THE FAR EAST

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2744, 24 February 1910, Page 2

THE FAR EAST

RELATIONS BETWEEN RUSSIA AND JAPAN.

General von Boock, one of Germany’s leading military authorities, recently contributed an article to the *‘Deutsche Revue” bearing upon the relations between Russia aim Japan in the Par East. Having regard co the persistent preparations of bath Powers for war and the increasing gloom of the political .situation, he tninks it unlikely that the Peace of Portsmouth will endure beyond the close of 1912. 'The troops which Russia possessed in Manchuria and Eastern Siberia at the close of the war have been maintained and strengthened, and the Russian forces in the East at the present time are not far short in numbers of 290,000 men, while an additional army of 100,000 could be; moved to the front without withdrawing any troops from European Russia. Another important fact noted by General Boeek is the strengthening of the doleiico.s of Vladivostok, which has been raised to the standard of a first-class fortress. There is grave significance in the decision of Russia to build the Amur railway and to double the track oT the Siberian line. Japan, possessing a navy with which Russia cannot hope to compete for the present, is also engaged in adding to its land forces. The Japanese army had thirteen divisions when the war with Russia commenced, and the number has been raised to 19, so that at the present time tin; army would consist on a war footing of 550,000 men and 120,000 horses. ■Jenera‘l Boeek’is satisfied that if war wer<> declared one .million Japanese could fake the field within a few weeks. He is inclined to believe, from the reports of German officers, that two years hence the Chinese will possess a wellequipped army of half a million men, the greater part armed with modern weapons, and organised and disciplined under European instructors. Japan may then be able to realise its ideal of “Asia for the Asiatics,” and an ’alliance of the yellow races may possibly he arranged. The German officer asserts that Russian statesmen appreciate the seriousness of the situation from their point of view, and are taking what stops they can in preparation for eventualities.