The Washington times., 1894-07-22
Japan and China Ready to Fly at Each
Others Threats.
FORCES OF THE BELLIGERENTS
Navy of the Celestial Empire Much Superior
to That Of Its Adversary-Japanese Gov
ernment Leasing All Available Vessels.
Treaty Ports Being Blocked.

marines have been landed at Seoul, the capi
tai of Corea. in order to protect the British
and United States legations, respectively.
China has requested that Japanese war
ships be not allowed to enter the Chinese
treaty ports. Japan. replying to the request
Of China in regard to Japanese warships, has
replied that she maintains the right to enter
these ports at any time. The attitude OF the
population generally is warlike.
SHANGHAI, July 2l.-The report that wal
has been declared between China and Japan
Is not yet confirmed but China is preparing
for war. The Chinese are blocking the north
ern passage OF the Yang-Tse-hianE, the great
river of China. Incoming vessels are thus
compelled to pass nearer the Woosung forts.
Telegraphic communication with Pekin has
been stopped on account OF the floods. Japan
has chartered all the Mitsui Bnssan Com
pany's ships in addition to the sixteen already
chartered from the Wusen Kaisha Company.
Japan has prohibited the departure OF the
Yusen steamers.
1t has been learned here that 10 900 Chinese
troops have received orders to proceed with
ali possible dispatch TO Corea.
SPECIAL MESSENGER TO CoREA.
sAS FRANcisco, Cal, July 2l.-News ad-
vices from Yokohama received to-day on the
steamer City Of Rio de Janeiro state that
June the Corean minister to Japan called
on the Japanese minister of foreign affairs
and announced that be was about TO take his
leave to report 10 his government the feel
ing and policy OF Japan toward Corea. At
about the same time, as result of a cabinet
council attended by the Emperor of Japan,
the Japanese government dispatched kato
Masao. chief councillor of the foreign office,
TO Corea as special messenger of the govern
ment He carried full instructions TO the
japanese minister at Corea.
The native press reports that the attempt
to induced Otori. japanese minister to Corea,
to withdraw the Japanese troops having been
unsuccessful, Viceroy Ii. of China. tele-
graphed directly to Count Into. asking him to
withdraw the troops, and that it was this ex-
traordinary request that caused the meetings
of the Jaapnese council in the presence Of the
Emperor on June % and %. 1t is claimed
the Japanese government decided to positively
refuse the requests. There are reports that
Russia and France are ready to interfere in
the event of serious trouble.
Relative to the rebellion the native papers
report the rebels are more than holding their
own in Genshu, and that they SO powerful
that the weak government troops dare not
attack them.
INSTRUCTED TO ATTACK.
A corean newspaper of June 16 announces
warlike preparations by the Chinese in Seoul
and Junchan. The officers OF Japanese troops
sent to Corea, it is said, have been instructed
IL the Chinese should show the slightest signs
OF pttack they must be prepared not to stand
on the defensive, but to attack and put the
enemy to route. The eneny's commanders
have instructed their soldiers to be prepared
for engagement at a moments notice.
The conditions laid down by the japanese
government are said to be to the following
effect: That il is out of the question that both
Japan and China should cooperate either
with regard to the suppression OF the rebels on
q reform of political affairs. railway manage
ment, ETC., so to make Corea purely indie
pendent country, which is necessary for
maintaining the balance Of power In the
ORIENT consequently if China would not agree
to the plans now in course of negotiation,
Japan would have to carry out these things
herself
FORCES OF THE DELLIGERESTs.
New YORK, July 2l.-In view of the fact
that war between China and Japan, growing
out of the Corean dispute, appears to be i'm
minent, it may not be uninteresting to give
summary OF the forces of the respective
powers. According to Chinese official statis-
tics the army is composed as follows:
The Eight Banners number 1923, 500 men,
and comprises Manchus, Mongols. AMI
Chinese. OF these 1000 are supposed to be
reviewed by the Emperor at Pekin once
year. There is also the Ying Ping or ma
tional army, embracing 6,459 officers and
$50. 900 priyates.
Capt Norman, in his book "Tonquin, ;" di-
yides the army as follows:
First, the active army, comprising the army
of Manchuri, the army OF the Center, and the
army of Turkestan, and second, the terri
torial army. Capt. Norman gives the
number of the army at Manchuri as
10000 men, divided into two army corps.
Many Of these troops are armed with the
Uauser rifle, and possess liberal supply of
Krupp S-centimeter field cannon. The army
OF the Centre is numbered at $4,000 men in
time of peace. This number, however, can
be doubled in case Of war. The men are OF
q hardy race, and armed with Remington
rifles.
The army of Turkestan is employed in
keeping order in the extreme western terri
eastward in the event of war. The territorial
army is kind Of local militia capable of be-
ing raised to a strength OF probably 100000
men. The numbers are kept down in time of
peace to 100000. The Tartar cavalry of the
north are mounted on undersized but sturdy
ponies. Their equipment is wretched.
cHISAs FLEET.
Within the last fifteen years China has
acquired considerable fleet of vessels, and
many of her ships are of a powerful character.
The larger vessels have been built in Eu-
ropean yards, several of them in England, |
but the imperial arsenal at Foochow has pro- |
duced torpedo cruisers. gunboats, and dis
patch vessels. The feet is divi ded into the |
North Coast squadron. the Foochow |
squadron, the Shanghai fotilla. and |
the Canton fiotilla. The North Coast |
squadron consists of four barbettes sea-going |
aYmorclads, two of ,2S0 tons each and two of |
$3.50 tons each: one turret ship Of $50 tons, |
three eck-protected cruisers Of 2 800 and 2 500 |
TONS four torpedo cruisers, a torpedo flotilla. |
and eleven gunboats of from 325 to 440 tons.
The Foochow squadron consists of ten
cruisers OF from ], 400 to 2, 4S0 tons three gun
boats, nine dispatch boats, and three revenue
cruisers. The Shanghai hOtila consists of |
an armored frigate of $3.50 tons, gunboat,
six floating batteries of wood, and three
transports. The Canton flotilla consists of
three deck-protected cruisers and thirteen
gunboats.
JAPAN's GERMANIzED ARMY.
The army of Japan is organized on a uni
form system on the basis of CONSUMPTION.
All males OF the age OF twenty years are liable
to serve in the standing army for seven years,
Of which three years must be spent in active
service, and the remaining four years in the
army of reserve. After quitting the army Of
reserve they have to form part of the Land
wehr for another FIVE years, and every male
from seventeen to forty years of age, who is
not either in line, the reserve, or the Land
wehr, must belong to the Landstrum, and is