The herald., 1894-09-24
FROM THE SEAT or WAR.
Reliable Information Hard
to Obtain.
Japan's Aggressive Campaign
in C0rea.
A Chinese Rout Construed as Great
Victory.
Bad Feeling Agsipst tho United states
for Handing Two Alleged Jspan-
csc Spies Over to Cer-
tain Death.
Rx the Assoc lated Press.

By the Associated Press
YOKOHAMA, Sept. 8.-(Per steamer
Victoria to Victoria. B. O., Sept. 2S.)-
Trustworthy news from the ssat OF war
s scarce. Fictitious reports from China
have become go numerous that little att
tention is paid to any military or naval
news protesting to come from that
quarter. The Japanese, on the other
hand, are so reticent that no direct indi-
cations as to what is progressing can be
gained from them.
1t is, however, fairly established that
no forward movement will be mada in
Corea until after the arrival OF General
Count Yamsgsta at the 'front.' The
period of inactivity may cease any time
after September 10th. Moreover. it has
been decided that no descent shall De
made upon the Chinese coast until the
gathering OF braves" at Phyong Yang
ehall have been disposed of. For the
great operations they have in view the
Japanese will need considerable por-
ton of their force now on the peninsula
and they do not propose to Withdraw
these, leaving q Chinese army behind 10
menace and harass the Corean capital.
But there are already in that kingdom
five times as many Japanese troops as
would be required to drive the Chinese
from the country, They are not there
for nothing and it needs no gift of
prophesy to foretell what will be done as
soon as the preliminary business IS con-
cuded. A really important expedition
is not likely to start within fortnight,
and it may be still Longer delayed.
Stories OF landings at Port Arthur and
even of the capture of that stronghold
are told with minute detail in the Japa-
nese and Chinese newspapers, but they
are entirely without foundation. So are
| an rn- ssalsmeupszuf grsxtsr OF iese col<
lIsions between the ships OF the con2
tending nations. The Chinese navy
keeps itself well under cover and the
Japanese navy is holding itself in re-
serve for the work yet to come. Japan
would not shirk a marine engagement.
but she does not invite one at the pres
emf moment.
The only warlike movements are in
the nature of reconnoisances and skir-
mishes 10 the valley of the Tai Tong
river and these are on an insignificant
scale.
THE JAPANESE ELECTION.
The Japanese parliamentary election
held on September lat passed off with
little excitement, though many voters
in the large cities thought it prudent to
provide themselves with police escort to
the polls. Hitherto the elections have
been accompanied by great agitation
and often by rioting at the polls. but on
this occasion the absor bing interest in
the war overcame the usual tendency to
disorder. The relative strength of the
parties in the new house of representa-
tives is not fully ascertained. The pro-
portions will probably not differ largely
from that in last diet. but it is believed
that the vehement opposition hereto.
fore manifested toward the government
will be held in check, in order that the
conduct of the war may not be emDar-
raesed. Dissolution has been the fate of
almost every previous parliament, owing
to the irreconcilable conflicts between
the administration and the majority in
opposition, but the present assembly, IL
is predicted, will proceed harmoniously
to its end and lend cordial support to
all measures for the prosecution of hos
tilities.
THE NEW TREATY.
By an arrangement between Japan
and England, supplementary to the new
treaty, the former government proposes
that the new judicial codes OF the en-
pire shall be put into actual and full
operation before the treaty is made prac-
ticslly effective. 1t is also agreed that
the provisions of the second article in
the treaty, relating to military service,
shall not apply to the British colonies.
The Japanese prize courts were opened
September 14th. the highest at Toxic.
under the presidency of Viscount Ka-
vase. late minister to England, and the
second at Saseho. the naval station near
Nagasaki. under the presidency OF Judge
Hitomi, chief OF the Nagasaki court Of
appeals.
UNFORTUNATE JAPANESE SPIES.
The case of two alleged Japanese
spies, who have been given up by ths
United States consul-general at Shang-
hal to almost certain death at the hands
of the Chinese, attracts much attention,
and causes no little ill-feeling among
Americans and Europeans in China,
These young men had for some time
been pursuing their studies at Shanghai,
and, like the majority OF the Japanese
residents. were in the habit OF wearing
the Chinese dress. With the idea of
serving their country in some indefinite
way, they undertook at the outbreak of
the war to collect information which
they thought would be valuable to their
government. What they gathered has
not been made public, but il is charged
that they made drawings OF the Chinese
deienses, in consequences of which they
were arrested by native officers in the
French quarter of the settlement.
When the Japanese consulates in
China were closed, it was arranged that
all Japanese remaining in the country
should look to the local representative
Of the United States for such advice and
aid as conld be unolhcially vouchsafed.
were everywhere given
that no absolute protection could be ex-
tended, but in the hope that something
might be done to rescna these foolhatdy