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oo MARINE REVIEW (F SEEN AND HEARD ON THE LOOKOUT. One would suppose that a newly born nation—on the principle that a child needs to crawl before accomplishing the feat of walk- ing—could only gradually make a bold show of self-reliant inde- pendence. And this is generally the case in northern climes. But down south—in Latin America a nation recently sprang full-pano- plied from a bloodless revolution. Though only a few months old the republic of Panama already possesses a navy. Reports of nu- merous revolutions made us aware that these southern countries maintain armies; in fact, each aspirant for presidential honors appears to have an armed following. But countries south of the equator were never known to indulge in the expensive luxury of a first-class navy. Thus it is certainly commendable that this youngest of nations has already created an incipient naval force. Of course, this force is as yet far from formidable. It is the cus- tom in these Latin countries to name the principal streets in the cities for the date of the happening of some auspicious event in history. For instance, a revolutionary general’s victory may re- sult in the renaming, or re-dating, of most streets. And anyone losing his way in one of their cities is said to be “mixed in his dates.” Transferring this custom to the water Panama named its flagship the “3rd of November’’—the date of the nation’s birth. The fact that said flagship is in command of an army officer may cause surprise. But, then naval commanders are not born, but must be made, and army officers only are as yet available to direct the work of the crew. The engines of the flagship are in charge of*a Scotchman. The second man-of-war, a craft of undoubted antiquity, had her engines disabled a few years ago, before she had attained to the dignity of a fighting ship, and when engaged in the fruit trade. The defect of these engines, never having been remedied, the extent of this ship’s travels is determined by the length of the cable from which she swings on the changing tides. My correspondent vouches for this cable’s strength which is rather reassuring considering that one-third of Panama’s naval force de- pends upon its reliability. No. 3 is called a torpedo boat, What- ever. may be said of the name given the flagship, the appropriate- ness of calling the third member of this war fleet a torpedo boat may be questioned, neither torpedoes nor tubes having been taken on board. In appearance she is not unlike the old type of harbor tug. Nothing could be more surprising than the dazzling raiment adopted by the officers seen on board, unless it were the lack of dress of the other members of the crew. On the 3rd of November : —this refers to the flagship—when undressed seamen and over- dressed officers crowd the decks, the extremes may be said to meet. Engineers making a specialty of running ill-used engines, and officers who are both seamen and disciplinarians are greatly needed in this latest addition to the world’s naval force. Steam and electricity have caused revolutions in business methods. While there are yet persons who claim that the many inventions have made the struggle for existence harder for the masses, progressive people hail with delight the discovery of an- other time and labor saving device. The telegraph was instru- mental in obviating the need of the once so necessary super-cargo on shipboard. And now wireless telegraphy is responsible for the presence of a formerly unknown official on board the most mod- ern of steamers. Known in the forecastle as the “Marconi-man,” and with his status as a ship’s officer recognized forward, aft, and below the water line, he holds forth—when on duty—in a private cabin on the upper deck. Wires leading from this cabin are con- ducted to a rather shaky looking extension of the main truck. Acutely aware of my own limitations, and having only a vague, a very vague notion of the principle by which rampant messages are assorted and delivered, I decided to cultivate the acquaintance of one of the American liner’s “Marconi-men.” Incidentally I would state that wireless telegraphy is Greek to me still. But the official with whom I conversed proved to be a Greek scholar. He explained that “telegraph” is a combination of two Greek words: tele’—meaning far, and “graph” from the Greek verb “graphein” —to write; a writing from afar. Further he stated that most steam- ers had a sufficient amount of electric power on board to make possible, under favorable circumstances, the. transmission of mes- sages to a steamer 150 miles distant. The captain of a steamer upon which “wireless” had been installed keeps account of. the time of departure, as well as the average speed, of other steamers that have a similar apparatus on board. It is then comparatively easy to calculate at what time one of these telegraph offices is floating within a radius of 150 miles of his boat. The operator having been advised of the probability of his receiving an answer to his call, tentative sounds are sent around the 150-mile circuit. While unable to explain lucidly this manner of correspondence as conducted between the trucks of steamers’ main masts, I can tell prospective passengers the charges for sending messages. From ship to ship—12 cents per word; from ship to shore $2 for 10 words, or under, and 12 cents for each additional word. On American craft nothing is charged either for signature or address. Foreign steamers, however, exact payment for signatures. My informant gave it as his opinion that this was done to cause own- ers of abnormally extended names to heed the warning that “brev- ity is wit.” ° As has already been stated in this column in another issue of the Review the last season proved a very unsatisfactory one for fishermen. In fact, an unprecedented scarcity of fish was the us- ual complaint heard along the wharves. On the principle that after diagnozing a disease it is advisable