Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 38, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 August 1905 — ACTIVE IN FAR EAST. [ARTICLE]

ACTIVE IN FAR EAST.

REPORTS PRESAGE NEW MILL TARY CAMPAIGN. Jap. Preparing to Open Vig-iron. Campaign Should Portsmouth Conference Fail to Bring Peace— Road* Will Obex Rale, for Shipments of Stock. That a new military campaign Involving operations of a most important character is presaged in the recent re ports from eastern Manchuria and Korea is evident. The Japanese 'may not contemplate actual hostilities on a large scale Just now, but they are at least getting into a position to press vigorously along a new line of attack should the Portsmouth conference fall to bring peace. For some time It has been known that Japanese troops were making their way northward through Korea toward the Tumen River, which forms the northern boundary of that country. Other forces have been reported as embarking from Gensan. The destination of troops is Possiet bay, just south of Vladivostok. These movements havb been assisted recently by raiding forces sent east from Oyama’a main army to menace Vladivostok on. the west. Now come reports that in addition to the operations threatening the. Russians’ position on the Tumen a Japanese force has landed in Siberia well to the north of Vladivostok. Taken in conjunction with tne seizure of Sakhalin Island, which places the Japanese army within easy access of the Siberian coast, these maneuvers constitute a menace which Russia cannot afford to Ignore. They may or may not foreshadow an investment of Vladivostok, but they certainly threaten that town with isolation. What is still more Important, they hold out the possibility of an advance along the Amur or the Usstfrl rivers, threatening 90m e of Lineviteh’s most Important lines of communication. Such a movement iu any considerable force might cause him to retreat without a battle. An interesting report given out at Washington affirms that ptiox to accepting his appointment as peace envoy Baron Komura insisted that Japan must Invest Vladivostok, oceupy Sakhalin and strike another blow at Llnevitch’s army. The first two conditions have been met to all practical purposes. It is possible that the present operations will have the effect of giving Llnevitch another reverse without making a battle necessary. At any rate, the peace conference will open at a time when a new danger threatens the Russian army, with the almost certain prospect that the blow will be driven home should Japan’s terms be rejected.