The herald., 1894-08-16
FROM THE SEAT OF WAR.
Advices Per Steamer From
the Orient.
War Fever Running High at
Yokohama.
Japan Confident of Her Ability to
Whip China.
Reports OF Recent Naval Battlss-ssvsn
Chinese Vessels Reported Sunk.
Tho Plague ut Hong
kong.

ny fne AbsOCldteu Fr6HBs
VICTORIA, 3. c., Aug. 15.-The steamer
Tacoma, from Hong.kong, arrived at
this port shortly after noon today. Her
weather log is brief. She left Hong
kong July 10th. Shanghai July 24th.
Ksbe July 29th.
So far as could be gathered. popular
feeling in Yokohama is at concert pitch.
Numbers of leading merchants have
made contributions of rice and saki,
and all is hurry, bust and fighting
talk. Lieutenant.G General Taksshima
expressed himself as follows at Osaka:
''The military equipment of the coun.
try became perfected by degrees since
the organizations OF the divisions in
1885. At present the Japanese army
need not fear any country in the world,
with the exception of three or four pow
ers. In comparing her navy with that
Of China, Japan is inferior in point of
tonnage some 5000 tons, but China has
vessels with speed of only IL knots,
while Japan has vessels of IS knots. Az
to skill and arms China is no match for
Japan; moreover, she has only 80 ves'
sells OF the China Merchants' Steam
Navigation company as Transports,
which she requires for the transporta-
tion Of rice for the interior. But Japan
has about 80 steamers of over 1000 tons
for that purpose, if recently purchased
vessels be added. AS it ia the fret occa.
zion on which steel-armored squadrons
will engage in combat, the foreign pow
ers will regard with attention the issues
of q naval engagement. Thus the pres
ent occasion 10 worthy of our full exer-
tion, and it will be a good opportunity
to show the world our military
strength"
Since the naval fight off Fusan, the
running OF Japanese steamers between
Jinsen and Fusan has been suspended.
General travel on the smaller oriental
an authentic nature is difficult to OBJ
tain.
In Yokohama it Is believed that
China's plan will be to march troops
into Corea by way of Win, and the
Japanese government ia said to be tax
ing steps accordingly.
The report that the Chinese minister
was to start for home on July 2Sth is
denied. He is said to have received in.
structions not to leave until the with
drawal of the Japanese charge d'affsires
ut Pekin.
From Hong-kong reports on the
Corean officially are still less Bstisfac-
tory, the news being of wild and con-
Trajectory nature. The plague appears
to be abating rapidly, though danger is
now apprehended from the action of the
sanitary board in allowing the return of
large numbers of coolies to the colony.
The total number OF deaths from the
plague in Hong-kong since the outbreak
on the 9th of May is reported at 1872 up
to date. Strong efforts are being made
to keep out coolies from Canton and the
cholera districts OF the mainland.
Fuhkien authorities have ordered
some Lok Ching battalions to proceed to
Foo Chow and "braves' are being en-
listed to strengthen the forces in Fuh-
kien. The garrisons of the Ming Ngan
forts are daily practicing with their big
guns and are prepared to give a good
account of themselves should the Jap
anese warships make any attempt on
the arsenal at Psgoda anchorage.
The Hochi reports that intelligence is
said to have been received in Toxic to
the effect that the Chinese man.of-war
Koot Su, which fed eastward to the
Corean coast after the engagement on
the 25th, reached Gasan, where her
crew abandoned her and landed; that a
Japanese man-of-war followed and cap
tured her.
The queen Of Cores Ia reported as Ill.
She is under medical treatment for
malarial fever.
At Rysan, while the Japanese soldiers
were proceeding towards Suigen Flu, lay
ing their lines of defense. over 800
Chinese soldiers assem- bled and entered
the lines, whereby a collision occurred
between them. The Chinese troops
opened fire which was responded to by
the Japanese soldiers. Field guns put
the Chinese to flight. and they sustained
loss of 160 killed and 170 wounded.