JAPANESE POINT OF VIEW.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12524, 17 March 1904, Page 5

JAPANESE POINT OF VIEW.

London, March 15. Baron Suyematsu, who has been sent to England by Japan to explain the position in the Ear East, has been interviewed in London. In the ■course of conversation he said that the Japanese desired that Manchuria should be an integral part of China. The future of the railway would depend upon circumstances. If Japan were successful in the war the line would be useless to Russia for military purposes. Japan, he said, would do her work in such a way as to secure peace at least for some decades. ■■■'■■•'

RUSSIA'S PLANS.

A "SCYTHIAN METHOD" OF WARFARE. la view of recent events in the Far East, the following, extracts from a letter published by the New York Herald (Paris edition), from a correspondent in Vladivostok, before the war began, will bo found interesting: — Our war scheme hero is such that in the case of a campaign on land administration will lie far more important than actual military action. But Admiral Aloxeieff hopes still the naval campaign will turn out to the destruction of the greater part of the Japanese navy, and thus bring about a decisive result before-even a landing of Japanese troops in Manchuria. '■■ I do not remember if you know anything about those marvellous new torpedoes the Admiral's confidence is based upon, I do not know how far we can rely on these curious engines, but it is quite sure I, that if they prove as able as naval officers told me naval war will be impossible in future, and' the Japanese fleet will be destroyed in spite of its superiority in the first battle or even from the shore, when besieging Port Arthur. In this case, war would be finished at once.

If the torpedoes prove ineffective, Admiral Aleieieff's plan is the following: — The Coram frontier on the Yalu will be strongly occupied, but Corea will not be invaded. The Japanese may hold Che whole of the country if they want, and paralyse one-half of their forces in doing so. They cannot possibly pursue but one reasonable scheme:. Land troops between Chemulpho and Wiju, immobilise our fleet off Port Arthur, cut communications between Port Arthur and the Continent, and try to invade Manchuria. We shall endeavour to prevent the execution of this plan by sending our fleet to Ohemulpho. If hy chance it were defeated out ships were to take shelter at Port Arthur. (Otherwise, on to Chemulpho, Mokpo, and Masampho!) Then, some time Would pass before the Japanese troops landed in Corea would be in sufficient number to attack our Yalu line. Now, Port Arthur is strongly provisioned with all that is wanted to stand a siege of a year and a-half. , If we cannot undo the Japanese invasion on the Yalu we are forthwith to adopt what Admiral Alexekff describes as the Scythian. method— is to say, we shall prepare a new and terribli edition of Napoleon's campaigr in Russia. We are willing, then, to abandon Port Arthui to its own forces, and to retreat by the route o'f Mukden to Harbin, as it is most likely the Japanese want to occupy that town in order to cut off Vladivostok ; as well : as Port Arthur from Russia. !■ Then, however, the Japanese army will be weakened by keeping up such long communications (500 miles from the sea). '."'"' , • The correspondent goes on to anticipate the rout of the Japanese ;