The record-union., 1894-12-15

wounded. and eXerts no effort to re-
strain its troops from rapine anu lncendl-
arism, even within its own territories.
1t may also be mentioned that attached
to the Generals staff is an expert in in
ternationai law, whose counsel is invited
at all points upon which delicate ques-
tions may hereafter turn. Nothing is left
to chance, and no advantage is likely to
be lost for want of careful deliberation
and judicious forethought.
CRUELTY OF THE CHINESE.
The suffering to which the people of
Kin-Chow had been reduced by the ruth
less task makers of their own race moved
the Japanese to pity. Many OF the poorer
citizens were literally Oh the verge of
starvation. The first proceeding OF the
dreaded monsters of invasion was TO
swing line of immense kettles in the
public square and set battalion OF cooks
at work boiling rice by the wagon-load.
The sight and smell drew hundreds of
! famished wretches TO the scene, who did
not dare 10 hope that any fragment Of the
feast would tall to them. When they
were told that not a part, but the whole,
was their own. they fell OF their knees,
speechleSs. The craven garrison had
fed, vanquished by terror. The un-
armed multitudes that remained con-
fessed themselves conquered by kind
ness without parallel in their pitiful eX
perience. The movements of the army
in Manchuria indicate that General am
agata has been under instruction to await
the fall Of Port Arthur before taking
decisive course OF action. The headquar-
ters have not been moved from hlu-Lln
since the occupation Of that town, a
month ago, but two important columns
have been sent out, one under Major
General OSeko, along the shore roads, the
other under Major-General Tatsumi,
over the mountain courses in the direc-
ton of Moukden. Detachments from
these columns have penetrated all the
Businesses between kiu-Lin and the city
of Lao Yung, which stands on the high
way from New-Chwang to Moukden.
Scores of intrenched positions have been
passed, many of them not only OF great
natural strength, but fortified with every
appliance Of modern engineering skill
and abundantly provided with artillery
and ammunition. In no single instance
has an earnest attempt been made to stay
the progress of the japanese.
NO RESISTANCE.
In the mountainous regions of Molten.
a formidable line of fortifications was
laid out through which no enemy could
have made his way without desperate
struggle, provided decent show OF re-
sistance had been made. All the advan-
tages were on the side of the Chinese,
but no disposition to benefit by them
Major General Oseko's division have adj
vanced along the coast of the Yellow
Sea as far as the point where General
Oyama's second army debarked, on the
Lian-tung peninsula, so that union be-
tween the two principal bodies OF troops
can be effected whenever desired. More
| over, as Lao-Yung is in possession of
! Major General Tatsumps advance guard,
descent upon -Chwang may be
made at any moment, in case it is pro-
| posed to add General Gamagata's force
to that of the conquerer of Port Arthur.
| 1t now seems probable that the opera
| tions of the first army have thus far been
! based upon the supposition that the
! Chinese had large force at Moukden or
! its vicinity, and intended to fight some
where in defense of the Manchurian ter
ritory. Holding this view, the Japanese
! have heSiJated to uncover the approaches
| to the Korean frontier, lest strong
| Chinese army should push its way back
to the peninsula and work havoc in the
absence of a powerful reserve. But it
| has long been evident that nothing need
| be apprehended from an enemy which
| flies at every sign of danger, and the
! scrupuious caution of the Manchurian
campaign begins to appear somewhat
misplaced. 1t is question whether
! MOukden will be considered worth TAX
| ing, now that the route to Pekin is open.
! a small garrison at Hong-hwong (Feng-
! Whong) or Kiu-Lin can guard against all
| chances of peril to Corea, and the bulk
of Yamagata's men may, with perfect Sc
curity, be spared for cooperation in
larger movements elsewhere.
CONFUSION AT PEKIN.
Edicts are pouring out from the palace
| in Pekin with a recklessnesS and lack of
! conference which attestS the utter con-
| fusion that reigns at court Officials are
exalted and cast down, Generals are re-
warded and disgraced, ordinarily with
out the slightest understanding of the
transactions in which they have been
engaged. Occasionally, however, a shaft
| is let fly which seems to indicate that
CLEANS of truth now and then penetrate
the imperial precincts. General Wei, one
of the masters of the Fabian strategy in
Corea, has lost his head. General y eh
who ordered the murder OF the French
priest, JoZeau. is in prison. General
! Nieh, another of the fugitives from Corea,
! has been compelled to disgorge the thou
sands of taels prematureIy bestowed on
| him by the Empress dowager. Admiral
| Ting, who was loaded with faVors for
| having been beaten at Taikosan Harbor,
| has been stripped of these unmerited
! honOrs and ordered to follow hereafter
| the instructions ofan Englishman, Captain
| Mcclure, who accompanies him nomi-
:, nally as Nice-Admiral, but who really
| controls the fleet.
! on the other hand, General Sung,
whose feats of poltroonery have not yet
reached his sovereign's ear, is ennobled