Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-09-29
The Chinese Treasury Said to Be
in a Desperate State.
NATIVES ARE READY FOR A REVOLT
Ii Hung Chang Will Take the
Field in Person.
MAIL ADVICES FROM THE EAST

The Politische Correspondents of Vienna
says the following informa ton has reached
st. Petersburg from China. and attracts
the serious attention of the government:
''The intense excitement In all the provinces
Of China and the dissatisfaction Of the
highest officials in the empire have reached
points which indicate a probable movement
against the re:gning dynasty. The spirit
animating the regular army Is satisfactory.
but the discipline has been much relaxed.
The irregular troops, upon which the gov
eminent must now rely, are committing
great and frequent excuses everywhere,
including the capital. The war chest Is as
empty as the state excheQuer. AMI the gov
ernment has the greatest difficulty in pur-
chasing the barest necessities for the troops
In the field"
Advices received in London from Shang-
hal say the emperor Is dissatisfied with the
course events are taking, and that affairs
are gradually working toward a coup etat.
A dispatch to the London Daily News
from Yokohama says there Is a general
public desire in japan to prosecute the war
against China in defiance Of all obstacles,
and a general desire that the government
make desperate attack upon Peking.
The japanese parliament will at once vote
war credits, regardless OF party opinions.
Reinforcements are continually departing
from Yokohama, Toxic and other places In
Japan. but their destination Is not known.
The Shanghai correspondent Of the Lon
don Times says: 1T Is rumored that Ii
Hung Chang will be permitted to take the
field, and that he will probably have his
headquarters at Lutai 1t Is reported that
the Chinese troops have evacuated Corea
and are massed thirty miles west Of Yalu
river"
Explaining Chinese Defeat.
Capt. Lang a former director In the Chi
nese navy and supervisor Of the erection
Of many Chinese forts. said in an interview
IN London In regard to the Chinese re-
verses:
1.-The inherent conservatism and apathy
concerning everything outside Of China,
and the want Of esprit du corps, have had
their natural results. As a matter of fact
the Chinese never expected to have fight
and their supreme contempt Of Japan is
predominant trait with them. Their sea-
men are as brave as could be wished, but
they have not the slightest patriotism.
Their officers are regardless of almost ev-
erything but personal advantage, and have
always wanted to evade drill and remain
ashore. They have hated Europeans and
European ideas and are insufferably OBJ
stinate and conceited. There are admitted
exceptions to this rule, however, especially
In the case Of Admiral Ting, who is con-
spicuously brave and capable officer
whose lead could safely be followed any
where. I cannot understand the alleged
superiority Of the Japanese quick-fring
guns. The four vessels of the Ching Yuen
class were admirably equipped, and 1 am
not disposed In the light OF the present
information to give the japanese the credit
they claim"
Capt. Lang ascribed the defeat of the
Chinese In Manchuria, as telegraphed to
The Star yesterday. If they had been de-
feated. to the fact of their having lapsed
from their high standard of efficiency since
1850. The only Europeans now In service
tI,a he aaf6 ontir in,
subordinate capacities.
Trying to Block Navigation.
Mail adyices received here from China
from sources specially entitled to credit of
date early in August, are almost prophetic
of what has already occurred there
since that date, and If the predictions for
the future hold good Secretary Herbert's &C
ton In largely reinforcing the United States
ships in Chinese waters will be proved to
have been a very wise move.
The advices describe the measures which
have been adopted by the Chinese to block
the navigation Of their rivers, and the re-
sulting effect upon commerce. For one
thing, in the NinSpo district the Sesastus
Rock Buoy. the Seann-Yu Spit Buoy and the
Nemesis Rock, Blonde Rock and Tigers
Tail BeacOnS have been temporarily re-
moved. Lights have been also removed and
distractions placed at the mouth of the
River PeikO.
Although the discontinuance of the lights,
the presence at night of a floating boom and
the laying of tOrpedoeS are obviously him
ORANGES to the coming and going Of vessels,
nevertheless, with the exception of the
Chinese lines, shipping is being carried on
as usual, and there are no Indications that
the merchants are Withholding their cargoes.
Trade, however, is being adversely affected,
as cipher kilograms are no longer accepted,
although they can be sent from Shanghai.
A feeling of timidity as to the safety of
business ventures with Tien Tsin Is natural
ly pervading the business world.
The Chinese themselves Will not block the
mort but the japanese are likely to do so at
any time. An effort was making to insure
Immunity from capture of japanese and
Chinese vessels plying respectively between
their own ports and in common to neutral
points but the consent of the japanese had
not at the date of advice been received.
There was, however, a very great menace
"a trada frnm another quarter, and II was