred years the ancient feudal country as it was before, whilst a rumour went. families of Japan, from the nobles to those the rounds that the usual train-servi e was whose claim to distinction was merely their abont to be resumed. Of thirty-five trains that richness, have reserved a treasure of gold and ran between Yokohama and the capital only five jewels, that, dedicated to the nation, was only had been permitted to ply, and of the five that to be used in a national contingency. As silver connected Tokyo and Kobe, two had now to has only been introduced into Japan in very sustain all the traffic. Thus it will b seen that modern times, it can only form a very small, roughly two-thirds of the train-service has been item in a total whose publication will astonish requisitioned for the transporting of troops. It the world. With elaborate ceremonies the is quite impossible to estimate the quantity. treasure was concealed in some sacred hiding even if it were permissible, and a guess formed place, which was only opened from time to time on a calculation of the number of troops who to receive more gold or jewels. This Sacred would occupy two-thirds of the ordinary train Treasure is now being unearthed by the service would have to be supplemented by an- repre entatives of the old feudal houses, and other speculation on the number shipped from must amount to some hundred millions of the southern islands of Kinshin and Shikoku pounds sterling. Besides all this, the women and the south-western provinces of the main of Japan, following the lead of their island. For purposes of transporting troops to Empress, are pouring into
the hands of Corea, masses of steamers have been chartered those officials trusted with the war fund from the Nippou Yasen Kaisha, Mitsui Bus-priceless jewels and ancient heirlooms. There вад Kaisha, Osaka Shosen Kaisha, &c., is a splendid patriotism that must appeal very and DOW that fear of the
Russian much to our minds in this willing giving up of fleet is practically nil, they aro ab'e such a treasure, the more that it is quite uncou- to cross with ease and impunity.
scious on their part, they are merely doing what The Japanese have besides two very perfectly their traditions tell them to d; thy have not equipped hospital ships, both of which are even a word in the language that expresses what already on the scene of action, and with thes- we mean by patriotism. In commemoration of and their fleet of transports, and the Russian this "reserve fund," when the imperial orders inability to seriously hamper their movements. of knighthood were instituted some years ago there can be no difficulty in landing all the one held in high esteem was styled the order of stores and munitions required.
the Sacred Treasure, a tactful recognition ou Now let us look at what may be presumed as the part of the powers that be to the ancient the Russian arrangements. In the first place nobility of their appreciation for an act whose they cannot take up any position of defence ultimate en is both noble and artistic. Be near the sea-coast with their fleet hors de cause the Japanese do not put out flags and such combat, as this would place them open to &
like decorations, and cheer everything on every combined attack from the Japanese by sa and available occasion without an official hint, it land. Port Arthur is the one exception, and has been said that all their enthusiasm is arti in holding that place there is an eat of ficial. But th Japanese are a dignified race weakness, as it will be absolutely necessary to who have never been in the habit of expressing maintain a line of communication with the their feelings in this way, and it is therefore main body of the defence, and this may make a matter of no wonder that they do not yet com- it possible for the Japanese to deliver a flauk port themselves in a way that their officials. in their attack which will isolate the Gibraltar of the zeal to be up to date and in line with European East. The Viceroy, Admiral Alexieff, is sup- nations, are able to see carried out without posed to be in Harbin. General Kuropatkin the hint. And when one thinks of the Sacred it is understood, un his arrival will Treasure, there is surely little room for doubt as make his headquarters at iaoyang. to the genuineness of their national enthusiasm. The line of defence mast thus extend over In great contrast, let us turn to the Bus- 800 miles from Liaoyang, through Moukden, sians. When Alexander II. issued his pro- Kirio, and Harbin, to the Amur or to clamation giving freedom to all the rfs, the Vladivostock. How ver many millions of men intention was good, but unfortunately was not Russia may manage to put in the field, they carried out in the issue. The Russian peasant will necessarily b extended over an enormous but exchanged serfdom for slavery, and where length, and probably in this their vulnerability does the difference come in? Freed from the lies. We may presume each of the ab re chif bondage to his hereditary lord and master, he points, being all of strategic importance, will be fell into the toils of the money-lenders, who garrisoned by, say, 200,000 mən. The Japanese were in many cases those rich parvenus who with an even number may attempt to break had purchased the old manors, and then ground
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out every kopeck from his miserable tenants. The result of all this is a starving and discon- tented peasantry, and rebellious middle class, even sympathised with a murmuring and by the nobles in part. Money that should have relieved the dreadful state of necessity in which some, or indeed the greater part, of the peasantry bad fallen, was devoted to advancing ambitions and unrighteous schemes in the Far East, In is little wonder that Socialism, and such like doo- trines whose essence are of necessity a menace to an autocratic and utterly selfish system of government, were eagerly welcomed and took deep root in the hearts of a people ignorant and wretched. And so, with a war on her hands in the Far East, which has commenced disas- trously for her, troubles in the Middle and Near East, and a population who need but a little to drive then into upheaval, Russia is little to be envied at the present time. What the result of the war will be none can say. Perhaps it does not mean so much for Russia, provided she can control her people through it; it will be but a page, probably a dark one, in her history, but for Japan it is a turning-point, a battle of life and death on which her very exist- ence as a nation--not as a Power or Great Power-hangs. An eastern nation for the first time since the days of the Romans has met a western on equal terms. There are some who would have preferred to see Russia receive well merited punishment at the hands of a European instead of an Asiatic country; but whatever happens, the attitude of Japan has been one worthy of high praise since the beginning of the negotiations, now so unhappily terminated, Russian procrastination was met with patience; delaying in order to bring her army and fleet it was only when she saw Russia purposely ia o a state calculated to successfully resist her that Japan at last struck the blow on whose
existence as issue hang: everything that can make her a nation good. The Tsar has placed his cause in the bands of God; there let it rest. What man can tell the end?
NOTES FROM THE BOTANIC GARDENS,
A very showy Rhododendron known under the name of Rhododendron phoeniceum may immediately above the Upper Albert Road, now be seen in flower growing on the bank
where it is represented by several fine specimens. The flowers are about three inches across, mauve plant is supposed by some to be a native of in colour and produced in great numbers. This China, although it has never been found wild, while others regard it as a garden hybrid. In any case it is a very desirable shrub for a garden, but care should be taken to plant it in such a position that the colour of its flowers does not clash with that of other plants. It
flowers. goes very well, however, with white or yellow
The exceedingly dry winter which we have just experienced is, no doubt, in a great way responsi- ble for the very fine display of flower on Hiptage Madablota just now. One specimen of this plant may be seen in the large bed towards the lower end of the Albany d., in the new garden, and another in the state-plot in the old garden. The flowers are about an inch across, four of the petals being white while the fifth is marked with yellow. They are borne in short racemes in great profusion in the axils of the leaves. This species is a native of the East Indies, in- cluding Hongkong, and has been known in cul- L.vation for more than a hundred years.
There are general orchids in flower in the No.. 2 house at the present time, including one with flowers of a colour very seldom seen. This is Cœlogyne pandurata, à native of Malaya and the colour of the flowers is green and black. The individual flowers are about three inches across, aud are produced on scapes in the young growths.
In the same house is a specimen of the Fla- mingo Plant, Anthurium scherseria um, bear. ing over a dozen spathes. This plant is a native of Guatemala and belongs to the Arum family.
The monkeys, which have recently proved so great au attraction to visitors, have had their numbers increased by the kind presentation from Mr. S. W. Moore of two fine Luzon specimens.
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