THE WEEK.

Otago Witness, Issue 2617, 11 May 1904, Page 43

THE WEEK.

•• Xunquam aliud naturn, aiiud sapienua ditit."— JoriHit, " Good nature »uu good teiue muse over jom."— Port, Port Arthur is doomed, and it is only a matter of time before the Continued Russians driven out of Japanese Southern Manchuria from Triumphs. N ewcuang to t i lg Y alu will retire upon Harbin, for the double purpose of prolonging the war, and to make preparations to renew the struggle on a much larger scale. The surrender of Port Arthur to Japan will be the greatest political disaster which has befallen Russia since the days of Peter the Great, and with such surrender it is scarcely too much to predict that Russia's Asiatic regime will be ended 1 . The news will re-echo through the whole of Asia, and more widely still throughout the Czar's dominions, from Vladivostock to the Caucasus, and from Persia and" Afghanistan to Poland and Finland. When Port Arthur falls — and there can be no doubt that it is hopelessly doomed — Japan's triumph will be complete, mvl she will then have repaid, with interest, Russia's -share in her former humiliation. The land investment by the Japanese Army lias begun. By a series of feats of almost unparalleled daring the Japanese Navy has closed up the entrance to the harbour, and the Russian garrison will be starved into submission, if, indeed, the Japs do not electrify the world by taking the fortress by storm. The prospect of capturing, not only Port Arthur itself, but also of feeling her own flag hoisted upon the remnants of the splendid fleet which were intended to destroy her, may possib'y induce Japan to take the more patient, if less daring, course. With its approaching fall Port Arthur will close its second chapter in the history of the Far. East* . Its first terminated with its capture from the Chinese, when it became manifest to the world that China's reputation as agreat military power was a delusion and a fraud, rotten with corruption, incapacity, and cowardice. The close of the second, will show that Russia's military reputation, which for so long, like a dark cloud, has spread itself over all Eastern affairs, has had scarcely more real foundation than that of China. According to thetestimony borne by Mr Joseph H. Longford, formerly English Consul at Nagasaki, Russia's policy in the East lias throughout been characterised by deception and tyranny, by the most shameless violation of engagements made with every formality that can bind a nation. Her agents have been arrogant and unscrupulous, and are. now shown to have been equally incapable. They have been blind to the spirit, determination, and strength of Japan, to the glaring weakness of Russia, and reckless ambition has hurried them to their own and their country's downfall. No Russian can ever be accused of cowardice, and in that element alone can they now say they are better than the Chinese. As the Japanese pricked the Chinese bubble, so are they now pricking the Russian, and in so doing they are rendering a service which should command the gratitude of the civilised world, just as their courage anc ; efficiency undoubtedly command its ad miration.

The news that, protected by 16 warships,a force of 10,000 Japanese The History troops landed on the Liaoof tun«; Peninsula, a few miles Port Arthur, north if Port Arthur, directs attention anew to the past history of that famous fortress. A little more than 30 7. ear? ago — or, to be precise, in the year 1870 — just prior to the outbreak of war between France and Germany, Li Hung Chang was appointed by the Chinese Government Viceroy of the province of Chili, and. in a'lc'iLion to establishing order throughout the province', he gave attention to the development of the military resources of the Empire. His efforts in this direction included the equipment and training of an army on European principles, the creation of a navy, and the fortification of Taku. at the mouth of the Tientsin River. The important strategic position of Port Arthur, commanding as it did to a great extent the approach by sea to Taku and the capital Pekin, was pointed out to Li Hung Chana: by his foreign advisors ; and his own military experience and skill enabled him to recognise the soundness of the advice. The design and carrying out of the fortifications, on the construction of v/Jiich huge sums of money were spent, were entrusted to an experienced German artillery officer, and so t-flieicullv- carried out that both land and sea defences were recognised as formidable to an attacking force. From arc early elate Li Hunp; Chang had watched the pi'owivig power or Japan, and foresaw the possibility- that in timeChina would have to rueaoxuv s'.ren'jrtU with her. In c'intiv'ip.it ; on of I*.;, .--vent Port Arthur cuntir-K-: 3 .„• ',„ ,t ,)>..- . ..£ ai •! ->\]ifi. in. YtW. xh? l..i;_;- 1 1 :;< ' v. : ' with J.auat ctcuircd, it \ws, ci^-Lii. 1 . J.

