318
-not even her semi-barbarism-for using dishonourable devices in order to plunge France in a war which would not only be repugnant to her feelings, but also calculated to lead to widespread disaster. In this case we hold that France would be justified, politically and morally, in terminating an alliance which has always been one-sided and has now become trencherous. If such a step were taken it would, we think, be applauded by at least the greater portion of the world, and we should not be surprised if the British Government, departing from its older policy of isolation, did not volunteer to create a new Anglo-French alliance for the preservation of the peace of Europe, which while threatening no one would be a guarantee against aggressive desigs on the part of Russia, and better ensure the object 80 many great European statesmen have for the past half century laboured to secure.
RUSSIA'S INTERNAL
WEAKNESS.
allow
seem
(Daily Press, 27th October.) That many cooks spoil the broth is an old proverb, and one which Russians hardly to have taken to heart. The idea with which Russia commenced the war with Japan-that she would gradually lure the Japanese forces into Manchuria, where she could have the choice of either attacking them in detail, or by leaving them them to severely alone would perish from cold and the severities of a Manchurian winter, had doubtless much to recommend it, but unfortunately it had not the recommendation of novelty, Russia had tried it before, and it had proved successful in the case of CHARLES XII. and NAPOLEON, and if the Japanese were not close students of military history there was, of course, a possibility that it might do so again. In this, as in so many other things, the Russians misjudged their enemy, and it ought to bave been apparent after the first month of campaigning that so far from the Japanese generals boing ignorant of the teachings of history, this was really one of their strongest points. Their second plan was to drive their perhaps too active enemy into the sea, and this, after the crossing of the Yalu in the very t eth of the enemy, an enterprising commander ought to have seen was an impossibility. The lesson taught before Fenghwangshan was emphasised by the fight at Kinchow, where similar tactics were tried, with an equally unsatisfactory result. After all generals, like other mortals, are not omniscient, and the best general is he who, aware of his shortcomings, humbles himself to learn from experience. Of late General KUROPATKIN seems to have so far profited from the lessons learnt that although unable to score a victory over his astute foes at Liaoyang, he did the next best thing, and so far scored a success that he converted what for the first forty-eight hours looked like an absolute rout into what was at best a very questionable victory for the Japanese forces. Still the object which he doubtless had in view in making his attack, that of being able to relieve the siege of Port Arthur, was plainly impracticable, and to all appearances General KUROPATKIN, how ever unwillingly, was prepared to accept the inevitable. On the other hand, the Japanese generals were by no means de. sirous of forcing on a winter campaign in Manchuria; and so far as they were con- cerned, so long as the attack on Port Arthur was not interfered with would have been quite ready to have remained inactive. This would have been a distinct advantage for Russia, and a prudent general would
|
[October 29, 1904.
INÆSTHETIC HONGKONG,
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND have looked upon it as such. Actually winter is the best time for transporting troops in
(Daily Press, 28th October.) Siberia. The roads are then under the in-
Few Governments have done less to fluence of frost more passable than in either spring or autumn, and the railway line running beautify a city than that of Hongkong has With the ex- on a solid track is less subject to accident done to adorn Hongkong. and delay. The Russian soldier is hardy, ception of Mr. J. M. PRICE--whose name will ever be held in grateful remembrance and accustomed to winter cold, and as NICOLAS I. said with truth under similar in the Colony-neither the various Directors circumstances, Russia had two generals in of Public Works nor the successive Gover- nors have contributed in any serious way to the months of January and February. In this respect all the advantage of the climate the ornamentation of the Colony. To told to the benefit of Russia as against Mr. PRICE we owe the Bowen Road, for Japan, and General KUROPATKIN doubtless which he fought gallantly instead of bring. informed his Government of the fact. Buting, as he might have done, the water in besides the enemy in front Russia has to pipes along the hill sides. To him also we face an even more serious foe in the rear. are indebted for the laying out of the Glenealy Ravine, a work partly spoilt by a subsequent sordid Government who allowed some hideous tenements to be thrust into
From the very beginning the war had not been popular in Russia. To keep up her enormous armies she has to strain her rela-
tions with her own people; though costing comparatively little in money, the Russian system is in reality conducted in the way most oppressive to the people at large. Thinly populated as is the land, the in- dividual soldiers are dragged from their homes, and sent over enormous distances before even they join their headquarters. Were this done with consideration for the troops it would be an enormous tax on the resources of the country; but it is not done with consideration, as the unfortunate con- script knows to his cost, and even in times of profound peace the loss of life is some- thing enorinous. The annual cost in life, even in time of peace, is greater than in other more favoured lands is entailed by the bloodiest of wars. The soldier, even after he has joined his colours, finds little alleviation of his lot, so that to be drawn for service is looked upon as little better (han a death warrant. It is only natural that under such circumstances service, even under the best of conditions, is uupopular; the enormous losses entailed by the war with Japan, carried on across an entire con- tinent, have been such that the country has been excited to the verge of rebellion. The country at large has not even had the exteuuation of victory to reconcile it to the loss of life. Conceal it as best it could-
Government has not and the Russian scrupled by the most outrageous untruths to hide its humiliation-the truth has begun to leak out, that neither in fighting power nor in equipment is the army able to stand against its opponents.
