The morning call., 1894-12-27
A COMING MAN.

The capture of Port Arthur has brought
TO the front one man of whom the world
is probably destined to hear much. This
is Count Oyama, field marshal in the Japa-
nese army, the soldier who planned the
attack on Port Arthur and carried it out
with such surprising success. Like Lii
Hung Chang OF China he is a giant in size,
towering away above the heads of his
staff; pOrtly man, with knightly mien
and an imposing air. He comes of an old
Daimio family, members of which have
made their mark in the wars of Japan in
times past.
Some years ago. when the Count was
Minister of War, he was betrothed to a
japanese lady of rank, who was complet-
ing her education al Vassar Colegs on
the Hudson. She returned home, was
married, and now does the honors of the
Counts princely home at the Miti Yashiti.
There she has entertained American visi-
tors with a gracious hospitality which
they have taken pleasure to record. The
estate is marvel of beauty. The park is
$50 years old. and some of the trees in 1t
have been growing for three centuries, in
the wild profusion OF nature. Art has
been exhausted to make the place fairy
like. Moss dimy outlines the paths,
flights of small steps lead TO miniature
mountains, streams are spanned with
pretty Chinese bridges, right and left of
which groves of bamboo and hunchback
trees, trained into fantastic shapes, please
the eye with their gorgeous foliage. Here
the Count and Countess receive their
guests. The meal is preceded by stroll
through the grounds, the Count leading
the way with the grace of member of the
old noblesse. Behind him come the ladies
and children IN bright crimson robes,
laughing and chattering as they lead the
strangers over lichen-coyered bridges, to
old temples, no valleys TO cataracts, past
shrines of old wooden gods, through an
cestral forests, until they reach the bower
where luncheon has been set out and
band plays the familiar airs of Carmen"
as the party take their seats.
Both the Count and Countess wear the
American dress. He has adopted many
Am erican customs. but has never learned
our language. His wife. who is polyglo',
lnterprets for him, and when the guests
are persons OF distinction she is kept busy,
for his curiosity is unsuitable. He is
always learning something.
Before the war with China Count Oyama
declared that the Japanese were as good
soldiers as ever went into battle-that
they were born fighters. Their conduct
has proved that this was not an empty
boast. AT Port Arthur, according TO some
accounts, he stormed work which had
been pronounced i'm pregnable, and which
was garrisoned by picked troops from the
Chinese army. Foreigners who were pres
ent pronounced his handling of his artil-
lery to have been mastery. His force was
really too small for the work before them.
At the final assault he had only one regi-
ment In reserve. "If we should be beaten
back" he observed 10 CORES pondent sit
would be pretty bad" But he knew his
men and he knew his enemy. Seated on
his horse, he was like a bronze statue,
watching his pieces go into action, and,
when his shrapnel fire had frightened the
Chinese from their embrasures, launching
his infantry up the steep slope. He had
left nothing to chance; every move was
reckoned out beforehand. and there was no
departure from the programme. A more
resolute foe would have destroyed the
regiments which scaled the walls; but
Oyama knew his enemy and pushed his
troops forward in the face of a fire which
promised to be whitening. His calcula-
tioDs were unerring; when the place was
taken he had only lost forty men. His
soldiers were so enthusiastic over The VIC
tory, that they dragged the Marshal from
his horse, big and stout as he is, and car
ried him round in triumph ON their
shoulders. as the old Gauls used to do
when their chief had been victorious.