by experts to be impregnable both by lanJ and by sea. Yet it fell before the Japanese army within 31 days from the time they first landed in the peninsula, 95 miles to the north, and was taken by storm, without even a preliminary bombardment, in one morning. It -will ba interesting, for purposes of comparison, to bear in mind this fact, and see how much longer the Russian garrison withstand the siege than did the Chinese. At the conclusion of the Chinese war, the Liaotung Peninsula, including Port Arthur, and the coast line of Manchuria as far as the '"'boundary of Korea, and extending some 30 miles along the northern bank of the river Yalu, -was ceded to Japan. Her right to this cession was an indisputable result of the war she had successfully waged. Yet hardly had the ratifications of the treaty under which the cession was granted been exchanged, when the three Powers — Russia, France, and Germany — "advised" Japan to abandon her claim to any portion of the mainland of China, on the ground that her continued occupation of it would be detrimental to the lasting peace of, the East. Japan, her resources exhausted by war, had no choice, in the face of a coalition so powerful, and prepared," if necessary, to use force, but to submit. Japan gave way with dignity ; but a proud people like the Japanese, although they may for a time smother their dissatisfaction, never forgot the wrong thus inflicted, and they determined to await a convenient opportunity for repaying the "kindness" of the three Powers. The sequel, culminating in the humiliating .-withdrawal of the British fleet from Port -Arthur in 1898, is too fresh in the public mind to need recapitulation. But it is safe to say that if at that time there had been a modicum of firmness exhibited by the British Government, the present war would never have occurred. How long can Port Arthur hold out? Russians now claim that Description the fortress is provisioned of for one year. A while Port Arthur, back we were told that supplies- sufficient for two years had accumulated, and no doubt the cost of such supplies had been debited to the Russian Government. But little reliance can be placed on any adequate supply of provisions in Port Arthur. Corruption — open, Shameless, and wholesale — is, and always has been, rampant among Russian officers and officials in the East, and it may well be doubted whether, now jfchat the time of pressure has come, the available supply will be found sufficient dEor more than two or three months. Seethat the operations of the next few weeks will concentrate around Port Arthur, -the following description of the fortress, given by an accepted authority, will prove of onterest for reference, and will help to explain the news just cabled of Japanese -• — "Port -Arthur is six miles tfroni the most southern point of the Peninsula of Liaotung, on its eastern side. The southern part of Shenking, one of the ,three provinces which together constitute ■Manchuria, forms the Peninsula of Liaojtun'g, which itself narrows considerably as 5t approaches its southern end, and at one part its .total width from sea to sea does not exceed two, miles. When this. isthmus, which is called in Chinese the 'Regent's Sword,'' is passed, the peninsula agsin - widens before Poi't Arthur is reached. 3?he Russian railway runs along the west «oast of the entire peninsula, but a main road also skirts the east coast, joining the railway in the isthmus. On the land side, the port is almost completely girdled with i> chain of bills, varying from 250 ft to 450 ft in height, and these, combined with its difficult entrance, render it an ideal tpot for a marine fortress. Its natural advantages have been fully supplemented fey science by the erection of a complete enceinte of powerful forts, carried from the eastern side of the entrance, where ihe great fort known as the Kwangihin San stands, from hill top to hill top, right round, until the Wei Yuen fort on •the sea front, west of the harbour, is reached. All these forts are mounted with guns of the heaviest calibre, most of them so strategically placed that they can assist one another with their fire ; and the guns on the Huangchin fort, 410 ft above the sea level on the eastern side of the entrance channel, can sweep round in every direction, both on land and sea. Between the west port and the entrance channel a low-lying spit of land runs - porthwards from the coast, which is known by the Chinese name of the ' Tiger's Tail,' tod on this is placed a continuous series X>f batteries covering its entire length. No fleet in the world would dare to pass such » range of fortifications, and unless it falls *o high angle fire, Port Arthur is impregnable from the sea. Twenty miles to the north of Port Arthur lies the capacious bay of Talien, on which is the newly-built town of Dalny. It was here that the ■Japanese landed their heavy guns in 1894, after their army had successfully passed iihe isthmus. Their fleet was to have "bombarded the forts by which it was protected, but the fleet was anticipated by the army, and when it arrived in the bay the forts were already in Japanese possession." Pie Victorian State Premier, Mr Bent, has adopted as the motto Driiik of his policy on the liquor and question, "Good drink and Good Bouses." good houses," and in all probability his attention has been, or will be, directed to what in the .opinion of many temperance reformers is ihe most praiseworthy attempt of recent £imes to minimise the evils of the liquor business and to promote the cause of true temperance. In many parts of England — .. and more especially in the rural districts — the People's Refreshment-house Association is taking jonder its charge a number oi hotels with the view of eliminating the principle of private profit from the liquor business. The association was incorporated in 1896 for the object of promoting temperance. Recognising the dangers incident to the disagreeable but lucrative trade of

