New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-24
AT THE SEAT OF WAR.
INTERESTING MAIL ADNlCES fhoHi
JAPAN.
STORIES OF CHINESE RARBARITY WRITTEN BE-
FORE THE FALL OF PORT ARTHUR-sTRiCr
ORDERS FOR THE JAPANEsE-CHINESE
DISCIPLINE - THE BALTiMORES
NARROW ESCAPE.


NARROW ESCAPE
Nashinoton Dec 2}.-Much interesting informa-
ton concerning the progress OF events III 'he r'd
has been received at the Japanese Legation Ill man
| advicos from Toxic up to November ~ Al Una.
time the report OF the fall OF Port Arthur n"u "o'
! heen confirmed: consequently nothing had peeh
nord If tho alleged atrocities on Chinese citizens
bv Japancse troops. but there is much regarding
| kindred topics In the correspondence
rrom trustworthy source 1t is learned that when
the main body Of General Tachmfs brigade ehtereu
| the Chinese city of Feng-Hwang, many corpses VI
citizens were seen scattered about. and the assei-
tion Is made that they had evidently been muir
dered nv soldiers Of their country, Tor their
! bodies all showed wounds inflicted by oiuht s"oros
| 4, tho hattie OF Chin how the number OF Chinese
! killed by the fire OF japanese, including soio'e''
and peop.e who living In the FORT was ABOUT
100 and in addition to these many committed saiciue
under the influence OF terror by throwing 'hen-
sol,as into wells or taking large doses or OPIUM
Nsr, of the people who fled to safe retreats at the
| beginning OF the battle came back subsequently on
| learning that the japanese guaranteed saiety vi
person and property In the case OF those VINO ac'ea
| neaceably Some OF these reopened their shops ana
| began to sell their goods. Coolies were lorDidue"
;, separate from the groups into which they were
organized with the object OF providing against Id"
less conduct their part. and FOR the same 'easo"
soldiers wer. commanded not TO enter the dwellings
! OF Chinese people. In the ohiciaI recoru ie'' "
| hind nv the Chinese authorities OF Chn-Chow II
was shown that three Japanese spies anu ailo'"e'
| person had been burned to death The correspond
ent who gives this Information also says thdt t"'
| barhnrous Chinese again disregarded international
| usage and ttlckei the outposts, where omclais o
! the Red Cross Society were busily engaged III car
! rying away the wounded soldiers. They shot al 'he
! coolies and their onset vas met with pistol and
sword one Chlnaman being killed and four taken
! prisoners The coolies fortunately escaped unhur|
| Another writer. referring to the destruction oil
| An-Tung and Feng-Hwang. before they were
! reached b. the japanese troops. says 1t "oud "p
| pear that the destruction wrought AT these t"o
| nlsces was purely due to the wantOn savagery
| for which Chimes. soldiers have earned an uneh-
| ylable noioriety" In line with these charges
! against the Chinese soldiers another account or
| the battle OF Feng-Hwang says third OF the %"
! houses in tn" town were burned by the Heei"s
/ army and the rest bore traces Of having been
/ plundared IL Is also mentioned IN the CORE
! .pondence that five Japanese spies were caught
! and killed by the Chinese at Port Arthur.
