File:A staff officer's scrap!book during the Russo-Japanese war (1906) (14779082504).jpg

Identifier: staffofficersscr02hami (find matches)
Title: A staff officer's scrap!book during the Russo-Japanese war
Year: 1906 (1900s)
Authors: Hamilton, Ian, Sir, 1853-1947
Subjects: Russo-Japanese War, 1904-1905
Publisher: London : Edward Arnold
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
sate them for theirefibrts. Evidently therefore it must be the Japanese aimto force the Russians into peace as quickly as possible.Headquarters, Third Army, January 2lst, 1905.—Spent the day in going over the captured forts andthe trenches, parallels and approaches of the besiegers.The impression left upon my mind is that fortificationsare as valuable as ever for vital points. The mistakethe Russians made was in beginning with the con-struction of the inner line of forts instead of firstcompleting the outer ring, including such places as203 Metre Hill. The Japanese allow that they couldnever have taken that place had it been crowned by apermanent work. It was very evident from 203 MetreHill to-day that a harbour or dockyard becomes a meredeathtrap to ships, provided : (1) That the enemys guns can get within rangefor indirect firing. (2) That the enemy can seize any one point fromwhich a single man can observe and correct theirfire. Against an extended line of guns hidden away behind
Text Appearing After Image:
The Devils Ploughing 311 some mountain six or seven miles distant, the armamentof a fortress is absolutely useless. The concentratedguns of the fort have not a hundred to one chance ofdisabling the concealed and dispersed guns of theattack ; whereas, given an observation post, the gunsof the attack can hit a ship or house every time theyfire, and even without an observation they can, by theaid of a map, direct their shells towards the vitals ofthe harbour or town. In fact, the value of Gibraltardepends upon the neutrality of Spain. Headquarters, Third Army, January 22nd,1905, 11 P.M.—I will turn the day topsy turvy andbegin at the end. I have just come from a granddinner given by Nogi to all foreign officers. I sat onhis right hand, and turned the conversation on to thesubject of my last entry yesterday. His Excellencysaid, The experiences gained during the siege showthat a town or harbour cannot be protected by a ringof works concentrated in its immediate vicinity. Itcan only be sa

Note About Images