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BATTLE OF TSUSHIMA.
A CRITICISM.
WRITTEN FOR THE "DAILY PRESS."]
stances, for the Tsar and Russia! What a fiasco! With such strategy to start with, it is not surprising to find the Russians dropped on whilst steaming in two long lines (if reportspeaks truly) and, whilst solemnly proceeding in this grand procession, easily surrounded by the Japanese and grounded to pieces. Certainly, placing their daring and pluck on one side, the Japanese had the advantage from start to finish, the advantage of firstly good strategy, exhibited by Admiral Togo's original disposi. tions of his fleets; secondly good tactics, displayed by the subordinate commanders of divisions of the fleet when in action; thirdly splendid and handy manoeuvring of the ships by their captains in every phase of the engage ment and last, but not least, the magnificent result of well drilled and trained crews, so that the greatest effect was given to the plans and orders of their officers.
(June 26, 1905.
If the present thriving state of the business continues for a certain length of time, it is probable that the number of spindles will be increased by extension or the establishment of new mills, and thus the existing factories will be deprived of the monopoly of the profit accruing from the business. But this will not occur for some time to come, though it is likely. that the project of buying up the Ping-an and Shanghai mills, which bas been held in abeyance, will be resuscitated. Whatever projects may be cherished by some mills to increase the number of spindles, an extension on any large scale or new enterprises will not take place until the present prosperity has been maintained for some months. Even then the establishment of new mills by inexperienced men, as occurred after the Japan-China War, is not likely to be repeated, but the expansion will be confined to the enlargement of business by existing undertakings.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
actually meeting the enemy, Rozhdestvensky's | for domestic consumption, and the spinners are ships and men as much the advantage, at the often thrown into great distress quite irrespec- commencement of the fight, as possible. We tive of prices of raw cotton, so that the present read that, after hearing the pros and cons of state of unexpected prosperity in the yarn trade one line of advance after another as suggested must have come to the spinners in the nature by his other officers, the Russian Admiral, glass of an agreeable surprise. In the training of fleets and armies so that, in hand, simply announced his intention of when a war is undertaken, the best results may steaming straight into the Straits of Tsushima be obtained from them, there are four actual and advised his subordinates (having done about divisions into which the scheme for training the worst for them he could from a strategical should be divided-four only-but each depend-point of view) to do their best, under the circum. ent upon the other for, the success of a battle or series of battles. The element called 'luck' may be neglected in all considerations of the subject as it will usually be found that, where luck' has been supposed to have sided with one or other belligerent, it has been traceable upon careful investigation to original skill and daring. The expression of Napoleon, when wishing to choose a general, est-il heureux ? (Is he lucky ) might have just as easily been Is bb quick skilful or lacky The four essentials to success, then, are good drill, manouvre, tactics, and finally strategy. Drill is the individual training of men in peace time so that, in war, men and officers may get the best mechanical use out of their weapons and themselves, i.e., so move and use their weapons as to inflict the maximum of harm upon the enemy with the least chance of injury to themselves. From the drill point of view, we find the Russians at an appalling disadvantage as compared to the Japanese daring the battle of the Japan Seas. would almost suppose that their system of drill had been directed towards using their weapons with a minimum of effect aud maximum of personal exposure.
The aiming by Russia's gunners seems to have nullified the effect of the many first-class guns that fleet possessed; whilst, the usual disadvantage of placing modern quick firing weapons in inexpert hands was apparent early in the engagement in the failure of ammunition which had been practically wasted in reckless and nervous ring. It will be recollected that, in South Africa, the lack of skill in this direction, resultant from the train.
One
ing at drill of our infantry caused more than one disaster and surrender. So, commencing at the bottom rung of the ladder which leads to success in warfare we see that the Russian side
lacked the drill which might have given it a chance to use the second rung-namely man. couvre-to best advantage. Manoeuvre is the practising and moving collectively individuals so that they may become accustomed in war to use what has been taught at drill to the best advantage. At sea mantearring consists in practising ships' commanders to rapidly assume any formation or take up any position ordered by the admiral, always with the same object in view-the giving individual drill its best chances by bringing the enemy into the position of a better target to aim at combined with less exposure to his own ships. In man-
ceuvre the Russians seem to have been useless. In fact, the fleet practically did not manoeuvre at all-exempting the portion under Admiral Enquist which exposed itself so little that it may be said to have funked it altogether;
The Japanese, observing this fault, combined with indifferent gunnery on the Russian side, were enabled to force their opponents to man- œuvre as suited themselves and certainly took
the utmost advantage of this lack of skill on the part of the Russian commanders. In tactics the Russians appear to have been hopeless and-by tactics is meant the skilful disposition of ships when approaching the enemy and whilst the fight is in progress. The tactics of the fleet would be naturally the result of the active brain of the different commanders of squadrons working on one general idea laid down carefully beforehand by the Commander in-Chief. From the
meagre accounts of can be
no
the fighting actually to hand it gathered that there were practically tactical moves made during the action by the Russians at all No skilful general idea seems to have been pre-arranged and the fleet appears to have got into confusion from the outset, and each ship to have looked after itself instead of forming part of a well
thought out combination of moves and counter. moves. And lastly the Russian strategy!! the moves, that is, of the fleet prior to contact with the enemy-those carefully planned moveS € the squadrons which should have given, when
THE COTTON BOOM.