In view OF the reports OF butchery after the Jap
anese had entered Port Arthur. these extracts are
| Of considerable interest in showing the beha'ior
~ the Japanese toward captive Chinese. and vice
,..-sa az course the Information cones from
Iananese sources but so far as the conduct OF
1 IN. Japanese soldiers Is concerned, II has Deeh
confirmed In several Instances. and untII ohcia al-
! Vices show the contrary Mr.. kurlno the Jdp"iose
! Minister at Washington. says ne VIII continue "
| hell.ye that the soldiers OF his country are not
| guilty OF the charges OF nhumanity made against
| them ON this very topic. and to show the hu-
| name disposltion manifested by the japanese au-
| thori;ics the following regulation, Issued by the
Japancse Governor % the conquered city OF 'hih-
| CHOW - worthy OF attention;
! The governor. for the purpose OF preventing un-
| lawful conduct on the part OF tht Japanese uvVps
In conquered territory. snail exercise lnr,snlouon
| over Japanese subjects within his administrative
! dts,rict applying the provisions OF the military
! criminal code. code Of criminal procedure. ana
| punishment regulations and having recout.ss 10
mo military combatant or comHlssdrlat au'horl-
tics FOR the due execution OF senl.nO', ~ ,.,,,
The Governor acting In the interests OF ,he J3rth
CSC Army. shall exercise criminal JurispruismJe
Chinese subjects ana t9FeSnsrs m aw
Provided tina, capital pnn'shmssh, mus no, d y
inflicted without the approval OF the commander
/ in-chief
| one OF the most interesting pieces OF news CON
,ancd In the advices concerns tho punishmentS
ordered TO be inflicted on several chinese OF mig"
rank Prince Kdng direcior-general OF all mill
,arv and naval operations. and all commanders
| h,y. heen informed that II orders are disobeyed
| ,hev MI, be tried by court martial and punished
( accordingly Prince ching has been appointed
vlcc-ilrccior- general and three others nave oe'h
! appointed associate directors, and are called upon
10 exert their uimos. abilities 10 protect the Empire
and avert caiamtics Ming Iisa. lately command-
! ing n chinese brigade I'm Corca. having shown MS
,nc,p,ctv IN warlkc affairs and allowed his troops
10 Toe beaten AMI dispersed. and having eNtorted
or squeezed the soldiers OF their ply ana rauohS'
| has been oashlcred and condemned 10 be arrested
and s.nt as prisoner IN the BOARD OF Punish
| n,nt. NJ pekng FOR TRIAL and sentence. Admiral
Ting Ia chang. commander n-chlcf Of the North
ern Squadron ~ the Chinese feet has been he
| priveh Of his rank and handed over To the Hoard
| or War as = penalty for hts ncapacity and IN
| ability to defeat the enemy
II 10 reported that Moukicn has been deserted by
/ the popu!ace IN view ~ the license exercised by
! her IL H.,
ria f. overrun by pundernS dcserters and that utter
! anarchy prevails. Another report f. that III HUNG
| Chang has refused to return Peking from Tien-
Tsin assist Prince kung and Prince ching IN the
! administration ~ the war The statement Il also
made that arrangements We're completed In the lat
| ter part Of November for moving the chinese court
from Picking II the japanese troops showed any
! disposition TO reach the capital the Emperor was
to leave At once. The probable place OF retirement
| H. given ~ Chang hia Ken
! Congratuaiory demonstrations over japanese Vie
tories have been held In Japan. Patriotism Is ftll
| rampant. The noble families OF Japan are making
large contributions TO the war fund and following
the great gifts given by Prince Shlmazu and Others
| the house 81 Tokugawa has come forward with
| 5000 yen all OF which Will go to the navy. The
| great Mitsul family the Rothschds Of Japan, have
presented to the Government a full set OF all the
machinery necessary In forging or casting large
| pieces Of ordnance, rs well IA Tor making war
| materials second war loan OF OWoW" yen mas
been called for Five boxes OF bandages. each con-
| tanning 100 pieces. made 10y the Japanese Empress
and the court ladies'. have been presented to the
| Red Cross Society.
Japanese newspapers received at the Legation
| give additional news up TO November a. one or
| them has this account OF a narrow escape Of the
| United States cruiser Baltimore:
! ON the sih instant four torpedo boats were or
| dered to reconnotre outside Port Arthur 80 they
proceeded near TO the fort In the evening. ana
| a man of-war was spied lying At the entrance
| to the harbor. As by her shape, she resembled
cit her the Ting-Yuen or Chen-Yuen. a fish torpedo
was prepared 10 be- shot against her hull when she
was found to be the Baltimore. an American man
f-war Tho torpedo boats were then observed by
/ those in the fort at distance or ABOUT Two
nautical miles. and as the moon shone brightly
the boats were quite unable to conceal themselves
They were about to retire. when shot hrrd from
he passed close to of the torpedo beats
on her port side. and fell about eighty lnetres
: Lar h. liz Ia Inn M