Ogden Sun | 1905-09-05 | Page 4 | The Value of Sakhalin

THE VALUE OF SAKHALIN an european statesman once remarked that the chief advantage of a great war was tha it taught geography certainly a great many people have now acquired a knowledge of sakhalin Sak halin which they would probably have never possessed had not that barren and desolate island become the bone of contention at portsmouth Ports mauth the geographical position of lin and it immediate proximity to japan is of course disclosed by a glance at the map it Is not however so generally known that the island once belonged 10 japan and that she was dispossessed by russia years ago russia began to assert her claim to sakhalin Sak halin y and japan consented to share its government with her that was in the days when russia appealed to the oriental world as she who must be obeyed A hall share tor russia meant of course the whole and under various pretexts japan was entirely elbowed out and has remained out ever since it la therefore not easy to understand her magn in giving up her own property that she has regained by force germany claimed alsace and lorraane Lorr alne on precisely similar grounds they were once hers she had conquered them and they belonged to her geographically there Is not much in sakhalin Sak halin to tempt the cupidity of any one it Is true there are fisheries and there Is some coal but its great value is tor purposes russia in lin Is dangerously close to japan while wah japanese fortifications the island would be a valuable bulwark against possible aggression in the future