214
RUSSIAN AND JAPANESE PLANS
OF CAMPAIGN.
(Daily Press, 18th March.) In spite of all reports as to the abandon- ment or capture of Port Arthur, the Russian fortress on the Liaotung peninsula is hold- ing out; and now, as may be seen from the telegram which we publish to-day, General KUROPATKIN, the Russian Commander-in- Chief, has given orders to Admiral STOESSEL to continue to hold the place. We have a further indication of General KUROPATKIN's intention, for it is stated that he means to defend the line of the Yalu River with 250,000 men, while guarding his railway communications with another 150,000. Whether he has in Manchuria at the pre- sent moment these numbers or anything like them it is impossible to say. If he has, he must be experiencing tremendous diffi culties in the commissariat department, without which working in good order it is obviously impossible to maintain a force of 400,000 men thousands of miles from their real base. However, if we take his statement as genuine, and not merely as meant to impress the Japanese, we must dismiss as imaginary the remark attributed to the General's aide-de-camp by REUTER a few days ago. The latter was reported to have declared that General KUROPATE IN would first of all recall Russian troops from Corea and would not commence operations until May, hoping to have done with Japan
11
[March 21, 1904,
With the
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
cipated first the naval success which has the payment of the surtax;" but the Govern fallen to the lot of Japan. The main ment promise that the British Minister at military force would then be landed at Peking will be requestel to urge upon the Chemulpo, as has also been done. Their Chinese Ministers the desirability of opening objective would be Harbin, the junction of Waichow without further delay, unless he is the lines from Siberia to Vladivostock and of opinion that there is no likelihood of to Port Arthur. If this advance should their entertaining the proposal. fail, Japan would make the Yalu the line of Chairman of our branch of the Association we defence, throwing up entrenchments and can only hope for a more progressive spirit keeping open the communications by sea. than hitherto on the part of the Chinese Go- In either case Colonel OKA looked for a vernment if the opening of Waichow is to be long and sanguinary war, but trusted to voluntary. If the Chinese continue in the Japan being able to maintain the struggle same mind as now and in the past, we might owing to her advantages in the matter have to wait centuries before the inclusion of of transport. It is too early yet to Waichow among the treaty ports. Itis rather judge to what extent the Japanese to be feared that in spite of the representations military expert was correct in his sketch of the China Association and of the Hong- of the plan of operations, but it cer- kong Government-and our late Governor tainly looks as if an attempt were going to was an ardent supporter of the scheme- be made to push on to Moukden after the authorities at home still fail to recognise forcing or turning the position on the Yalu; what Waichow means if brought into com- and if Moukden can be reached, it is unlike munication with Hongkong. We endeav- ly that Japan will be content without makoured to explain its importance when we ing every effort in her power to carry Harbin discussed the question last September, but also and thus free Southern Manchuria from there is more that might be said. the Russians. But that the task will be one of enormous difficulty must be admitted by the warmest admirers of Japan. Success would settle definitely the question of the merits of the Japanese soldier. Those critics are many who anticipate Russia's victory when it comes to handling masses of troops. There are, however, really no data by which we can judge. Time alone will show.
The same letter in which the Association wrote about Waichow also contained their views on the matter of the Kowloon-Canton railway. The Association, in the words of the report, made a forcible representation on the subject of the delay in proceeding with the projected line, while offering some suggestions as to the route to be traversed and recommending the construction of a branch line from Sheklung, between Wai-
at the end of July. This bombastic utter- HONGKONG AND ITS HINTERLAND) chow and Canton, to Waichow. Copies of
ance was not given much attention at the time; now it seems probable that it was never made. From what we know of General KUROPATKIN's previous career, the plan of campaign now attributed to him looks far more probable than a policy of retreat. The only point to be settled is whether it is not too late for Russia to hold the line of the Yalu. We know little enough of the Japanese movements on land. Japan has, with the most perfect justifica- tion, in spite of the hysterical complaints of disappointed war correspondents, concealed her military operations entirely, so that the disposition of her troops is quite unknown. It is, however, known that her outposts in Corea have reached as far north as the Ching-chin-gang (or Chheng-chhen-gang) River, some fifty miles south of the Yalu, and over one hundred and fifty miles from Seoul. On the other side of the Yalu, the Japanese were reported some days ago to have got to Feng-hwang-cheng, which is about one hundred miles from Moukden and is right in the rear of any position the Russians may hold on the west bank of the Yalu; but since the first telegram to this effect we have had no confirmation of the news, except a strongly supported rumour in local military circles, claiming to be based on official despatches. If it turns out to be true that the Japanese are at Feng-hwang- cheng, and if they are there in any force, it is difficult to see how General KUROPATKIN can hold to his plan of defending the line of the Yalu. Should be be compelled to relinquish his intention there will be nothing for him to do but to fall back either on Moukden or, further still, on Harbin, where Viceroy ALEXIEFF has now his head- quarters. Such a retirement promises to seal the fate of Port Arthur, which already seems to be in dire straits. The Japanese, moreover, are expected to occupy New- chwang as soon as the thaw is sufficient to allow them to approach the barbour.
