The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-10-24

Chang which wosId ordinarily be exer-
essea On bAhaIs Of strangers. Is Eos
weakened 50 that his promises OF
protsctsou cannot be trusted No iFz-
mediate movement from the capital could
be safeiv attempted. as the rcsds ere
throrgsl with dlsordsrly bodies OF troops
and peasant population. famished and des-
v,e-at@. who are already IN state
bordering upon revolt The presence
Of dstachuenss Of marines. 70 guard the
legations and restrain the lawiessness OF
the rnobs, which seem wstlng only for
pyetext 70 rise upon Europeans and
Americans. ts Enpsrasivssy demanded IL
ts not q case Of imaginary alarm. tss
peril Is real and Imminent. and nothing
bu. prompt and vigorous action can
avert il
The recall Of Primes Kung 20 possr Is
interpreted as another sign Of Ii Hung
Chaug's deciins. This half forgotten
statesman, nos over ~ years Of age, was
the moving spirit Of the Tsung Ii Yamss
until some thirty years ago. and controlled
the diplomacy Of the empire until be Sss
set aside By one Of the palace
consplrscies which IN those days
frequently threw the governments
into confusion and totally changed the
course OF public affairs. In ISIS be had
hopes Of reappearing upon the scene as the
father Of the emperor then TO be chosen,
but was again thrown into retirement BY
the selection OF scion Of another branch
of the family. lie VAS never ia sympathy
with ii. either personally or politically,
and il would be next to impossible
for the two men 10 cooperate In any line
Of national policy. lie Was credited
In D
though hi. intellectual inferiority 70 the
great vicsroy was apparent shenever their
relative capacity Was tested By eircum-
stances. HIS appointment a. the end
Of last month - the pres.-
dency % Tsun ii Ysmsn was quickly
followed by the nomination Of
Gen. Sung to the chief command Of the
northern army. This Is understood as
definite denial Of LIS ustition 90 be
entrusted xith tho direct management %
the military and naval forces. though II Is
stiii believed BY many Of the vicsroy's ad-
hsrents that hs viii be allowed ~ least TO
perform the duties Of ADVISOR 20 the
throne. and that the inerpedieney Of ut
tsriy discardlng an Official Of his expert
snes and talent wil be recognized even
By his sdversarlss Gen. Sung's previous
career has not been brilliant nor Is he
known TO possess any attributes especially
emitting him % his new distinction.
Perhaps his notorious hostility
20 the Ii family Is regarded rs sufficient
qualification lie IL invested with extra
ordinary powers. and will be hampsred by
no Interference with hrs plans 40 long as
he can make himself appear successful.
The highest post he has hitherto held Is
shat OF commander Of the garrison NJ Port
Arthur.
The few surviving foreigners engaged on
the Chinese side In the fighf OFF Tsikosan
have been carefully interviewed by the
HorsA China Daily kers Their reports
supplied little additional Information Of
real vslus. They were unanimous In pro-
nouncing the assertion that no Japanese
ships were sunk O barefaced lie, yet not
one OF them, on being pressed, could
say he saw a single vessel go down. They
admitted that i've Chinese men-of-war
we're lost, one of these, the Kwang XII,
through tho cowardice of her COM
mander, who followed the example
OF Capt Fong, of the Chiyuen.
but instead OF escaping. ran ashore
near TAlisn bay and left his ship
10 be destroyed later by torpedoes. The
statement published previously that the
Chinese feet purposeiy carried no boats is
corroborated. The crews of all the lost
vessels persisted. with scarcely an excep-
ton. The number OF the drowned is
roughly estimated at nearly 100.
Every deck officcr engaged was In
iured. On the ships which re-
turned TO Port Arthur. about 100 were
killed and go wounded. During the
afternoon two Of the Ting Yuen's heaviest
guns were simultaneously discharged. the
effect of the conclusion being that Adj
miral Ting was thrown from the bridge TO
the deck and stricken senseless for half an
hour. his foot being badly hurt by the fall.
AT one time fires were burning fercely
on four of the largest vessels. that of the
flagship threatening for q while TO defy all
efforts 90 sabduc il. One of the witnesses
says that the ship first sunk was not the
Lai Yucn, but King Yusn. A mistake in
the name Is possible. IS the two men-of-
war we're precisely alike in every psrtic-
ular
The foreign harbor master at Port Ar
thur has known for several years past
that the japanese were constantly survey
ing the shores of the Yellos sea. and
repeatedly urged the Chinese to do like
wise. bat without success. The consequence
is that the japanese are nov perfectly
familiar with the whole locality. while the
Chinese are ignorant OF matters which
vitality affect the security OF their position.
The diplomatic representative OF China
last stationed at Tokyo. has been i'm
rrlsoned for alleged neglect Of duty In not
correctly reporting Japanese military aud
naval strength. His predecessor at the
same post, Ii Hang Chang's son, is also
charged with similar remissne. A
circumstance which adds to the discom.
forts Of the viesroy's present position.
An extraordinary imperial ediet has
been issued. calling for true report OF
the battle of PingyAng. The en-
psror announces that the defeat Was ow-
ing 20 dissensions among the defender
and the rivalry Of generals in charge OF the
several hrlgsaes, and states that the
guilty parties will be severely punished.
The widely circulated story that i'm.
psrlal treasure valued az l. 10000 tasls IL
deposited 81 Moukdea Is eonsradsetea
from fesing.
The military authorities Of Honrkonx
are taxing especial precautions to pre-
Yent soldiers Of the garrison from
being eniieed into she Chinese ser.
vice. A proclamation has bcen issued.
warning British troops against accepting
any engagements that mar be offered
The Merchants Steam Navigation Com
paay continues the transfer Of their ships
from chiness 10 German control.
One OF the latest imperial decree. an.
noances that the sovereign has consented
at sac empress dowsger's request To orait
or postpone the eslehraiion OF that lady,s
n a