The French are greatly interested in a " Report "
said to have been submitted to the Japanese Govern- ment by General Kodama, Governor of Formosa, before the war. In this paper the General accepts " war with the Western Powers " as the policy of Japan; points out the utility of Formosa as a basis for an attack on Indo- China; but advises that the first war should be declared against Russia. The Japanese deny absolutely the authen- ticity of the document, and point out various blunders in it which General Kodama would not have made. It is, however, possible that it was written, and is one of those " plans " which are constantly submitted to all Governments, but never get farther than the pigeon-holes of a Department. General Kuropatkin's elaborate plan for the conquest of India was of the same kind.
