JAPANESE STRATEGY.

Northland Age, Volume IV, Issue 42, 22 June 1908, Page 7

JAPANESE STRATEGY.

When the celebrated Japanese soldier Hldeyoshi, was malting preparations (or Ms invasion of Korea, he was approached one day by the veteran Asalia Nagamasa, who engaged him In the following colloquy Nagamasa: What commissiariat arrangements had better be made ? Hldeyoshi : Well, you had better get ready three million koku of rice. N. : What is to bo done with the rice after It is ready ? H. : Use every transport that is to be had and send it over to Fusan.

N. : After landing it, how are we to protect It ? H. ' Don’t protect It; let ft fare as it will. N. : If wo do that the Koreans will capture it all.

H. : Well, isn’t that what we want? N. : But if we lose our provisions, we shall be in trouble. H. : It is a cose ol three million koku ; such a quantity of rice is not tq be carried off in a hurry, nor can it be consumed in a short time.

N. : But the Koreans will carry it inland.

H. : If they do that nothing could suit us better. To get the enemy to do your transport service for you for the amqunt of' rice that can be consumed on the road is good enough. By adopting this plan our troops will always fijid provisions waiting for them as they advance. What Hideyoshi predicted actually did take place, and rice that had been carried off by the Koreans was repeatedly recaptured by tho Japanese.