Before the actual outbreak of war, a well- known Japanese military officer, Colonel OKA, then in Europe, sketched to an inter- viewer his idea of his country's plan of campaign in event of hostilities. He anti-
(Daily Press 19th March.) We were glad to see among the subjects prominently discussed in the report of the local branch of the China Association and at the annual meeting on Thursday those of the construction of the Kowloon-Canton railway and of the opening of Waichow. Both of these ques- tions we have constantly maintained to be of the utmost importance to the future of Hongkong. For many years past we have urged the necessity of the railway line being built from our possession on the mainland to the capital city of Kwangtung province. With regard to Waichow, we may justly claim to have, in these columns last year, first called public attention to the value of an open port at that place. That the Hong- kong branch of the China Association was keeping both matters before the home Government was known already. The annual report reveals to what extent their efforts have gone. Last December a letter was addressed by the Hongkong to the London branch of the Association, urging them, for reasons set out at length, to ask the Foreign Office to press for the concession of the opening of Waichow at the same time as that of Kongmoon. It will be of the remembered that Article VIII. MACKAY treaty stipulated for. these two and three other ports to be opened; but, except in the case of Kongmoon, certain changes in duties to be made in compensation, which have not come into effect. The Association also forwarded a copy of the letter to the Foreign Office, while the Hongkong Government, which happily takes no little interest in the ques- tion, sent a copy to the Colonial Office with a covering despatch in strong support. At the time the report was written no answer had been received from Downing Street, but one has been received since, in which, as Mr. WILCOX stated in his speech on Thursday, the Government state that they can hardly press for this concession, as it forms part of the consideration to be granted by the Chinese Government in return for
64
were
this letter were sent to the Colonial Govern- ment and to the British and Chinese Cor- poration's London office, who are stated to be considering it. On the 10th ultimo, in the House of Commons, Eari PERCY, ques- tioned on the subject of the railway, said that the Government had been informed by the British and Chinese Corporation that as soon as arrangements have been made for financing the Shanghai-Nanking Railway negotiations for the conclusion of the final agreement for the construction of the Canton-Kowloon line will be proceeded with. The matter is receiving very careful atten- tion, he added.
With Mr. WILCOX on Thursday, we venture to hope that the Cor- poration will consider to good purpose. The China Association proposed, in its letter of last December, some subsidy, grant, or guarantee for that portion of the line passing through British territory. Mr. GERSHOM STEWART supported this plan at Thursday's meeting, and the members of the Association were evidently with him when he expressed his opinion that, failing every other means of making that railway, it would be a sound thing for this Colony to guarantee a moderate interest on the cost of construction, since in any case the amount the Colony would be liable for would not be very great, and if the railway prospered the guarantee of a certain interest might never be called up; even in the event of a small debit in the first year or two the prospects of a fair revenue from the railway are extremely good. But we have the Government at home to convince, and hence the branch of the Association in Hongkong is well`ad- vised not to rest on its oars, but to keep in mind its Chairman's words that colonists here cannot afford to accept mere assurances on a subject so vitally affecting their interests, and should never be content until they see the tunnels being driven through the Kow- loon hills, and the track being laid from the Kowloon terminus. Our late Governor was a keen advocate of the necessity of the railway. Let us trust that Sir MATTHEW NATHAN when he studies the question will be equally convinced, and that an united Colony will at length see its exertions on
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