Russia, Japan, and ourselves
Charles Assheton Whately Pownall reviews the situation in Asia that led to the current war between Russia and Japan. Both powers are interested in seizing territory in China, which is hardly able to defend itself from the attacks from either side. Since being chastised earlier for trying to seize territory Japan has improved its naval strength and wishes to get revenge for the slight of Russia seizing Port Arthur, which Japan wanted for itself. Pownall muses about the relative weakness of Russia, because while it has a large army, the troops themselves are not necessarily cohesive because of all the different nationalities in the Russian Empire, and it will be difficult to reinforce the army in the Eastern part of Russia. Japan has also made treaties with various powers, giving it allies against Russia. Pownall believes that it is important that neither Russia nor Japan are able to gain a monopoly on trade with China.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1904-03