The morning call., 1894-07-30
THE WAR IN KOREA.

First blood in the Chinese-Japsnese con-
flict has been drawn by Japan. In conse-
Quence of ''provocation" by the Chinese,
the japanese squadron engaged the Chi
nese feet off Fontao, or Mound Island,
sunk transport, captured a warship and
put the rest Of the fleet 10 flight. 1t does
not appear that the Koreans took any part
in the battle, but it is stated in another
dispatch that the King of Korea has been
captured and carried off prisoner to japan.
1t is also stated that there has been no
formal declaration of war between China
and Japan, but this is not unusual In
1882 China and France went to war and
carried it on for a couple OF years without
any declaration of war.
The impression in the Orient is that the
war is between civilization on the one
side, as represented by japan, and super
stiton and retrOgression on the other, as
represented by China. 1t is stated that
China has prevented Korea from carrying
out her commercial treaty with Japan, and
that if China wins Korea will remain
hermit kingdom, whereas. if Japan wins,
the peninsula will be thrown open to
enterprise and commerce. The time-hon-
exclude foreigners, occasionally emphasiz-
ing the exclusion by the looping off of
heads, but to prevent the development of
the country by its inhabitants. The penin-
sula is understood TO contain valuable
mines Of coal, iron, gold and silver. 1t is
forbidden to work them under pain of
death. II it be true that the Chinese are
fighting to prevent the reform of such a
policy as this. the more lessons they get in
the shape of captured warships and sunken
transports the better.
If the war goes on the scene Of conflict
will be transferred from the sea to the
land and then we shall be able to Judge
whether the Chinese have really succeeded
in making an army. The japanese army
has been modelled on the European sys-
tenn and is supposed to be we'll disciplined
and armed with the most effective modern
weapons. 1t ought to be able to do good
work in the field, and though it is numeri-
cally inferior to the force which China
should be able to muster it is probably as
large as any Oriental general can handle.
A prOtracted war would be likely to lead
to the destruction of the walled towns IN
Korea, but the devastation would not be
L
lest stage of social life. They live in huts
without floors or furniture and Subsist on
the plainest food. The villages of such
race might be overrun time and again by
an invading force without much indi-
vidual suffering. In battle the loss of life
would probably be large, as the custom of
giving quarter TO a vanQuished foe has
never taken root in that part of the world.
Korea is the most barbarous of all the
semi barbarous States. Thirty years ago
q party of French priests with Bishop at
their head was attacked by a mob led by
Government officials and massacred,
Failing to obtain redress, France sent an
expedition under Admiral ThOye to Korea;
it destroyed the town and forts at the
mouth of the River Han-Kiang, on which
Seoul Is situate, but failed to extort from
the King any promise to respect the lives
of foreigners thereafter. About the same
time two or three American vessels trad
ing to the coast settlements Of Korea were
attacked by mobs and destroyed and their
crews murdered. Commodore Schufeld.
in 1867 tried to punish the murdsrers, but
failed; and though Commodore Rogers in
1870 sailed up the Han-Kiang. blew up
some works and routed the Korean forces
he also retired without obtaining any
guarantee OF security for the future To
all appeals the answer OF the King of
Korea was that he did not want foreigners
in his d0minions and that If they came
they came at their risks and perils.
1t is observed that Russia thus far pro-
fesses unconcern in the pending strife.
Her time has not yet come. England is
not blind 10 the opportunities which a
long war might present. and her efforts
are exerted for the settlement of the
present con troversy. II she should be un-
successful we shall probably then hear of
a move by the Russian fleet at Vladivostok.
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