Russo-Japanese War: Winslow supports Japan (1904)

Northampton Mercury, 26 Feb 1904

WINSLOW SOCIAL EVENING.- On Monday the members of the Mutual Improvement Society gave a public "social” which was well attended. Among the items of amusement was a book title competition in which each person competing had to wear a design emblematic of the title of a book, which the audience had to guess. Miss J. Cripps and Miss Yeulett were the winners in this, and Master Illing for the design (“Robinson Crusoe”). Another competition was Limerick verses on “Japan”. This was a keen contest, and with one exception all were sympathetic with Japan in her struggle against “The Bear”. Miss E. Emerson took first prize.

Notes

The Russo-Japanese War began on 8 Feb 1904. Britain entered an alliance with Japan in 1902, and there was much suspicion of Russia's intentions in Afghanistan, Persia, etc., which explains why the Mutual Improvement Society sympathised with Japan, even before the Dogger Bank Incident in Oct 1904 when Russian warships fired on British fishing boats.