The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1894-11-09


Of Pe-Chi-Li and awaiting in exposed
, positions, the attack OF the Japanese
squadrons. China is on the eve OF O
great disaster.
The Japanese troops viii have 81
miles to march from their point Of land.
ing to Pert Arthur. On the way they
must capture Chin Chin. a walled city,
and rs miles further on they viii 0nd
themselves at the base OF the hills
overlooking the inlet at the head Of
which Port Arthur lies The hills are
from $50 to $50 feet high, and their
crests and passes are fortified with
considerable skill Within their encir-
cling arms are twelve batteries, equal-
ly distributed on either side Of the en-
trance to the port. These batteries
extend over more than four miles OF
seaboard, and are armed with forty
Krupp guns, varying from 10 centime>
ters TO "a centimetres, together with
rified mortars. It is tough nut that
awaits the Japanese forces. but they
will crack 1t.
Chinese prisoners Of war have begun
to arrive in Japan They are distin~
guished by dirt and detection. The
japanese crowds laugh at them as they
pass, but make no demonstrations OF
rancor. The wounded are tended with
the utmost kindness and care, and the
treatment Of them as whole is hn>
name. This record presents striking
contrast to the belligerant methods Of
the Chinese themselves. They make
no prisoners From the killed and the
wounded alike they lop off the heads.
and make punches Of the latter by
passing strings through the mouths
and gullets, as fisherman does with
mess of trout. Field Marshal Yama-
gaia, who commands the Japanese ar
my in Corea, has warned his men in q
general order not to become prisoners
of the Chinese. At the same time he
has exhorted them to remember the
canons of civilization and treat the
enemy's wounded and captives as they
would treat companions. Both injunc-
tions are obeyed.
The diet met In special session at
Hiroshima September is. and the en-
peror officially opened It the 18th. The
that the diet were ask
ed to make aggregated 15OOOO,O0O yen,
an immense sum for Japan, nearly
the double of her annual state revenue.
But the diet swallowed the big mouth
full without q wink. Not word Of
debate was heard, not dissenting
soice was raised. The .15O,0OO,0OO were
voted amid cheers unprecedented IN
Iapan's parliamentary history The
TACT Is that every man In the country
would sell his shirt off his back to win
his fight The nations heart and soul
Ire In the struggle, Japan cannot put
Up hundreds Of millions for wariIke
purposes without more or less checking
ier Industrial expansion. But she Is
soing to do her fighting without aid
4 any kind from abroad. The Sums
llready spent by her upon the conduct
I the war total 25.OOO,OOO yen in round
numbers. Hence. out of the 160,0OO,O0O
'oted by the diet there remain to her
100000. That is expected TO last a
ear at any rate But the war will
ot last a year.
The minister president Of state, Count
10. laid on the table of the house OF
eers, October 10, the correspondence
lat passed between the governments
Toxic and Peldng before the out-
realS of the war. II shows conclu-
vely that Japan stoutly stated her
)nvlctlon as to the necessity Of put
ng an end to the terrible maladmin-
tration Of Coroa, and frankly invited
hlnn to cooperate. Had China agreed
send joint commission OF inquiry,
e sword need never have been drawn.
ut while Japan was IN deadly earnest,
nina was majestically supercilious and
different. she did not want pro-
esslve tributary while she herself
malned conservative. Above all, she
d not want that nasty little upstart,
at sacrilegious violator Of venerable
aditions--Japan--to be an active
rtner Of the Celestial kingdom in
ything. So she proudly pooh-poohed
Q whole affair, and is now writhine
astonished anguish.
Reports from China state that the
Of Admiral Tlng's feet have
en- patched up and are nearly ready
try their gate again at sea, but
Iinous messages going TO and from
rt Arthur are TO the effect that if
" venture forth. II must be without
oper provision Of shot and she'll for
, big guns SO great has been the
Icailty OF high officials that the vast
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