The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-08-01
GRIM VISACED WAR.
BelligNrent Japan States the Cause Of
Present HOStilitiGS.


eral Advance by Land and Sea
hreatened-Japanese Cruisers on
the Sharp Lookout for Chinese War
ships-CharEes of Brutality Dis
claimed by the Japanese in the
Sunken Transport Incident.
Yokohama July 3l.-The following
statement of the difficulties between
China and Japan, which led to the out
break of hOstilities between those two
countries, has been issued by the Japa-
nese government:
Japan and China were approaching a
settlement of their difficulties, when
China suddenly requested Japan TO with
draw her fleet from Corea and to
give a formal compliance with the
Chinese demands by the 20th, otherwise
the whole Chinese forces were to land
and a sea advance upon the part of China
was to be made. The japanese regarded
this as an ultimatum, but acting under the
advice of the friendly powers they agreed
to the proposals in principle in an
amended form, at the same time declar-
ing that If the threatened Chinese ad-
vance were made on the Goth it would be
regarded as a menace to Japan"
OPENED FIRE ON SUSPICION.
1t is cOnjCctured that the japanese com
manders were instructed To be on the
qui vive for the Chinese warships, and
seeing the latter advancing on July q
they opened fire. The Japanese do not
believe that the kow Shung, tho Chinese
transport sunk by Japanese cruiser,
was dying the British flag, but in any
case they regard it, If true, as being q
ruse de guerre.
BRUTALITY DIsCLAIMED.
The japanese Indignantly deny the
charge of brutality brought against the
officers and the crew OF the cruiser which
sank the transport No Official report
has been received at Yokohama of this
| engagement.
A CHINESE BATTLEsHIP SUNK
Ten-Sien, July 31.-A naval battle was
fought yesterday between the Chinese
and Japanese fleets, The Japanese sunk
! the Chinese battleship Chen-Yuen, and
two large cruisers, supposed to be vessels
! Quilt for China by the Armstrong;, were
captured or destroyed by the Japanese.
An ACCOUNT FROM SHANGHAI.
Shanghai, July 30, 10 p m.-News is
| just received here of n desperate battle
| between the fleets of China and Japan in
| which the Chinese were defeated, and the
! Chen-Yuen, the largest battleship but
one in the Chinese service, was sunk, and
two other large Chinese vessels, said to
| be flrst-class cruisers, were captured
! or destroyed. The battle was hOtly CON
tested but the Japanese appear to have
| handled their guns, ships and torpedoes
with more skill than the Chinese.
The Chinese feet engaged carried
a
reported TO have been killed or drowned.
! Later dispatches say that few if any of
| the Chinese engaged in battle escaped
| Two German officers in command of the
| Chen-Yuen, are reported to have met
death with the crew of that vessel.
/ DETAILED REPORT WANTED
| London, July 3l.-Lord Kimberly, sec
/ rotary of foreign affairs, has telegraphed
| to the British consul at Tein-Tsin for a
! detailed report of the sinking Of the Kow
| Shung. The British government will
| probably ask the French government TO
| get the commander Of the French gun boat
| Lion to report on the affair. The officials
| of the Japanese embassy here have tele-
graphed TO Toxic for an explanation of
the Chinese charges that an unresisting
transport was blown up.
NO CONFIRMATION RECEIVED.
The Chinese embassy here has re-
| ceived no confirmation OF the report of q
naval engagement on the goth inst Some
of the dispatches reporting the engage
ment are dated from Tien-Tsin, via
| Shanghai. The embassy officials say
that telegraphic communication with
Tien-Tsin is interrupted.
MERELY LONDON EMANATIoN
The Central News says that the al
legged official statement of the Japanese
Government regarding the differences
which led to the rupture with China is
merely a statement emanating from the
Sapanese embassy in London