STAPLE CHEAP: YARN DEARER. The chief factor that has brought about the
present prosperous condition of the cotton- spinning business is to be attributed, of course, to the decline in the quotations of raw cotton. During 1902 and 1903, says the Jiji Shimp, the price of raw cotton was exceedingly high, American cotton being quoted at more than 50 yen per picul and Indian cotton over 40 yen. During last year, however, the price suddenly
declined.
But not only has the cost of production of
cotton yarn been affected by this fact, but the price of yarn has actually risen owing to the increased demand in North China where the purchasing power of the people has been considerably augmented, no doubt, as the result of the money spent by the contending armies there. Moreover China had been buying less yarn than usual during the past few years and is now evidently buying a larger quantity to make up for the shortage in pre- vious years.
Not only in China but in Japan also the demand for cotton fabrice and yarn has greatly increased since about the time of the Mukden battle, resulting in the anomaly of the price of
yarn being forced up while that of raw cotton has gone down.
Although yarn has considerably advanced in
price as compared with the quotations prevailing in the immediate past, it is by no means an exceptional price, and consequently it can hardly be regarded as a temporary phenomenon.
which rules between Y20 and Y30, in a reason- Again, the present quotation for raw cotton, able figure, and it is improbable the nigh prices
of 1902-3 will
occur again under ordinary circumstances. Supposing the quotation of raw
cotton and cotton yarn to be maintained, the present position and the future of the spinning industry must be regarded as very promising, though of course it is not certain how long such a satisfactory state of affairs will continue.
As far as present appearances indicate, there is nothing that is likely to disturb the existing state of things. It would be well for the spin- ners, however, to pay close attention to the
condition of the raw cotton market, for it is rather curious to note that the price of cotton and yarn apparently not always ruled by the relation of supply and demand. Paradoxical it may seem, yet it is true that the fluctuations in the price of one in most cases do not directly affect that of the other. The quotations of raw Cotton are more regulated by the abundance or otherwise of the supply or crops than by their causes, though in the case of such a long- continued high price as that which prevailed during the past few years it will undoubtedly have the effect of checking the demand for cotton yarn and fabrics Two-thirds of the output of yarn and cotton "geods in Japan are
TIENTSIN'S TRADE OUTLOOK,
Serious attention is demanded, from every one who has the interests of Tientsin at heart, to the annual returns of and report on the trade of Tientsin during 1904, just published by the Imperial Maritime Customs. Not that the trade of the port last year was unsatisfactory; quite the reverse was the case. But it is re- quisite to look beyond the present. In many respects the trade returns for last year give Ferguson and his assistants show conclusively good grounds for congratulation. in their admirably prepared report and tables that a time is almost due when Tientsin as a port must inevitably choose either to go ahead or to fall behind in the keen commercial strug- gle that is every day becoming more exacting
in North China
But Mr
The year 1904 was not in some respects so good as 1903, but the recovery since the Boxer trouble was well maintained. If that were all
that was necessary there would be room for congratulation. But the report very properly draws attention to the fact that a new era of increased competition is at hand, when new railways and rival seaports will struggle to deprive Tientsin of its long preeminence as the chief port and emporium of North China. At present Tientsin is not fully equipped to serious warning is given as to the necessity meet this competition. It will be seen that of improving the harbour, river, and har. Circumstances will admit of little further delay. Fortunately, we believe, this adjuration will not fall on deaf ears. As is known, two in Tientsin, at which a carefully prepared important meetings are to be held next week
scheme in connexion with the improvement of the Taka Bar will be submitted, and we trust that at these gatherings steps will be taken which will remove all possible fears that the port, may decay.
is that mere standing still will not avert deca- The important thing to remember, however,
dence. It is essential by prompt and vigorous action to forge ahead. And forging ahead means spending money-with, however, the practical certainty of getting it back again in one shape or another with handsome interest.-- China Times.
"RIALTO" GOSSIP.
Money was never tighter' at Hongkong," said a broker to a Daily Press reporter on June "Shares that under normal conditions 23rd. should now be attracting buyers are stagnant, because there is no money loose to play with.
No. It is not Europeans, but Chiness. Fow people realise how hard hit they have been, how many failures and private arrangements there have been; and it is not over yet.
Togo's famous victory should have sent exchange down with a run, and that it didn't may be taken as some sign of the truth of what I tell you. Prospects generally are excellent; but until the local stringency in China-town is eased, there will be little doing for us."
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