The Wanganui Herald. {PUBLISHED DAILY.] WEDNESDAY, JULY 18, 1906.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXX, Issue 11921, 18 July 1906, Page 4

The Wanganui Herald. {PUBLISHED DAILY.] WEDNESDAY, JULY 18, 1906.

JAPAN AND RUSSIA.

A FoniNiflHT ago we published a cable message from St. Petersburg to the effect ill at the Novoe Vremya, one of the leading Russian newspapers, contained the startling announcement that Japan had decided to seize the Manehurian railway as far an Harbin. We concluded that if the report had any foundation in fact, Japan's contemplated action was probably, consequent upon Ruseia's non-fulfilment of her obli gation to pay the war indemnity, aa announced in the last Japanese Budget. Thy Japanese finances this year show a largo deficit, owing principally to the expense;*

of •*<? Into war, and the seizure of tli'railway, we opined, was probably intended to recoup Japan, as Russia does not appear likely to do so. Fresh light is thrown in tho subject in a rccont issue of an Ymerkan paper. Writing from Berlin to the Tribune in June Mr Malcolm Clark indicates that the outbreak of another Russo-Japanese conflict is by no means an unlikely occurrence in ?he not distant future. Gii man consular agents report that tho evacuation of Manchuria by the Jspanose troops is going on very slowly. At New Year's there were still, according to a conservative estimate, about 600,000 picked Japanese troops in the Chinese province, and a German correspondent at Vladivostok, who is known as a thoroughly competent and exceedingly reliable writer, always very guarded in his statcmente, cables his paper in Berlin that the Mikado is not transporting his wldiers back to Japan, but ie keeping them in Korea, where Seoul, Pen Van, Widnhu md other places are full of Japanese military and infantry, for whom immense barracks have been built. He also states that during a recent trip through northern Korea he had occasion to see strong fortifications which have been built by Japan. The fortifications at Tilien have not been destroyed, but occupied by young Japanese recruits, who arc being drilled and made thoroughly familiar with the surrounding country. Besides, Japan has begun the construction of a merely military railroad from Mukden over Widshu to Seoul, which will be of immense strategic importance in case of a coming war. That Japan keeps Korea tied hand and foot is, in the opinion of Mr Clark, beyond any doubt. He thinks the fate of that country is sealed, and that the death of the aged Emperor Li-Chsi will make Korea a Japanese province. He goes on to say that in/Japan no one makes any secret of the aggressive plans of tho Government, and the peace of Portsmouth is openly spoken of as a mere armistice ta which the country agreed to recuperate from its financial losses. Russia is to be driven away from the Pacific coast at any co3t, and this Japan hopes to accomplish without any trouble. She is absolutely mistress of the sea and her army considers it3«lf absolutely invincible and in every reepect superior to Russia's. Russia has done little or nothing to prevent the success of her enemy's plans. General Grodekow has been sent East to reorganise General Linevitch's demoralised troops, but he has no capable assistants, alid can accomplish not'ling, an«l it is considered a fcerious misloke by German military rxperts that he Ims ph-vced General Unterbcrgor in com niand of lm left wh?g, because the Japanese plan of attack id clearly understood. The writer is confident that Japan will never allow the Russian army to remain fertile in Manchuria, but will immediately throw it back into Transbaikalia. This will mean that the Russian left wing will b«- the most important, anil 'will have tv bear the brunt, of the battles. Russia, which is daily weakening her forces in the Far East by sending troops home, will he at an immense disadvantage from the start, as in the case of war all decisions will be taken in the War Department al St. Petersburg, which can know nothing about the true state of affairs. The Russian diplomats hope to prevent a war by selling the northern part of Saghalin to Great Britain, which country also intends to buy the southern part from Japan; but it w more than likely, adds Mr Clark, that Japan will sell her part of the island to England only to raise money for the second war with Russia.