The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-08-18
JAPAN's DECLARATION OF WAR.
China Charged With Treachery and
Duplicity.

VANCOUVER, BIC, Aug. 1S, 1894,
Among the passengers on the steamship
Empress of Japan, which arrived yester-
day from the Orient, were Ernst Won
Hesse Wartegg, German Consul General
to America, and Madame Minnie Hauk
de Wartegg. They have been travelling
in the far East and are en- route to New
York. The Empress of Japan left Yo-
kohama on the 5th inst, two days after
Japan had declared war against China.
The follaWing is the substance of the de-
I'VE, by the grace of Heaven, EN-
peror of Japan, seated on the throne
occupied by the same dynasty from time
immemorial, do hereby make proclama-
tion to all aur loyal and brave subjects
as follows:-We hereby declare war
against China, and we command such and
all of our competent authorities in obedi-
ence to our wish, and with view to the
attainment of the national aim, to carry
hostilities on sea and land against China,
with all the means at their disposal con-
sistently with the law of Nations After
congratulating the nation on It's long
peace with other great powers, he adds
I'VE We're, therefore, unprepared for
such a conspicuous want of amity and of
good faith as has been manifested by
China in her conduct toward this coun-
try in connection with the Korean af-
fair. Korea is an independent State.
KOREA JAPAN'S PROTEGE.
She was first introduced into the fam
lily of. Nations by the advice and under
the guidance of Japan. 1t has however,
been China's habit to designate Korea
as her dependency, and both openly and
secretly to interfere with her domestic
affairs. At the time of the recent civil
insurrection in Korea, China despatched
troops thither, alleging that her purpose
was to afford succour to her dependent
State We, in virtue of this treaty con-
|. cluded with Korea in 1882, and looking
to possible emergencies, caused mill
tary force to be sent to that country.
wishing to procure for Korea freedom
from the calamity of perpetual disturb
ance and thereby to maintain the peace
of the East in general. Japan invited
China'S cooperation for the accomplish
mcnt of that object, but China, advanc-
ing various pretexts, declined Japans
proposal. Thereupon Japan advised ko-
rea to reform her administration so that
order might be preserved at home and SO
that the country might be able TO dis.
charge the responsibilities and duties OF
an independent State abroad. Korea has
already consented to undertake the task,
but China has secretly and insidiously
endeavored to circumvent and thwart
| Japan's purposes.
CHINA'S LITTLE GAME.
She has further procrastinated, and en-
| deavored to make preparations both on
| land and at sea. When these prepara-
| tions were completed she not only sent
| large reinforcements to Korea, with a
view to the forcible attachments of her
ambitious designs, but even carried her
L
tent of opening fire upon our ships in
| Korean waters. China's plain object Is
| to make it uncertain where the response
bility resides of preserving peace and Or
der in Korea and not only to weaken
the position of that State in the family
of Nations--a position obtained for Korea
through Japanese efforts-but also to OBJ
| scure the significance of the treaties re-
cogniZing and confirming that position.
Such conduct on the part of China IS
not only a direct injury to the rights
| and interests of this Empire, but also
menace to the permanent peace and
tranquility of the Orient Judging from
| her action it must be concluded that
| China, from the beginning has been
| bent upon sacrificing peace to the at
| tainment of her sinister objects. In this
| situation, ardent as our wish is to pro-
| mote the prestige of the country abroad
| by strictly peaceful methods we. find 1t
| impossible to avoid formal declaraIlonl
of war against China. 1t is our earnest
| wish that, by the loyalty and valor OF
| our faithful subjects peace may soon
| be permanently restored and the glory
4, of the Empire be augmented and com
pi1s ON TO PEKIN.
The Constitutional Reform party, an
! important wing OF the opposition ied
| by so distinguished politician as Mr..
| Kusumoto President of the last Diet,
| has issued an important manifesto, in
| which it declares it shall never De salts
fed until Japan,s army army makes max SITS ITS %ay S;c
| tates terms of peace under the walls OF
/ the capital, and it states that the time
| has come for Japan to settle the affairs
satisfied with more battlefield victories,
! but will demand that, after these vic
| tories, the rights and interests of Japan
shall be maintained in the international
conference of the various powers. 1t
| will demand the perpetuation of Corean
independence.
| The sudden appointment of Mr.. Ku-