Far more important than these worryings of the Russians at
Port Arthur is, if authentic, the news, reported on Friday by the Daily Mail's correspondent at Newchwang, that the Japanese have landed at Possiet Bay, to the south of Vladivostok, and have advanced to Hun-chun, whence the Russian garrison fled. The Japanese, it is added, are marching on Kirin. The New York Herald also prints news to the same effect, sent by its Chefoo correspondent. If this is a serious movement of Japanese troops, it would be difficult to exaggerate its importance. If the Japanese have landed in force and are not dislodged, they should be able first to isolate Vladivostok, then to strike north-west at the railway below Harbin. If they succeeded in such a movement, and got well astride the railway between Harbin, the junction of the Port Arthur and Vladivostok lines, and Port Arthur itself, they would have cut all communications between Russia and the Manchurian army. The sea communications are, of course, already cut, and therefore the Manchurian army, unless it is already supplied With all it wants, would i be in great peril. Vladivostok, granted the success of this movement, should also fall. This view, however, assumes that the Japanese will succeed in their flank movement on Kirin. We must remember, however, that they have three hundred miles of very difficult country to cover between Possiet Bay and Kirin. We do not know on which day the Japanese landed ; but even if they did so a week ago, they could not cover the three hundred miles before, at the very least, another fortnight has elapsed.
