The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-08-30

good fighters and fierce patriots. In
China 1t is quite otherwise. China's
army is small as compared with the
population, and but fraction Of II
is well drilled. General Garnet
Wolseley, who had experience of the
Chinese in the war OF 1850, has, with
in recent years, expressed the opinion
that properly-drilled and of1cered
Chinese troops would be equal 10
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, il Il impossible
for any one (but a 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.
Two questions naturally suggest
themselves in regard to such con-
fiict. First, where ought the sym
pathies Of impartial spectators TO be?
This is a difficult problem to answer,
but for one, the present writer would
like to see the japanese defeated ana
the Chinese beaten. 1t would do them
both great good. All wars are, de fac
to, wrong, and this one is ineXcusabIe,
but it could not be prevented, aud we
must hope that some material good
will emerge in ways as yet impercept-
ible. If Japan wins a decided victory
it will greatly increase the strong ma
tiopal. spirit, and can scarcely fail To
| embarass the position of foreigners in
Japan, already delicate. If China Is
defeated, there is some reason to fear
general reaction, not only against the
advanced party of Ii Hung Chang,
which has woven a network of tele-
| graphs all over the empire, bought q
| fleet of foreign merchant vessels, In
| troduced cotton and woolen manufac-
lures, opened coal mines on western
| lines, built two railways, organized
| foreign-drilled armies, and bought
| modern vessels for navy, but against
| the reigning Manchoo dynasty. There
| is a strong national feeling in China,
| also, when once it is aroused, as Ii as
| suredly would be by a defeat inflicted
by what the Chinese contemporary
term the "dwarf pation"-a race to
whom Chinese gave,in part, their Ian
guage and their literature, and civill-
Zation as well.
The Chinese are very superstitlouS-
They believe in signs, wonders and
omens. a dynasty that cannot hold
its own is thought TO have lost the
decree of heaven. 1t is supposed that
this will happen about twice in five
hundred years. The present dynasty
took the reins in 1914, and is, there
fore, exactly $50 years old, a eircum-
stance which must seem pOrtentous to
those who think.
The other question relates TO the
effect of the war on the progress of the
kingdom of God, which some consider
TO be even more important than the
fate Of empires Of the earth. 1t Il
| difficult TO see how any missionaries
can remain in Korea while hostilitie:
last. AS to those in China IT u other
wise. If the war is short, and If Chins
is not defeated, there may not bt
much danger, except in the valley o
the Yang-tze riyer-the storm cente
of the eighteen provinces. III Euro
pean powers occupy the principa
treaty ports, as is reported to b'
agreed upon, the danger will b'
greatly reduced, but will exist.
In any case, we must have faith II
God, who will certainly overrule thi
trouble for the good of China, of Japai
; and of Korea. The former empir
may introduce much-needed ap
: pliances, and the latter must be re
formed, and, by whatever means
. | Gods Kingdom will be hastened i'm II
: coming.