PORT ARTHUR

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 44, 23 February 1904, Page 3

PORT ARTHUR

HOW IT COULD BE ATTACKED. The following statement by an American military expert regarding j the methods and probable results of ah attack on Port Arthur, which appeared recently in the "New York Herald," is of interest at the present juncture ■. — . v : ASvSiimtfig that the objective of tho Japanese army will be the. l>ia« tung Peninsula, what will be the relative chances of success of the . opposing, armies ? It is to be presupposed that Japan, by threatening several points .with hor fleet, has deceived the Bus sians as to her real objective. If, > as is believed to be the case< the ':"• fortifications between Dalny . and Port Arthur contain guns of sufficient power to keep the Japanese fleet at a distance, the functions of the latter will be resolved into the blockading of the coast, utilising tfce destroyers for reconnaissance arid guarding the long line ? of transport, communication with Fusan and the home bases. In case the fleet could approach near enough, it has been said that high: angle fire Will be efficacious m destroying any Russian warships imprisoned in the narrow, contract- \ ed harbour of Port Arthur, as well as contributing to the operations \ fit the laud forces. Although much would, of coulsc, depend upon the effective ivj-isfduce made by the Russian troops and , the location and condition «*f Uic fortifications, the probable point of ; disembarkation of tne J.-.p.'-ncse forces would seem to be i)i the \i- \ cinity of Taliemvan Hay, <>n» the southern coast of tRe Port ArthurDalny Peninsula. This would j;ro- : babsy- not be jaccgfmplished v.'ithout severe fighting, and previous recon-

naissance might show the wirs-sity * of making a landing further t;c Ihc f- east or. west, at., a less exposed «,- point. Some miles north of- Port : Arthur:, and iPalny, the smaller jpe- !-■• ninsula on which they stand is joined with the main peninsula of Liau tung by a- narrow isthmus, well sMiaptetf'fot'dofe'in^^bjr ttigged-hiHs: Its width is qnly about one uiilo, and on one side is the Yellow Sea, and on the other is the Gulf'of.-Ee-chili. Its possession by a laud force of Japanese would effect' tally ciit -off Dalny arid Port Arthur from *i&G -.mainland of Manchuria. B-.ttish dfficerflihave. recently pointed out that'? even sq small a force as ' 2S-;O6p 4ft $0,000 men, in co-opjra-tion; wlth>a must, could maintain effectually? ithe giego of Port Arthur, leaving the. remainder of the Japan esei-anny of occupation to in»«et Russian forbes advancing 1 from the north altfnjf the line of railway , from HaybfH, Mukden and Aladi- , yosio/dc; " :: : ~ ,'*-•■ . . Assuming that Japan has maintained her ; supremacy at sea, and lias succeeded in -.landing an ai-my of 200,000 inert on the thai tung Peninsula, a force of 25.000 could hold' the door %o Port Arthur, and the remainder take position m e^'p- . port., \-ii-y-. ■ ■ ■ , v The position of the Japanese . army would be such that it could i bo easily supplied ttOm \h>i pcet.. ■ either on the Pechilf side oj 1 the •':• Yellow Sea side of *.he penhifeuJa. The Japanese iirmy would require little cayalryiin such a i-lau of operations— an arm" in which she is notably weak—and if able to utx!ifc3 _the rolling stock dtthn Manciuuian railway the' array would require J?ttle waggon tratispDria-.lon.