The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1894-08-01
WAR IN THE ORIENT.
China and Japan Let Loose the
DosSpof War.
First Blood for the Japanese One OF Their
Cruisers Sinks Chinese Transport
with a Thousand Men on Board
Tho King Of Corea Taken
Prisoner by the Japs.

SHANGHAI, July 2S.-The statement
that war has been declared between
Japan and China is generally accepted
here as correct. The japanese victory,
wherein number of Chinese trans
ports were sunk, was gained on We'd
nesday. The Chinese loss of life was
very great. The Japanese have seized
the king Of Corea and hold him pris-
oner. Eleven Chinese steamers are on
their way to Corea. Most of the troops
aboard them are coolies, armed with
bows and arrows. Some Chinese steam
ers which have arrived at Corea have
been prevented by the Japanese from
landing troops. 1t is reported that the
japanese artillery sank several Of them.
The first overt act of war occurred
on Tuesday last The Japanese fred
on and sunk the steamship Kow Shung,
belonging to Hugh Mathieson & Co.,
of London, which had been chartered
by the Chinese government to convey
troops to Corea. Full details of this
engagement are not yet obtainable, as
the facts are carefully withheld from
the public, and will be so withheld un-
til there js no longer the slightest
chance of averting a bloody war be-
tween China and Japan. But, accord
ing to advices received, Japanese
cruiser sighted the Kow Shung and ran
within easy range of her. She then
signalled the transport to put back.
The transport continued steaming
ahead until the cruiser fred a shot
across her bows. No attention being
paid to this, according to the story, the
japanese cruiser opened fire upon the
transport in earnest, put number OF
shots into her, and the transport event.
ually sunk with all hands. The num-
ber of people drowned is not known,
but it is believed that there must have
been about thousand Chinese soldiers
on board.
The Chinese officials seem to look
upon the war with Japan as likely to
be of very short duration. They claim
that China can pour troops into Corea
in such numbers that the result OF the
war can never be in doubt. So far as
the two navies are concerned China has
about thirty warships large and small
of which five are fairly good armored
ships armed with Krupp guns. In ad
dition, she has chartered number o.
transports and these are being armed
as rapidly as possible and with the bes
guns China is able to procure.
/ On the other hand, the japanese navy
consists of about thirty war vessels
including five armored ships carrying
Krupp guns. So far as warships ar
concerned, it will therefore be seei
that in numbers they are about evenl.
matched
] LONDON, July 2s.-Hugh Mathiesol
& Co., the Chinese government agent
in England, at o'clock yesterday al
ternoon received cable message whicl
also confirms the announcement tha
war has been declared between Chin
an Japan.
Hugh Mathieson, when questioned
said that he expected that the war, a
the outset, would be favorable t
Japan, as that country had long bee
preparing for this contest by drillin
armies and manning and equippin
warships. The japanese, he said, wer
also quicker moving nation, and col
sequently it would be but natural ths
the first engagement between thel
and the slower moving Chinese woul
result in victory for the soldiers an
sailors of the Milado. But" M
Mathieson declared, eventually Chin
must and will crush Japan" adding
Japan is absolutely unable to poi
out such torrent of men and materi;
as China, which country can carry Q
the war for many years, if necessar,
and always with fresh troops. Chin
of recent years has purchased larQ
quantities of munitions of war and
not so far behind in this respect as
generally believed"
The war between Japan and Chin
! over Corea, makes the rulers Of the'
countries of more than usual interes