liquor selling, the association leases existing hotels, acquires new licenses where a growing population obliges the magistrates to issue them, and establishes canteens and refreshment bars at large public works, collieries, and elsewhere. In 1897 the first license was granted in a small Tillage in Somerset. Here, although the identity of the Tillage inn is maintained, the liquors are not exposed with a view of attracting customers, but foodstuffs and non-alcoho-ic drinks are conspicuously displayed. Special attention is given to making tea, coffee, and cocoa most attractive and palatable. As far as possible, tea is freshly made for every customer. Fresh filtered drinking water in glasses is always at hand in the tap-room and parlour, and every effort is made to push the sale of food rather than liquor. The manager, who is paid a fixed salary, is allowed no profit whatever on the sale of alcoholic drinks, but he is allowed a commission on all foods and nonalcoholic drinks. Thus he manages his inn as a house of refreshment, and not as a mere drinking bar. The houses close at 9 o'clock in the evening — an hour before the usual time — the liquors provided are of the best quality, and there are no temptations to linger about the hotel. On the other hand, ample inducements are offered for rational recreation, provided out of the profit of the working of the place. In one village, for instance, a library with a reading room and billiard room has been built, adjoining the library being a small park and recreation field," where one corner is set apart for a bowling green. The profits from another of these hotels were used for lighting the village with electric light, and starting a singing class, a football club, and ambulance classes. In the opinion of the secretary the village is undoubtedly benefiting ; on the one hand from the repression of the sale of liquor, and on the other from the provision of counter attractions to the publichouse. Just as Norway has profited 'by the mistakes of Sweden, so England appears to be profiting by both, and this movement, initiated by private citizens, seems destined to fill an important place in the programme oi twentieth-cen-tury temperance reformers.

The small-bird nuisance is upon us in a new and alarming form. A Tho Sir all-bird visit to any fashionable milNuisance. liner's establishment will afford alarming evidence of the- axtent to which the feathered tribes are being slaughtered in order to satisfy the inexorable demands of fashion, and at tne same time gratify feminine vanity. Vainly does the milliner assure the inquirer that the birds, without which no fashionable hat is now complete, are not real birds, but mere imitations j the feathers at anyrate are real. Millions of birds must have been sacrificed in order to supply the demands for this season alone, and naturalists declare that, unless checked, this ruthless spoliation will eventually annihilate all the tribes the plumes and feathers of which now gratify and please the friends of nature. French scientists have even ventured to predict that the extinction of the life of all the higher animals will follow the extirpation ot the last bird, and thus our fofusts and fields will be devastated. But even if such an eventuality be not regarded as within the range of possibility, every precaution ought to be taken to stave of? the a^nnihilation of the feathered creation. IriT this the ladies should be encouraged to make a beginning, more especially since they are the chief offenders. "It is," says an authority on the subject, "hard to realise how bad taste could have so hardened the hearts of some women as to make them the deadly foes of the feathered tribe." Before our tim-3 songsters were not chosen for human decoration. Artists represent women ancestors who did not wear coronets with garlanded mantillas and similar coquettish headgear. Knights wore the plumage of birds of prey when they donned a suit of armour for tournament or battle. But the modern women who emulate this example sport aigrettes of the most useixil and handsomest birds, regardless of the misery which their use inflicts. Women who are impelled to satisfy a cruel desire for what fashion dictates allow whole species of birds to be exterminated. Thus the herons of the Southern States of America are killed ■while they breed in order to procure their handsome bridal plumage, and the yoraig birds are left to die. Millions of humming and paradise birds are killed annually to gratify women's whims, and thus the sex which inspires the most tender passions in the hearts of men stands charged with the most heartless cruelty towards the animal creation. Here 13 an opportunity for a lady reformer to arise and agitate, and not rest content until the fair fame of woman is cleared from this reproach. We hear much of young la-dies who refuse to allow tiie attentions of men who smoke or drink. It would be a retort courteous if men decided not to propose to any girls who wear birds in their hats."

Sitting in divorce at Napier on Monday, the Chief Justice granted a decree nisi in each of the. following divorce suits, both of which were undefended : — Edward Henrjr Taylor v. Ada Florence Taylor, on the ground of desertion, and Thomas Henry Lamb v. l.uey Lamb and Jamos Cross co-respondent), on tho ground of adultery. A girl, 13 years of age, was arrceted on Saturday at Christolinrch on charges of having stolen 20 yards of velvet&en, valued at 30s, the property of Messrs Arrnstron-g and Co., and a lace collarette, valued at B<3, the propei-ty of Messrs M'Cloa and Co. In addition, between £15 and £20 worth of goode, supposed to have be^n stolen, were found by the police at the residence of the accused. When arrested the aeou&ed was carrying a gladston© bag, in whioh the velveteen -was found. In condemnation of the practice of offering payment for dead rats and thus increasing the liability to infection by extra handling, the Aiickland Star mentions the circunietanee that a dozen rodents sent one morning to the city reservoir in Kai'angaI hapo road were carried in a, perambulator with a babx i