The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1894-09-13
HARBOR. WASH, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 49, 1884,
The Proclamation Of the Chinese EN-
peror Declaring War.

The Proclamation of the Chinese EN-
peror Declaring War.
SAN Francisco, September 5.-The
steamship Belgic arrived from Hong
Kong and Yokohama via Honolulu. bring
ing Yokohama advices to August Is and
Hong Kong to August 1. At Peking
August the following edict was issued
by the Emperor:
"Corea has been our tributary for the
past 200 odd years. She has given us
tribute all this time. which is matter
known to all the world. For the past
dozen years or 80 she has been troubled
by repeated instructions. and we, in
sympathy with our small tributary, have
as repeatedly sent succor to her aid,
eventually placing a garrison IN her
capital to protect her interests. In May
of this year another rebellion was begun
in Corea, and the King repeatedly asked
for aid from us to put down the re-
bellion. We then ordered Ii Hung
Chang to send troops to Corea, and they
had barely reached Yashan when the
rebels scattered. But the Wo Jen Gan
ancient name for the japanese, express
sive of the greatest contempt) without
any cause whatever suddenly sent their
troops to Corea, and entered Seoul, the
capital of Corea, reinforcing them con-
stantly until they have exceeded 10000
men. In the meantime the Japanese
forced the Corean King to change his
form of government, showing DISPOSE
ton in every way to bully the Coreans.
It was found difficult matter to reason
with the Wo Jen.
"Although we have been in the habit
of assisting our tributaries, we have
never interfered with their internal gov
eminent. Japan's treaty with Corea
was as one country with another; there
is no law for sending large armies to a
country and bullying it in this way and
compelling it to change its system of
government. The various powers are
united in condemning the conduct OF the
Japanese, and can give no reasonable
name to the army she now has in Corea.
Nor has Japan been amenable to reason,
nor would she listen to the exhOrtatiOn
to withdraw her troops and confer ami
cably upon what should be done in CO.
rea. On the contrary, Japan has shown
herself bellicose without regard to ap-
pearances, and has been increasing her
forces there. Her conduct alarmed the
people of Corea, as we'll as our merchants
there; and so we sent more troops over
to protect them. Judge of our surprise,
then. when half way to Corea number
of Wo Jen ships suddenly appeared
and, taking advantage OF our unprepared
condition, opened fire on our transports
at spot on the sea coast near Yashan,
and damaged them, thus causing us to
suffer from treacherOus conduct, which
could not be foretold by us.
Gas Japan has violated treaties and
has not observed international law and
is now running rampant with her false
and treacherous actions, commencing
hostilities herself and laying herself open
to condemnation by the various powers
at large, we therefore desire to make it
known to the world that we have always
followed the paths of philanthropy and
perfect Justice throughout the whole
complications, while the Wo Jen on the
other hand have broken all the laws of
nations and treaties, so that it became
impossible to bear with them. Hence
we commanded Ii Hung Chang to give
strict orders to our various armies to
hasten with all speed to root the Wo Jen
out of their lair. He is to send success
sive armies of valiant men to Corea IN
order to save the Coreans from bondage.
We also commanded the Manchu Cen
erals, Viceroys and Governors of the
maritime provinces, as well as the COM
manders-in-chief of the various armies,
to prepare for war and make every effort
to fire on the Wo Jen ships, if they come
into port, and to utterly destroy them.
We exhort our Generals to refrain from
the least laxity in obeying our commands
in order to avoid severe punishment at
our hands. Let all know this edict as If
addressed to themselves individually.
Respect this"
THE WAR FEELING
LONDON, September ga Shanghai
dispatch says Chinese recruits are ar
irving at Tien Tsin, where they are
equipped. The province of Shang Tung
is Disconnected, and no sympathy is ex-
pressed with the war against Japan.
The inhabitants regard the war with
Japan as directed against the govern
ment, and not against the people OF
China. In Manchuria the people are
intensely anti-foreign, and urge most
active opposition to the Japanese. A
man was tortured at Ming Pc as Japan
csc spy. The man was not Jap, but q
native of China. Two Japanese in Shang-
hal arrested as spies were surrendered
Yesterday to the native officials by the
American Consul. The foreign popula-
ton at Shanghai is indignant at this
action. The Chinese claim the right to
arrest Japanese within the limits of the
settlement. The United States govern
| ment has instructed its Consuls not to
interfere in any way in the difficulties
between China and Japan.