Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1874-09-19
An Oriental sounbhIe.

China and Japan have become in
volved in a very curious dispute.
The Island of FormOsa, one of the
largest in the Eastern seas, is nomi-
nally political dependency of Chi
ma. 1t was discovered snd colonized
by the Chinese as early as I45O,
though the merit of the frst-named
exploit is not specially conspicuous,
inasmuch as the peaks of the island
are visible from the main land on
any clear day. The Portuguese
traded with the natives in the fif-
teenth century, and gave the coun-
try the name beautiful Island" by
which it is better known in their Ian
guage than by the original title of
Tai-wan, or "Great Bay bestowed
by the Chinese. A Viceroy, whose
principal vocation was 10 squeeze
taxes and tribute from the eolonists,
went to Formosa from Peking once a
year. But, of late years, the Vieere-
gal visit has been intermitted, and
the coIonists who live in q few ncon-
siderable coast towns-Tai-wan-foo,
Takow, Tamsui, and Kelung-gov-
ern themselves, being unmolested by
the semi-savage aborigines who in
habit the mountains and eastern
coasts. The original inhabitants of
the island resemble the Malays;
thev are savage, canuibal, and inhos-
pitable. Chinese and japanese yes
sells wrecked upon the island are
DESTROYED, and the crews massacred,
if not also eaten. The coast being
dangerous and swept by mOnsoOns,
the number of junks annually cast
thereon is said to be very great-tO
the manifest satisfaction of the ab-
original Formosans, who are alto
getber a bad lot.
To punish these barbarians, and if
possible secure protection to the
shipwrecked mariners of all nations,
the Japanese Government has under
taken an armed expedition to the IS
land. The war-junks of ancient Ja-
pan play no part in this naval rand;
it is conducted wholly by steam yes
sells, bought or chartered by tie Gov
ernment, and built after approved
European or American models. These
s'fre-ships" seem to have alarmed
the Formosans, and late accounts
saw ii at they fed to their fastnesses
in GREAT terror. Admiral PENNoCK,
in q communication to our own Gov
ernment, says that the Chinese Gov
eminent, which still retains feeble
hold upon Formoso, has ordered the
expeditionary forces to leave. Fur
thermore, it is said that the Peking
Government has vigorously FemOh-
strated against the prosecution Of /.
hostilities in FormoSa, and has given
a warlike notice to Japan. There is
of war, and both parties are
said to be actively preparing there
for. This was anticipated by our
and Minister BINGHAM
solemnly warned Americans in Ja-
pan against engaging in the expedl-
ton. which was VIGOROUSLY against
a Chinese province. Notwithstand-
in0 this notice, Gen. LEGENDRE,
formerly United States Consul at
Annoy, and United States officer,
Lieut. CAssEL, of the navy, went on
the exDsdition. We do not sntlcl-
pate. hOTever, that any serious dlt-
fcuItv will afise from this little un-
(;Sina is in . torpid
condition. Province after province
has slipped out of her possession; session;
Formosa has been semi-indeL Lendent
fora hundred years past. The wl,te-
awake>Lapanese have attempted to
chastise In, people in the interest of
CHINA could not do il.
The world will bS>glad if Japan can.
f-OsS>.