Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE MONDAY, MAY 21, 1906. SIDELIGHTS ON THE WAR.

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 May 1906, Page 2

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE MONDAY, MAY 21, 1906. SIDELIGHTS ON THE WAR.

Sosik tinte before Hie opening of the peace negotiations, M. Tabtmto, (he war correspondent- of the Novoe A remya, published in Russia a book entitled “Tlm Truth about the War.” This has now been translated into English. Some, lengthy and very in-ti-resting extracts from the volume have been reproduced in the Kobe Herald, from which we lake the quotations given below. After referring

to tho comfortable furniture, elc., to he found in many of (he officers’ quarters at (he front, M. Taburno proceeds: “Whence comes this aspiration for a comfortable life on the positions? The example given by the higher authorities had much to do

with it. Admiral AlexeielT, in addition to the luxurious apartments of his house at Port Arthur, at Dalny, ami, during the latter months, at Mukden, had a magnificent train consisting of Pullman curs with immense parlours, and diningrooms for himself and his entire staff. Ho travelled like a Tsar. Before the starting of his train another was sent out for the purpose of ascertaining the safety and good condition of the road. Ad-

miral Aloxeieff did not like to travel by night and stopped at tho stations; but ho could not endnro tho whistles of tho locomotives, and the movement of the trains by night was disagreeable to him. And so as not to troutho rest of his Excellency, not a train was allowed to come nearer tho station than tho semaphores, and all movements were interrupted over tho rails Tying closo to tho stations. Tho trains with troops and war materials were kept waiting, however necessary they 'might be, no matter how feverishly they were expected on the field of b(ilttlo. Following tho example of Admiral Aloxeieff, General Knropatkin likewise asked for such a train, liis Chief of Staff did not wish to faro worse, and, in tho end, separate trains with Dull man cars became tho property ot all the commanders of tho armies and oven, of the chiefs of some establishments. It came about that thus all tho passenger cars on the Chinese railway wore taken for tho I chiefs, while tho greater part of the officers and passengers had to be i transported in freight cars." M. Tabnrno docs not admit that on the j whole tho Russian officers and soldiers compared unfavorably with the j Japanese. Ho maintains, indeed, , that the skill, intelligence and brav*

ery of tho victors has been greatly over-rated. “The Japanese Army,” ho writes, “presents a compact, united , whole, animated by a common spirit; \ tho Japanese are stubborn and intro- j pid fighters, but they-are men like others. There is nothing superhuman in them, nothing of what has been sung in their praise.” M. Taburno has also much that is good to say of the Russian man in tho ranks. “The Russian soldier is an untouched spring of high innate virtues. Raise his stand- | ard of culture, give tho right direction j to his thoughts, and the like will not | be found in the entire world, in spite : of his nature lacking martial spirit." j It may likewise bo mentioned, as an instance of the spirit of fairness which ' M. Taburno displays, that he pays a | high tribute to the military qualities ■ of the despised Jew. “How .great,” he remarks, “is the number of anecdotes on the cowardice of the Jews’. Yet in the present war many have shown themselves to be excellent, bravo and intelligent soldiers. -Many of I hem have been rewarded by the • St. George decoration, some of them have even two or three of these decorations, and these crosses have been awarded by (he company, not by the authorities. And how the -other soldiers loved these Jews! The officers likewise could not say enough in their praise.” The fact is that, owing to the succession of reverses, which befell the Russian armies throughout the war, there has been -too great a disposition in every quarter to underrate the value and persistence and dogged military enterprise of the Russian soldiers and officers. It must be borin' in mind (hat the war was at no time popular with (he armies in Manchuria, nor with the nation as such ; hence it can scarcely bo adequately realised how great must have been the endurance and bravery of

otlicers ;m l l men alike, in flu- face of u iicljocliod reverses from the my outsol of tlio campaign, to enable I hem to - still go on fighting an enemy who bad everything in (heir favor, including victories all along (ho line. Indeed. one principal result of (he Rus-so-Japanese war has been to place (he Russian soldier on a higher plane as a military machine, which even the poltroonery of not a few officers has been unable lo materially depreciate in (he view of military experts. The lessons of (he war will not be lost upon the (Jenern! Staff at St. Petersburg and when the present internal troubles cease, and those lessons arc applied in practice to (he reconstituted Russian armies, wo may rest assured that the future military organisation of Russia will he very different indeed fiom xvlint it was when the recent wai commenced. Then it will be. mi denbt, (bat (be whilom despised and anathematised Russian soldier will s ' , "' v "P i" a clearer light before tin world.