to remove its cause sev- _ eral persons are now at work to discover the cause of this ex- able that while Russia has for months been rushing troops Ovef- — ' stamina the Japanese soldier is a marvel and has been underrat _ transportation service, are said to be superior in efficiency. ceptional decrease in the annual harvest from the ocean. And, of course, various reasons are given for the scarcity of edible fish, Cape Cod fishermen blame the voracious dog-fish—a veritable case of giving a dog a bad name. Not being thought edible,—and this _ only on account. of its unprepossessing appearance and suggestive — name,—the dog-fish has enjoyed long years of immunity from the — danger of hooks and nets. The extermination of the dog-fish hay- ing been decided upon, the next question was to discover the best means to this, for all fishermen, desirable end. It being con- sidered impracticable to fit out vessels for the sole purpose of conducting a kill and burn campaign among the dog-fish frater- nity, the novel expedient of creating an artificial enemy for the fishermen’s “bete-noir” was selected as the easiest way out of the difficulty. By the foregoing is meant that by cultivating a taste for canned dog-fish among the lovers of seafood, and incidentally © giving this fish a monetary value, an increasing demand for them in the markets must ultimately be followed bya decrease of the — supply. The United States government asked Mr. Irving Field of Harvard university, to give an opinion of the dog-fish as regards a staple of food. That those who are bent on the dog-fish’s de. struction believe that there is something in a name is evidenced from the fact that canned dog-fish will appear on the market as “mustelus canis”—this being the terror’s Latin cognomen, Prof. Field some time ago gave a dinner at which a dish of dog- fish was the “piece de resistance.” All partakers agreed that it was delicious, though none could give the name of the fish that came on the table incognito. Let us hope, for the sake of the fish- ermen, that dog-fish, under whatever alias introduced in the mar- ket, may meet with a hearty welcome on the American board. RELATIVE POSITIONS OF JAPAN AND RUSSIA, | The assurance of a conflict in the far east’ lends interest to an article in this week’s Independent by a writer who has lived in Japan for many years, and who, in addition, has had the advantage of considerable military experience. This writer, Mr. Colgate Baker, presents some considerations bearing on the crisis which, running counter to certain preconceived notions as to the relative chances of the antagonists, are deserving of atten- tion. He holds that if Japan and Russia are left to fight the conflict out by themselves, the sooner the long-threatened war begins the better for Japan. For many years preparations for a war with Russia have been going on in the island empire, and, in the view of the writer, that country has at the present moment every chance of defeating Russia both on sea and land in the far east. The strategic advantages are with Japan. The bases of the Japanese army and navy are adjacent to the scene of conflict, © and she can operate on interior lines both by land and sea. It is — possible for Japan to bring a superior force against Russia at any point In the theater of war just now. Owing to the fact that Vladivostok is ice-bound, the Russian forces there may, in the writer’s view, be dismissed from consideration, but this may turn out to be an error. Port Arthur has been magnificently fortified | and is impregnable to direct attack, but its strategic position a8) weak if Russia cannot maintain command of the sea, and it 18 said to be an open secret that the first objective of Japan will be the Russian fleet.. : In the event of a great victory over the Russian naval force the next objective will naturally be the destruction of the Rus- | sian lines of communication and supply with Port Arthur along the Liao Tung peninsula. This task, it is suggested, will be in- trusted to a Japanese army operating from a conveniently estab- lished military base there, while the Japanese navy will blockade Port Arthur and other Russian ports in the far east. The suc cess of these operations will largely depend upon the celerity with which they are conducted, and not a little on the disposition, sympathy and assistance of the Chinese. Even should this move- ment succeed, however, the endeavor to prevent -Russia from opening the line again would involve a long campaign in Mat- churia, and the prosecution of such a campaign in winter so 4s to win any decisive success is well-nigh impossible. Us As regards the opposing forces in Manchuria, it seems prob- land by way of the Trans-Siberian railway, she has been unable to place there all the troops she would like to have. The Japat- ese are well informed as to the Russian strength in Manchuria — and will have a sufficient force to meet it at the outset. To catty on all the operations required, over any long period, Japan will probably have to strain her resources to the utmost. In caf — paigning over the plains of Manchuria, Japan will, apparently, have the advantage over Russia, owing to the ability of the Jay © anese soldier to retain his fighting and marching vigor on what soldiers of other lands would consider a meager diet, and to catty as much as ten days’ rations in his haversack. In spirit and by the Russians. The Russians are declared to be far superiol to the Japanese as cavalrymen; there seems little choice betwee? them as regards the artillery, but the Japanese infantry and tHe staff, departments, particularly as regards the commissary on 4 chances, barring mistakes, would seem to be in favor of € Japanese successes, but in the long run the overwhelming 1¥ bers that Russia will be able to pour into Manchuria seem preclude a continued Japanese occupation of that province Wi the military leaders of the island empire should be able to” the Chinese into soldiers.