Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-31

TIE British lion has been aroused from
his midsummer nap BY an occurrence
WIKI never falls to open his eyes and
crs,se his rassefed tail to move in an irres-
cssr but emphatic marn>r-ehe Unicn Jack
has Ssen fired UPON Those who are cor
crFStrt with the testimony that he's come
to Us as TO the way IN which tho assault
care to pass may have an Idea ,Aat Eng
Lard has little or nothing to COMPLAIN of.
6o. those Who have studied the English
Character and who therefore know how
sensitive Ntctoria's subjects are when their
tas-which nine times cut OF ten means
thear rocket-oook--is attacked, feel certain
thst the lion will at least roar loud enough
to dsstu-h Japanese equaairnlty. But II q
csr--r Of equity Great Britain's clail, would
hs-sfsZ receive very much Of consideration
A ssate Of war existed between China and
Ianrn. China-intent on landing as many
trcoss as possible in CoreaE territory-was
dss-as its utmost to trick its adversary, and
ees O. its sharp practices was the ship
E-ot Of soldiers in Transports flying the
British Tag. Japan soon discovered what
xes going on and resolved to assert itself.
japanese war-ship overhauled one Of
TIE transports and offered terms by which
the BvcS OF everyone on board would have
heec perfectly safe. These terms the En-
gftsh captain Of the transport refused to
accept although the consequences of re-
fnxfl must have been evident, and the ulti-
mate result was the sinking of the trans
port and the death of several hundred SOL
dsers and sSIlors. To e very considerable
extent therefore. the English captain of
the transport was the responsible party
He knew that he was assisting in the de-
cepsion planned by the Chinese authorities
and lie should have known how foolish a
thtIg II Is for an unarrHed and unarmored
vessel to behave IN a disdainfully- imper-
uneEs manner toward a ship fully equipped
for modern warfare. The contention that
there had been no formal declaration of
war Il not likely to cut much OF a figure
In this case: Japan would have been very
foolish to wait until China was fully pre-
parei at home and Il, Corca before opening
hosrilitfes. II las been serni-offcially an
nounced from Shanghai that China will
not formally declare wa- until the vessels
and ammunition which she had ordered
abroad shall have been got safely into Chi
ness pores" With such an understanding
as that circulating In China, Japan has
every reason known to beIhgerent man
kind for forcing the fighting. 1t is init
matsd that the United States may be called
upon to arbitrate. but Just now 1t Is not
easy ID see what ground China has for
going into court Chlna's claims as to the
poSessi1n of feudaI rights in Corea are
seriously interfered with by an unwritten
but generally recognized statute of limita-
ton Absurd as the idea might at first
sight seem TO tie average newspaper read
er. II Is nevertheless an easy possibility
that thai the differences Of opinion between
japan anil China. complicated considerably
by Japan's firing upon the British fiag
may not only change the appearance of
the Asia;ie n.eD. but also bring about that
great European conflict for which the
world has been 50 long watching.