LOSSES AND GAINS IN THE WAR

Evening Star, Issue 12625, 3 October 1905, Page 7

LOSSES AND GAINS IN THE WAR

SOME INTERESTING FIGURES. ['Ago' Correspondent.] LONDON, August 11. No attempt has been made ia Englund to give anything like a complete summary of tho losses suffered by the combatants in men an£ material during the war, mainly in consequence of the reticence of the Rus"sinn authorities, which they have varied at intervals by tie i«*ue of deliberato'.y misleading reports. But 'The Time*,' now publishes an article from its Tokio correspondent, giving an interesting approximation oif the facts, compiled partly from official sources and portly from the more trustworthy estimates made in the Press after the principal land engagements. He notes that where Russian statistics are quoted they may, as a rule, be regarded as minimum estimates. For the period from th© beginning of the war, in February, 1904, to June, 1905, inclusive, the Japanese casualties—killed, wounded, and died after wounds—are given as 166,756, and the Russian losses at 320,779. The number of Japanese taken prisoners is put as low as 646, while the Russian losses in prisoners are estimated at 67,701. The casualties at each of the principal battles are given in detail, as far as it has been possible to ascertain them. At the Yalu the losses were 1,039 Japanese and 2,398 Russians; at Nanshan, 4,207 Japanese and 3,370 Russianaj at TeKssa, 1,163 Japanese and 9,270 Russians-; at Tashi-chiao, 1,077 Japanese and 2,000 Rureians; at Sha-ho, 15,879 Japanese and 69.201 Russians; at Liaoyang, 17,613 Japanese and 25,000 Russians ; at Heikautai, 8,000 Japanese and 10,000 Russians; at Port Arthur, 50,000 Japanese and 20,000 Russians; nt Mukden, 52,000 Japanese and 152,500 Russians; in various skirmishes, 1,796 Japanese and 10,710 Russians; in naval engagements, 3.670 Japanese and 6,000 Russians. The Russian naval force engaged in the war, exclusive of torpedo boate, special service steamers, and converted cruisers, comprised 83 ships, with an aggregate displacement of 410,224 tons. Of these 73, representing 346,588 tons, were lost, no fewer than 57 being sunk. The Japanese fleet (also exclusive of torpedo boats, special service vessels, and converted cruisers l ) numbered 76, with a displacement of 274,184 tons, twelve, representing 6,025 tons, were sunk, leaving 64 ships, of an aggregate of 228,159 tons. The Japanese have practically compensated for their loss by capturing and adding to their navy «even of the enemy's vessels, representing 44,486 tons. Among other Russian ships about to bo incorporated in the Japanese fleet are the battleship Peresviet, of 12,674 tons; the armored cruiser Bayan, of 7,800 tons; and the protected cruiser Varyag, of 6,500 tons. When, in a short time, these three ships (ire refitted and ready for service, the Japanese Navy will be larger by 24,435 tons than it was when the war beg-an, Tlio captures of non-combatapt ships made by the two navies during the sixteen months of war under review furnish a notable contrast. The Japanese secured 46 prizes, with an aggregate displacement of 107,929 tons, including 15 Russian, 14 English, and 5 German ships. Eighteen of the vessels were laden with Cardiff. steam coal. In comparison with this record the Russians make a poor showing. Apart from the neutral vessels sunk by them, in contravention of international law, and apart from the three Japanese transports which they e,eut to the bottom, the chief occupation of their cruisers has been to destroy snuH steamers and sailing strips, tie property of private individuals. There are 15 of these vessels, averaging 234 tons each, and' 9 of them (according tq ' The Thnes's' list) wen* ourped.