A comparative estimate of the losses of Russia and Japan
in the first year of the war is given in Tuesday's Daily Mail. The total casualty list on both sides is set down at 240,000, of whom 40,000 were killed or drowned at sea, irrespective of those who died of disease or privation or were taken prisoners. The figures for the Manchurian campaign are given as 57,250 Japanese and 111,000 Russians killed and wounded, the prisoners being estimated at 600 and 3,483 respectively. In the Port Arthur operations 55,900 Japanese and 11,400 Russians were killed or wounded, and 32,000 Russians captured. In addition to this, ],799 Japanese and 2,527 Russians were lost at sea. Of superior officers, the Russians have lost eight Generals (including Count Keller and General Kondrachenko) and one Admiral, while eight Generals and four Admirals surrendered at Port Arthur. So far as is known, the Japanese have only lost two Generals. In regard to material, the Russians have lost eight hundred and twenty guns, seven battleships, thirteen cruisers, and a quantity of other vessels, of a total value of 216,500,000 ; while the Japanese have lost fifteen guns, one battleship, four protected cruisers, and two coast-defence ships. Finally, the total cost of the war is estimated at £160,000,000, of which 2107,000,000. falls to Russia. The figures are tremendous, and it is difficult to read them without a certain sense of shame at the way in which our trifling losses during the Boer War were written and talked about. Our excuse must, we suppose, be that minor operations often cause more pain to patients than those which are great and serious.