|
its heart to its great disfigurement. To him likewise we owe many ornamental and easy flights of granite steps where before were unsightly tracks or breakneck stones, equally unpleasant and unsafe. Retaining walls erected by him were enduring and sightly; they never came down and blocked up the road but remain as substantial as when first erected. Mr. PRICE would have done much more had not his efforts beau greatly limited by the difficulty of obtaining votes for anything except strictly utilitarian works. He therefore endeavoured always to combine utility with some regard for ornamentation. No doubt he speut a little more money than his successors, but the colony got good value for the outlay, which has not always equally been the case siuc:.
The
No Governor of Hongkong unfortunatly has ever had much of an eye for the beauti- ful or the ornamental, and everything artistic or tasteful in the Colony has beer” the fruit of private enterprise. All the public buildings erected by Government are either truly hideous or crudely plain. The present Law Courts are irredeemably ugly, the Market House, little short of frightful, the Government Offices severely plain and solemn, the Post Office contemptible. City Hall, which alone has some pretensious to architecture, was not bui t(by Govern- ment, having been raised by subscription. Government House is solid and substantial, and its extreme simplicity is redeemed by its charming setting of foliage. altogether, however, it is simply marvellous how our predecessors seem to have con- spired to preserve a uniformity of ugliness in our surroundings. Seeing how dull, grey, and squalid is the outlook in the native quarters of Victoria, it might have been thought they would have done something to create a contrast to the dead level of Chinese uncomeliness.
Taken
Eveu up to the present moment this ten- dency of the official mind remains to vex those of us who have any yearnings after the beautiful.
Under the circumstances the Government of the TSAK has been impressing on the Governor-General and the General the actual necessity of a victory of some sort: both, it is needless to say, have in turn stated the impossibility of turning the tide with disheartened troops and in the face of a superior eneniy, but their protests have failed to convince, and threats have been tried, but equally in vain. In fact the
The City Square," which generals named to take over the command have shown as little alacrity in taking up might for some years have been a thing of the task as the conscripts themselves. beauty and a feast to the eye, still remains on the one side a howling waste, though What further measures have been taken we know not, but there is no doubt that lately the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank and Sir General KUROPATKIN has been acting PAUL CHATER have done their part in under direct orders from St. Petersburg, making the western half the former by and that his recent enterprise has been their tastefully railed and well-kept gardens, It is and the latter by the erection of a stately against his own better judgment. little wonder that it has failed, and that the pile, the Prince's Buildings. It is true that state of despondency has been correspond the new Law Courts will be a fine building when completed, but during the decade in ingly increased. It is folly to speculate on the future, but it is well to bear in mind which they have been nebulous the ground the lessons of the past.
might have been laid out and railed off to match the Bank's bright parterres and green turf. True also is it that Sir HENRY BLAKE promised that the site opposite the Hongkong Club (now occupied by a matshed in which a section of the Police is quartered) should be laid out as a garden, but the ful-
1
Mr. Henry Clarence Hogan, of Hogan & Co. engineers, Singapore, has been granted a Patent to last 14 years for an invention for
An improved machine for and method of soutching, decorticating, degumming, washing and cleaning fibrous leaves and plants,"
|
1
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.