The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-08-20
WATCHING WEI-HAI- WEI.
Japan Preparing for a Combined At
tack by Land and Sea.

Oh1na Hauling Up Heavy Guns and
Troops to Defend the Stronghold
Japanese Rushing to Subscribe to a
S6o,ooo,ooo War Loan-Heavily
Armed Ships Fitting Out with all
Haste in England, Presumably for
the War in the Far East.
London, Aug 19--The Shanghai corre-
spondent of the Central News gives in to-
days dispatches gloomy view of affairs
at Wei Hai-Wei, the fortified city on the
ShanUung promOntory. There is little
doubt that the Japanese intend to attack
this Chinese stronghold shortly despite
the tradition of the Chinese that the place
is impregnable.
The lights along the promontory have
been extinguished and the buOys have
been removed and the Chinese are con-
stantly adding to the defenses by laying
torpedoes and Submarine mines. Never
theless, on three successive nights in the
last week Japanese torpedo boats have
entered the harbor and recOnnoitered the
forts. The crews of the Chinese torpedo
boats, which lie in the harbor, had no
inkling Of the nearness of the enemy until
the Japanese vessels were leaving The
Wei-Hai-Wei forts then opened fire, but
1t was too late TO accomplish anything.
The success of these Japanese expedi-
t1ons has shaken greatly the confidence of
the army in the impregnability of Wei
Hai-Wei. The sIpposition is that the
Japanese are preparing for a combined
land and sea attack on the stronghold.
The garrison is being increased to meet
such an attack, and heavy guns are being
added to the artillery in the interior line
of defenses.
The foreigners who were employed in
the Wei-Hai-Wei arsenal are leaving the
place. Nearly all the Englishmen and
Scotchmen have gone, and, within few
days, only natives are likely to be left in
the shops.
The feeling against foreigners is run
ming high among the military of the city.
The soldiers have fred several times upon
foreigners who were leaving the ships,
and have been checked only with dim
Guilty by their officers. Often the for
elgners are reproached and insulted as
they depart. None of them have been
wounded as yet, but their escape has been
due almost solely to the strenuous efforts
of the officers who have been charged
with the responsibility for their safety.
The main Japanese squadron has been
sighted again in the Gulf of Pe-Chi-Li.
The use of japanese coins has been for
hidden.
FITTING OUT WITH ALL HASTE.
London, Aug. 19.-Government officers
have gone aboard another vessel in the
Tyne, because they were convinced that
she was fitting for service in the Chinese
| Japanese war.
The work on the vessel has been pushed
with the greatest haste since the declara-
tion of war, and recently materials of
war have been placed aboard her. AS far
as can be ascertained neither China nor
! Japan ordered the vessel. 1t is thought
she may may have been fitting merely for
speculative purposes, her owners intend
ing to offer her to China or Japan after
getting away from English waters
Despite the presence of the officers,
work on the vessel has not been stopped.
More seizures of vessels are expected
The steamer Alaska, which China bought
before the war from the Thames Iron
Company, lies in the Thames. She is an
armor clad, carrying rapid-tiring guns
She is understood to be shipping her
crew.
A dispatch from Vienna says that 1000
Mannlicher rifles made in Austria, have
been shipped to China.
REPORTED sKIRMIsHEs.
London, Aug. 2O-The Times corre-
spondent in Shanghai telegraphs: 1t is
reported that several skirmishes be-
tween the Japanese and Chinese troops
have occurred at Ping Ran, where great
battle Is likely to be fought soon.
TOUCHING THEIR POCKETS.
Washington, Aug. 19.-The Japanese
legation here received a cablegram an
nounclng that the government of Japan
has resolved to issue a domestic loan of
$4,000, O00 The cablegram stated that
strong outburst of patriotic feeling had
been evoked by this proposition and that
people in all parts of the country were
eagerly subs riding to the loan.