The record-union., 1894-07-05
Relations Between China and
Japan Very Much Strained.
THE LATTER CONTINUING ACTIVE
WAR MEASURES
Her Navy at Its Best, Her Arsenals
Busy, tho Coasts Being Secured for
Service and Everything Breathes
Spirit of Trouble-All Her Plans
Secretly Kept, Native Papers with
Announcements About War Being
Suppressed.
Special to the REcoRD-UNroN.

Special to the REcoRD-UNIoN.
VICTORIA (B. C.l, July 4.-The Empress
of China, eleven days from Yokohama,
has arrived. She reports that Japan is
continuing active war preparations, and
the strained relations between Japan and
China are as much feature of the Asiatic
trouble as the Corean rebellion. Corea,
alarmed at the movements of her neigh
bors, pleads that both withdraw their
troops from her shores and warships
from her harbors. The plans of Japan
are secret, and as fast as native papers
make any announcements about the war
they are suppressed. Her navy is at its
BEST her arsenals are busy, the coasts are
being secured for service, and everything
breathes a spirit of trouble. A cable re-
ceived from Yokohama announces that
on June 18th the Government army de-
feated the Togakito, recovering Senshu.
The commander of the Government
troops was captured by the rebels, but
his life so far has been spared.
The Japanese warships at present in
Corean waters are the Matushima, the
coast defense flagship; Yoshino, Yamato,
Musashi, Takao, Chyoda and Tsukushi-
kan. cruisers; Agaki and Chokai Kan,
gunboats, and Yaeyama Kan, dispatch
boat
The Japanese army which landed at
Juenchan on June 18th was divided into
two divisions, one being left at Juenchan
to protect the Japanese there, while the
other division of 200 men proceeded to
Seoul on the 14th to protect the legation
and Japanese there. When later news
reached Pekin, an urgent telegram was
sent to Viceroy LII from Minerva Yuan.
The Niceroy inspected all the troops un-
n Il, rod
departure. A telegram received on the
10Th at Toxic from Shanghai reads as fol-
lows:
"There is rumor that the registration
of the vessels of the China Merchant
Navigation Company will be transferred
to Germany"
When war with France became inevita-
BILE in 1854, all the steamers of the Chinese
Merchants Navigation Company were
registered to the United States, and
Messrs. Russell IL Co. were made their
agents. 1t is usual for China to place her
merchant vessels under the protection of
a foreign power. and they think it very
clever expedient, as China well knows
that in case of war she could not protect
her merchant ships. If the rumor is true
and the vessels have been transferred to
the registration of other powers, it may
be concluded that China has taken the
step toward military preparations.
On June 18th the village of Honmura.
adjoining Y ok ohama was destroyed by
fire, upwards of ,000 houses having been
consumed, and three days afterwards the
heaviest earthquake experienced in Yo-
kohama and Toxic since 1880 occurred.
In both places there has been loss of life
and great destruction of property. The
fire started In restaurant, and for three
hours spread with great rapidity. A des-'
perate fight was made TO stop it, and was
successful through the aid or men from
IJa- Main fxytc Enr
amounts to hundreds Of thousands of dol
lars and several thousand people are
homeless and destitute.
Tokio's loss by the earthquake is Sc
we're, twenty-six persons having been
killed and many wounded, the number
of the latter not being known. Casual
ties TO property of one kind or another
are extremely numerous, and they might,
If it were possible for the press to ascer-
tain and record them ALL be given in hum
dreds.
The destruction on the whole of CHM
neys roofs and buildings has been very
serious, as may be naturally expected.
and several thousand yen will have
to be dispensed for repairs and
renewals in Toxic, Yokohama and wher-
ever the shocks were violent enough to
cause disaster.
Fortunately the catastrophe took place
by day instead of night, or fire would
have added horrors, as usually is the case
when severe earthquake takes place.
1t has always been thought that there is
some sort OF relation between volcanoes
and seismic phenomena, and the greater
violence which Asama Yama has mani
tested within the last few weeks NAV be
indicative Of this theory.
Following are returns of principal dam
ages caused by the earthquake in the Sec
ton of Toxic: Deaths-9 men, IL women:
wounded-147 men, 12S women; inhab-
tied houses demolished, IL: vacant, rs;
houses partially demolished, "a; houses
damaged, 3,551; go-downs damaged, 264.
In addition to the above, the ground
cracked and sunk in ST places; III Chin
neys have been thrown, and sos stone
lantern tombs have fallen.
The officers of the Empress say when
they left Yokohama the plague was de-
creaSing. Although the snip touched at
all Chinese ports she brought no Chinese
passengers, as matter of precaution.
When at Hongkong, thousands of coolies
were leaving there daily for Canton and
other ports. The city, in measure was
deserted and looked desolate The for
eigners are still free from disease, and do
not show any alarm. The official report
for Hongkong for Monday, June 18th,
says: Deaths from the outbreak, from
May 5th to June 11th, noon, were I, 46l;
grand total, 1,547. From noon until 5
P. NJ. to-day, at the Tung Wah branches
glass works and slaughter house,, new
cases, Is, of which one death was on ar
rival and ten since; total remaining under
treatment, 240.
The drought in Japan continues and the
rice crop is threatened.
Jryyc Epn1r rrrrr, Nnrr,~-y,