St. John's Choir WILL NOT meet for practice liiis week.—\dvt. , Kumara Syndicate's dredge made a Iri'sii start on Friday at midnight. 'l'll,' Civvmoiltli Orchestral Society will N (, l -ur.Kr for practice lids week—• Advt. ~T lu> at the- Givvmoulh Opera House will he' open (his evenin'- a, usual. Till’ usual meet ing of the nivvinoeth Vohmtclcr Fire Brigade will lie held tiiitvfnnig. To-day there was a clean sheet at the local Courts. This is the first dear .Monday tor several months past.. A sharp shook of earthquake was felt at 11.40 last night at Wairoa. Tim direction was north and south. The dale mentioned for the mat hand Contest, to he held at Westport, is November, 1907. Ihe Westport ratepayers have sanctioned a further loan cel iJjllO for addition to water works. The usual weekly dame takes place at Englertf s Hal! this" evcuing. Good floor: excellent music. The attention of mouthers of (he Coll Club is directed to advertisement in another column, notifying that the links will he closed on Thursday and Friday next. A •'loce; night’s” dance will !-e held in the Coiidin Skating Rink on V-. cdiiesdav. when, as of yore, first-class nni.-ic will he provided, while an cilicicut .M.C. will be m attendance.

11l proportion to ils si:-;o, fv. 1 . : : ul lias linin' inns linm any ollier i -;i:i l lry in tim world. Tlic entertainment of tourists Inis Livorno one of lilt* i iiiet indusiiii-s of iiif land. i’iie leading lady of a Chicago lompauy v.bile playing al J-iuton, Indiana, snox’e .sliylit ol ilio town, whereupon oik- of the audience drew a revolver and slmi her in llio leg. A parly of sixty motorists will visit .New Zealand during the lime the ExhiLilion is on, and make a lour of the colony. A milile r parly of three hum) ret I English tourists have made arrangements for a special steamer to make tiio trip. There arc; now six fiaxinills within a mile of Ihe Tokoinarn station, and these employ from 250 to 500 hands, with v. wage's' list -monthly—of from ijkO’JO to .‘vkoUO, and llie owners of areas will line llax enough for two or three more mills. in reply to the recent resolutions passed at Westport, the Mayor has rewired a reply that the construction of the Westport Itecfton railway will receive careful consideration,-when tin; estimates for railway construction works h r the current year are being prepared. On Wednesday next, at Reeftou, at 2.30 p.m., Messrs McMahon and Lee will sell hy pnhlic eiiclien freehold sect ions, containing Vine rood nine porches in Bridge street, with large jirivatu bo,ml inglionse creeled thereon, toeeihev with the whole of the furniture and ell'cc Is This is an excellent, opportunity of obtaining a profitable business at a reason able' figure. Death has ila lined yet another ;>) (he hardy pioneer.-, in the person of .'dalt hew Goodwin, who passed away at the Gr,-v Kiver Hospital yesteiday. I)t-ca a.s. cl iia 3, prior to ids admission to ine iia.tuutmn, resided for many years at Taylorvillo, where he was esteemed and respected by a large circle of friends, do Mrs Goodwin and relatives goes lorth the sympathy >J the community in their bereavement. The new J’ost Olliee at the Seven Mile, Point Elizabeth, and named ' ibipahoe, was opened to-day. Mrs Hill at the refreshment rooms is post mistress. Mails will he despatched twice weekly .Mondays and Thursdays at 8 p.m.. iva huii; Rapahoo on Tuesdays and Fridays at 0 20 a.in. They will close at Rapa hoe Mondays and Thursdays at 11-50 a.a:., re aching Greymonlh at 6 imii. d-dio following will represent V.M.li.f. Juniors v. Knmara Hockey G!ir> on Thursday at Victoria Park: - Coal keeper. H. Stewart; backs, W. Hayes. 0. .King; halves, Absalom, U. Fcrciis. W. Stewart ; forwards. C. Weeuink, H. ( mil.’, N, White. F. Bennington, C. Wist'. Emergencies Hacks, 1 '• Chalk'. i'aii-. rson, Newman; forwards, Macintosh, Slyiiehl, Jolly. Stewart (2), ITivcll, .Mel.isky. Every fresh in the Tcremakan River makes it more evident that another span will have to bo added to the Southern |

end of the new Irallie bridge, (.‘no "goo i old man Hood’ ’and the position would In serious, necessitating the work being put in band at once. The wretched weather prevailing of late has proved a serious hindrance to the progress of the now bridge, the men being aide to wort liuie more than half time.

