he terms of her alliance
with Great Britain, but strengthened her own supremacy in that quarter
of the globe.

Tsing-tau, since its occupation by the Germans, had been like a mailed
fist brandished in her face. Since Japan's victory over Russia no
other European power had occupied a position on the Asiatic coast that
offered a threat comparable to this German stronghold. Also, it was
only human that the Japanese remembered how Germany compelled them to
abandon many of their fruits of victory in their last war with China.

The unknown factor of her participation was just how far Japan would
go in aiding her new allies. The military and naval potentialities of
the Island Kingdom when the war started were greater than ever before.
She was twice as strong as when she went to war with Russia. Her navy
was sufficiently formidable to resist, in home waters at least, that
of any other power except England. Her army, twice proved during
recent years against the soldiers of Russia and China, was steadily
increasing its size and equipment. Her predominant position in the Far
East was absolutely assured.

The Japanese army, based to a certain extent upon the German model,
numbered at the outbreak of the war somewhat over 250,000 men of all
ranks. This was its peace strength. Military service was obligatory
upon all able-bodied males between the ages of seventeen and forty.
This law made available each year 550,000 men, but in practice during
times of peace the annual conscription amounted to only 120,000 men
taken by ballot from among the number eligible. The total effective
military strength of the Empire was estimated at a million and a half
trained soldiers.

The army was divided into nineteen divisions, four independent cavalry
brigades, three independent field artillery brigades, six regiments of
heavy field artillery and a communication brigade. Each divisional
unit consisted of two infantry brigades of six battalions each, a
cavalry regiment (three squadrons of 120 men each), a field artillery
regiment (six batteries of six guns), and a battalion of army service
corps. A battalion of mountain guns was attached to certain divisions.
Thus the army on a peace footing consisted of seventy-six infantry
regiments (228 battalions), twenty-seven regiments of cavalry. 150
field batteries, nine mountain batteries, nineteen battalions of
garrison artillery and nineteen battalions of engineers. When the
reserves were summoned to th