The Hawaiian gazette., 1894-08-31


ligious paper published in San
Francisco:
The attention of the whole civilized
world has been attracted to Japan,
China and Korea within the past few
weeks to greater degree than ever
before. The daily papers have been
adorned with flaring woodcuts repre-
senting the Japanese Navy. and
with other indistinguishably similar
woodcuts illustrating the Chinese
Nayy.u Every day or two thumbnall
mans of vast regions have appeared,
designed to enlighten the public as to
the theater Of the war, about the orl-
Gin and merits of which next to
nothing is generally known. The
truth is that, in ordinary times, even
residents of the Pacific Coast take lit
tie interest in Asiatic politics, and
when a war is threatened they concern
themselves very little with the merits
of the case, but confine their attention
TO the relation between the dispute
and the price of American flour,
canned goods and ammunition.
The contradictory and often unintel-
ligible dispatches appearing in the
dailies give so little information that
II i impossible at this writing to
know exactly what has Happened, be-
yopd the existence of a state OF war
between China and Japan about ho-
rea, a small peninsula northeast OF
China. west of Japan and south Of the
Russian possessions on the Siberian
coast. Its position gives to this PENN
sula a significance far beyond its in
tripsic importance. 1t would be in
valuable 10 Russia as an outlet, as her
one port of NladivOstock IS blocked by
ice nearly six months OF each year.
Korea stands in a relation of depend
ence both to Japan and to China. The
latter country annually receives trio
ute bearers from the King of Korea,
and. until within recent years, Korea
was never considered as other than
one of several tributary countries"
under Chiua's control and patronage
But not many years ago Korea,
with the consent, and apparently at
the instance of China, assumed an in
dependent position, and sent and re-
cefved ambassadors of her own to
Western lands, yet without termin-
ating her subordinate relations to
China. The Chinese Resident has
been one of the most influential and
importaut men i'm the little kingdom,
and everything done in Korea was
apparently as well known and ar
ranged for i'm the yamen OF the great
Chinese statesman, Ii Hung Chang,
as if Korea had been only one Of
China's provinces. 1t is this state of
things which puzzles Westerners-
and no wonder. Although many pam
phlets have been published within
the past decade, discussing the rela-
tiOns of Korea to China, it is safe TO
saw that very few understand what
those relations really are. Mean
time, Kores, like Turkey, has been
the worst and most cOrrupty gov
erned country in the world, and, like
Turkey, its fate has been a question
invol wing the peace of three empires.
Japan has the heaviest commercial
interests I'm Korea-a somewhat in
comprehensive fact, in view of the
undoubted superiority Of the Chinese
as traders. The domestic politics of
Korea have always heen as unintelli-
gible to outsiders as the genealogies
OF a nest of rats, but there is no good
reason TO suppose that Japan has been
mixed uD in them all. If, as is re-
ported, she has carried away the king
of Korea in bag, she is likely to
have something to say to Korean
politics IN the immediate future.
japan has, within recent years, in
stituted popular Tepress NATIVE gov
eminent The meetings of the Parlia
ment have been invariably brief and
stormy, generally ending in being
prorogued by the Emperor, with
new election to follow, and still other
more turbulent sessions in the Otfing.
japan has been in a condition of
seething unrest for many causes,
partly internal, partly external, I'M
til, as in the case of the second French
empire, a war has become a military
necessity. Evils in Korea have been
made the occasion, and the war is be-
gun. Japan has adopted German
military naval methods. Her army
and navy have attained degree of
efficiency uneXampled in any Asiatic
power, and the whole nation is liter
ally spelling for fight. The pngna-
cious and ebullient patriotism of the
Japanese in this country is window
through which we may discern the
national spirit. Thousands of dollars
are raised as freewill offering on the
altar of patriotism, and hundreds of
men are said to be willing and ready
to 90 from here at moments notice,
and at their own expense, to take
part as soldiers for their country.
Thus far, all the successes seem to be
on the side of the japanese, who,
aside from excellent preparation, are
good fighters and fierce patriots. In
China it is quite otherwise. China's |
army is small as compared with the |
population, and but a fraction of it |
is we'll drilled. General Garnet |
Wolseley, who had experience of the |
Chinese in the war of 1860, has, with |
in recent years, expressed the opinion |
that properly-drilled and differed |
Chinese troops would be equal to |
English, if not the best in the world. |
But as compared with the japanese,
they are probably inferior in drill, in
equipment, and in enthusiasm. How
many well-trained soldiers China can
bring into the field, it is impossible |
for any one (but casual newspaper |
correspondent to say. The Two ma
vies were originally of nearly equal
strength, but in manipulation and
action the Japanese have been, thus |
far, much superior.