I Now that the cold weather is in evid j enee, the choice of a good cough remedy natmallv leads to the selection of lame i Syrup. 'To meet the increasing popular I demand for this high (tel winter snei-i ; aliiv, the proprietors, Messrs ParniiiMiu and" Co., now put it up ill four sizes. 1 ranging from one shilling to halt a crown, i Liuie Syrup is a pleasant and ia liable euro i for coughs, oelds and hronehial irritation j It is in a form always ready for adminisJ (ration, and a supply can easily ho enr--1 ried in case of emergency.

On Saturday morning a narrow escape from a fatal accident happened to a young man named Edward Thompson, employed in llio bush at Daly’s Mill, Lake Brunner. It seems that he was standing on a stump around which wound tlye hauling line from the bush engine/ As soon as Ihe log was attached lie called oat to tho driver to haul away. When (he rope lightened it slipped off (ho stump, and struck the unfortunate young man under the chin, inflicting! a nasty gash, and throwing him some fifteen feet into tho air. Ho came down on his head—iorliinntelv, on soft ground, otherwise the result* may have been much more ■ serious. ’The injured man was taken lo the Lamara Hospital, where he now lies. The funeral of the late Mrs James Ball took place on Friday afternoon at Rocfton cemetery, and was attended by a large number of friends and relatives from all parts of the district, several vehicles iourneving from (own met the cortege at Oonadnn. The Rev. T. W. Vcallmcon ducted an impressive funeral service at tho residence and also at the giavcsido, and spoke m fooling terms of the great patience and fortitude with which (!) a deceased lady bad endured her very long and tedious ‘illness, extending over many years, and of her beautiful death, winch came as a peaceful sleep, many of the friends present being much impressed. The concluding pravor was offered uy the Rov. Mr Taylor, of Murchison. A memorial service will bo conducted in tho Wes levan Church on Sunday evening next by the Rev, T, W. Veallie.

G. W. Moss and Co. will soli bypubl’c auction at thoir rooms to-morrow morning, table potatoes. An attractive syllabus has been issued by the Committee of the Trinity Touug Men's. Institute for the ensuing year The session will bo carried on to October sth, there being two meetings a week, viz—the Heading Club and Ambulance Class on alternative Mondays and entertain incuts on Fridays. Mrs York has consented to arrange an entertainment for July 13th. To-night the Reading Club meet for the lirst time, when Hie President (Mr 11. I). Edwards) will deliver a lorturo on Thackeray’s “Henry Esmond.''

Messrs McMahon and Loo will sell by public auction on Wednesday next, at Reefton, the coal mine known as "Loughnon’s, of 30 acres on Progress road, 61 miles from Reefton Railway Station, together with accessories; also four roomed dwelling house, and six-stall stable with loft. The mine is thoroughly opened up and in good working order. The quality of the coal is equal to, if not superior, to the best Reefton coal, and has at present a large circle of consumers close to the mine and down (lie line to Hokitika. It is beyond doubt (he finest coal property in Hi.- Reefton district.

The regularly monthly meeting of the Reefton Jockey Cub Committee was held at the Club room on Friday evening. The dates fixed for the summer and autumn meetings were December 261 h and 27th,

and April 10th and 11th. The trustees were authorised to borrow £6OO on mortgage of the club’s freehold on the host terms procurable. The Committee approved of Mr McMahon's notice of motion to lie brought before the Racing Conference, (hat all nominations of horses on- 1 tend for any race he paid at the time of | entry, and that all acceptances he paid at I the lime of nrrepiing, failing which the j latter the nomination fees bo forfeited, and (ho nominations he invalidated. Exhibits consigned for exhihtion at the International Exhibition at Christchurch will he railed free on the Government railways, and if not sold will ho returned free. In the event of any portion of the exhibits being sold, the full railage charges on the whole consignment will have to he paid. Trouble is still experienced on the Wellington tramway service through the risks taken by passengers alighting from cars when the latter arc in motion. In many cases the passengers who run this risk do not escape without injury. In a recent case a man rang the bell on the car for the motormau to slop, but, being too impatient to wait until the car pulled up, the passenger jumped olf, despite the fact that the. ear was travelling at Ihe rate of twelve miles an hour. His fall was so) heavy that ho is at present confined to his house suiferiug from concussion of the brain. Passengers are specially warned against taking such unnecessary risks.