The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-09-24
GOOD ONLY TORUN
Unarmored Cruisers Inferior
to Big BattIeships.
Alleged Japanese Spies Created a Big
Stir in Shanghai Foreign Circles.


Japanese and the Chinese at the Yalu
river as a demonstration OF the superi-
orSty of tho feet Of unarmored cruisers
over heavily pro ,ected but moderate speed
battleships.
This Is natural, In view OF the fact that
for many years the officers In this branch
Of the service have devoted their ingenuity
TO the development Of the passively resist
ant quality of ships holding that design
best which should carry the heaviest
nrmor. Thus they created the great bat
tleship. and now they stand prepared to
defend her.
one oil the most distinguished OF ord
nance officers, in his record OF work accom-
plished a man who has had much 10 do
with designing the guns and armor for
our modern ships, speaking upon the sub
ject OF the Yalu fight. was inclined to be
skepticsl AS TO the defeat OF the Chinese
battleships. Said he: I'VE are still In the
dark as TO the details OF the battle, but
will venture the assertion now that not
one of the Chinese battleships was seri'
ously injured, and that their loss was con-
fined 60 cruisers or only partially protecteu
vessels.
And even the best OF the Chinese battle
ships is not a first class vessel. The Chen
Yuen is n second rate ship, about like our
Maine or Texas But as it was there was
one reason, though that is a very good
one why the bsttleships did not speedily
d stroy all Of the Japanese feet, and that
reason is the immense superiority or the
ia ,ese personnel. The Japanese them
selves fully understood the value OF bat
tleships and have been making strenuous
efforts to buy the Captain Prat, the new
armored vessel built in Europe for Chill.
Speed "A Secondary Consideration.
"a good deal Of nonsense has been said
and written about the value OF high speed
unarmored cruisers, mainly by the private
builders, who are after the big premiums
paid for speed. l would rank excessive
speed about tenth in the list ST valuable
qualities for a warship. About the only
advantage it offers Is the opportunity
vessel has TO decline an engagement IL
will not help, even To run away, after she
g. once in action. for the difference between
the 10 knots OF a battleship and the 20
knots OF cruiser is not enough TO save the
latter Then after once coming within
fighting distance she could not choose her
position and she would have to move
whenever the heavy ship came up.
"When the explosive shell was brought
out the Crlmean naval warfare was revo-
lutionized We have percussion shells
now we can explode with certainty that will
almost tear cruiser TO pieces. But these
shells Will not penetrate the armored side
OF a battlcshlp The only projcctile that
does that is the armor piece, and that,
while partly hollow, Is never charged with
explosive An expert naval commander ON
one of the battleships can meet at once
md destroy half dozen cruisers and come
Sut of the fight without serious injury,
else my opinion is at fault"
Additional Gossip Of Interest
concerning China and Japan has been
brought by steamers just arrived from the
two countries. The accounts say:
By arrangement between Japan and
England, supplementary TO the new
treaty, the former government proposed
that the judicial codes OF the empire shall
b. put into effect and full operation be-
fore the treaty is made practically effect
I've. 1t is also agreed that the provisions
OF the second article in the treaty relating
to military service shall apply To British
colonies
japanese courts were opened Sept. IA,
the highest at Toxic under the presidency
Of Viscount Kawise. late miuister to Eng
land; the other at Sasaho, a naval sta
tion near Nagasaki, under the presidency
OF Judge Hitomim, chief of the Nagasaki
court of appeals.
stirred Up Ill Feeling.
The case of two alleged japanese spies,
who have been given up by the United
States consul general at Shanghai to al
most certain death at the hands OF the
Chinese attracts much attention and no
little Ill feeling among Americans and
Europeans in China.
The two young men had been some time
pursuing their studies in Shanghai, and,
like the ma jorlty of the Japanese residents,
were in the habit OF wearing Chinese dress
With tho idea of serving their country in
some indefinite way, they undertook at
the outbreak of war to collect information
which they thought would be valuable to
thcir government. What they gave to
their government has not transpired
but II Is charged they made drawings of
defenses, and in consequence of which
they were arrested by native officers in the
French quarter Of the settlement.
Upon the japanese consulate closing, IL
was rumored all Japanese remaining in
the country should look 10 local repre-
sentativcs of the United States for such
aid and advice as could be unofficially
vouchsafed. Explanations were given that
absolute protection could not be extended,
but In order that something mi ght bs done
60 rescue the young men from their peril
ous position they were handed over from
the French consul to the American consul
general, In spite of the protests and de-
mands Of the Chinese government which
insisted upon their surrender.
Instructions Were Peremptory.
Mr. birmingham, consul general, soon
discovered the suspected men had no con.
nection with the japanese authorities,
and they acted wholly upon their rcspon.
sibilities IL l. understood that after due
Investigation he wns disposed to ship them
10 Japan. but ON reporting the incident to
Washington he received pereinptory In.
etructions TO deliver them to Chinese
custody This the telegram announced,
vas done on Sept. .. to the dissatisfaction
OF the great majority Of aliens dwelling In
Shanghai.
ufho ordfnurv rvoccdurs with aco,,sod