The record-union., 1894-08-18

makes the intelligence of their achieve
ments of little consequence. The Chinese
officers and men of the dispatch boat ac-
companying the Kow Shung are credited
with having, when the vessel grounded,
fired her and themselves swan ashore.
Forty succeeded in eyading pursuit.
The Empress of Japan did not call at
Kobe or Nagasaki this trip. nor will any
transpacitic liner till the conflict is over.
Lii Hung Chang has been memorialized
by General Chi, commander of the Chi
nese troops at JaZan, to withdraw his
forces at that point, as the Japanese are
too strong to be successfully opposed.
Famine is menacing the Chinese forces at
that point, owing to difficulty in securing
supplies. Chi proposes that the forces
should be withdrawn entirely, and COM
bination made with the troops marching
overland, the whole to constitute material
for new campaign.
The report that large force of Chinese
troops are being marched overland, and
that they are now almost on the borders
OF Corea, appears to be authenticated by
latest advices.
When Yuan left Seoul he gave instruc-
tlons to the head of the powerful Ming
family that he would return to Corea with
large army. Not only were all the de-
mands of the Japanese to be refused, but
officials belonging to the independent
party suspected OF Japanese inclinations
should be imprisoned and the ringleaders
punished with death.
An engagement occurred at Seikwan
on July 30th. The Chinese were driven
back with heavy loss, and the Japanese
troops continued toward Jazan.
JAPAN's DECLARATION OF WAR.
The formal declaration of war, as pub
lished i'll the Japan Gazette, reads as fol-
lows:
1--WE, the Emperor of the Empire OF
Great Japan, having assembled the throne
by virtue of lineal succession unbroken
for ages eternal, fully assured of heav-
emily aid, do announce to all our brave
and loyal subjects that we hereby de-
clare war against China.
"All our officials and officers, with a
view to carrying out of our intentions.
should devote themselves to warlike
matters or to carrying on the war with
China and in all respects strive to further
the national object. They are desired to
leave nothing undone, but, on the con-
trary, to use every means to this end
within the limits Of their respective Off
ces in manner not prejudicial to inter-
national law.
over twenty years have now elapsed
since our accession to the throne. During
this time we have consistently pursued
the policy OF peace, being deeply inn
pressed with sense OF the undesirability
of being in strained relations with other
nations, and have always directed our
officials diligently to endeavor to pro-
mote friendship with all the treaty
powers. Fortunately our intercourse
with the nations has continued TO increase
in intimacy.
Contrary to our expectations, how
ever, every act OF China toward this
country in connection with the affairs OF
Corea has been opposed to the principles
that should govern the relations between
friendly nations, and has been a breach
Of good faith toward Japan.
"Corea is an independent country,
which was first induced by Japan to open
its doors to foreign intercourse, and TO
take its place among the nations of the
world. Yet China has always described
her as tributary. and has both openly and
secretly interfered with its internal af-
fairs. On the recent insurrection break
ing out in the peninsula, China, on the
pretext that she meant to protect her
tributary from calamity, sent troops
thither.
1--WE, by virtue OF the provisions of the
convention Of 1885, dispatched troops to
Corea to deal with the emergency. and
also we have made efforts TO relieve
Corea from internal disturbances, and by
maintaining peace in that country to Sc
cure the peace of the East. We asked
China to cooperate with US to that end
China, however, on various pleas, de-
clined our request.
GIVE thereupon advised Corea to remedy
the abuses in her administration and
strengthen the guarantees OF domestic
peace and order, while also perfecting her
privileges as an independent nation.
Corsa adopted the suggestions of this
country. China, however, offered every
obstruction to and caused delay in the
carrying out of the reforms and that
country moreover began the preparation
OF land and sea forces with view to war.
On the completion of her preparations
she attempted to achieve the object of her
ambition with reference to Corea, dis
patching more troops to that country and
attacking our men-of-war insthe Corean
seas. She thus acted toward Japan in an
exceedingly lawless fashion.
ut is now beyond doubt that the pro-
ject of China is to destroy the authority
responsible for the maintenance of peace
in Corea, and to degrade into obscurity
that country which Japan introduced to
the world as an independent nation: to
ignore the treaties which clearly defined
her independent status, and thereby to
injure the rights and interests of Japan,
and destroy forever all assurances of
peace in the East. Judging from the ac-
tions of China so far, her scheme must
have aimed al the sacrlnce OF all peaceful
guarantees and the accomplishment of
all costs of her own objects. To this
stage the situation has now developed.
Though it has always been our desire
to maintain peace with all nations, and
in doing so to display the glory of our
empire at home and abroad, we have now
no course open to us but to declare war,
and in the hope that we may be able to
restore peace in good time. and thus to
vindicate the prestige of Japan by the
loyalty and bravery OF our Subjects