The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-09-05
DETAILS BY MAIL.
Text OF the Chinese Declaration of
War-Japanese Victories.

SAN FRANCISCO, Cal, Sept. 5, 1884,
The steamer Belgic arrived from the
Orient at IL o'clock last night, bringing
Hong Kong advices to August first, and
Yokohama advices to the fourteenth.
China's declaration of war is as fol-
lows
Corea has been our tributary for the
past two hundred odd years. She has
given US tribute all this time, which IS
a matter known to the world. For the
past dozen or so years Corea has been
troubled by repeated instructions, and
we, in sympathy with our small trl-
butary, have as repeatedly sent succor
to her aid, eventually placing resident
in her Capital to protect Corea's inter
ests. In the Fourth Moon (May) OF this
ca, and the King repeatedly asked again
for aid from us to put down the rebel
lion. We then ordered Ii Hung Chang
to send troops to Corea, and they hay
ing barely reached Yashan, the rebels
Immediately scattered. But the Wo1en
(aneient name for japanese, expressive
of contempt) without any cause what
ever, sent their troops to Corea and en-
tered Seoul, the Capital of Corea, rem
forcing them constantly until they have
exceeded 10000 men. In the meantime the
Japanese forced the Corean King to
change his system of government, show
ing a disposition every way of bullying
Coreans 1t was found a difficult matter
to reason with the Wojan. Although we
have been in the habit of assisting our
tributaries, we have never interfered with
their internal government. Japan S
treaty with COrea was as one country
with another, there Is no law for send
ing large armies to bully a country IN
this way and compel it to change ITS
system of government. Various powers
are united in condemning the conduct
of the Japanese, and can give no rea-
sonable name to the army she now mas
in Corea. Nor has Japan been amena-
BILE to reason, nor would she listen TO
an exhortation to withdraw her troops
and confer amicably upon what should
be done in Corea; on the contrary, Japan
has shown herself bellicose without re-
gard to appearances and has been IN
creasing her forces there. Her conduct
our merchants there, and so we sent
more troops over to protect them. Judge
of our surprise, then, when half way to
Corea, a number of the Wojen ships
suddenly appeared and taking advantage
of our unpreparedness, opened lre on
our transports at spot on the sea
thus causing us to suffer from their
treacherous conduct, which could not De
foretold by us.
AS japan has violated the treaties and
not observed international laws, and is
now running rampant with her false and
treacherous actions, commencing hostll-
tiles herself and laying herself open TO
condemnation by the various powers at
large We therefore, desire to make 1t
known to the world that we have always
followed the paths of philanthropy ana
plications, while the Wojen and others
have broken all their laws of nations and
treaties, which it passed our patience to
bear with Hence we command Lii Hung
Chang to give strict orders to our vari-
Gus armies to hasten with all speed to
root the Wojen out of their lairs. He is
to send successive armies OF valiant men
to Corea in order to have the Coreans
freed from bondage We also command
Manchu generals, viceroys and governors
of the maritime provinces. as well as
1inf of the, ya1n
armies to prepare for war and to make
every effort to fire the Wojen ships, Il
they come into our ports and utterly
destroy them. We exhort our generals
to refrain from the least laxity in obey
ing our commands in order to avoid Sc
we're punishment at our hands. Let all
know this ediet as If addressed to them
selves irdividnslv.
THE NAVAL COMBAT.
The enlightenment between the Chinese
twin screw steam cruiser Chi Yuen and
a Japanese, man-of-war in Corean waters
commenced in the morning, and, accord
ing to Chinese accounts. lasted some
four hours. At the commencement the
Chinese sailors refused to work their
guns, but on five of them. being shot by
their own officers, the others fought, so
well that they raked Japanese fore and
aft and carried away his bridge. killing
the Japanese admiral but the Japanese
picked off all exposed persons on the
Chi Yuen and exploded shell on her
deck, killing lieutenant and three men
working one of the guns. Chi Yuen's
own steering gear was carried away
and her forward guns disabled, but she
steered with her twin screws and replied
to the Japanese with her after gun with
such effect that the Japanese surrender
ed hosting the dragon flag over the
white flag But before the Chi Yuen
could take possession several Japanese
1nen-of-war hove in sight, and the Japan
ese vessel re- hoisted his flag, and the
Chi Yuen made all haste to get away
and succeeded in reaching Wei Hal Wei
for repairs
CAPTURING THE KING.
Particulars of the capture of the Corean
palace are given in letter from the
Chemulpo correspondent of the North
China ''Daily News in which he says
the l,500 Pyengan troops on guard brave
ly resisted as long as they could, killing
about a dozen Japanese soldiers, but
were finally overcome, and the Japan
ese took possession of the palace
grounds, the King, Queen, Crown Prince
and Crown Princess having been re-
moved to the Japanese legation, where
they are still kept, heavily guarded. The
japanese then took possession of the tele-
graph office in Seoul SO that no tele-
grams can be sent anywhere. The Chin
ese residency has also been attacked.
One Chinese policeman has been killed.