The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1894-08-17
NEWS BY STEAMER.
Reported Abandonment of the Chinese
Man-of-war Koot Su.


Victoria, August 16-The steamer Ia
coma. 10 days out from Hong Kong,
arrived at this port shortly after noon
TODAY. She left Hong Kong July ~,
Shanghai July "a, Kobe July 20. So far
as could be learned, popular feeling in
Yokohama is at concert pitch. Num-
bers of leading merchants have made
contributions Of rice and salsi, and all
Is hurry. hustle and fighting talk.
Lieutenant General Takashima ex-
rressed himself as follows, at Osaka;
"The military equipment of the coun-
try has become perfected by degrees,
since the organization Of divisions IN
1885. At present the Japanese army
need not fear any country in the world
with the exception of three or four OF
the powers. In comparing her navy
with that of China, Japan is inferior In
point of tonnage by some 5000 tons but
China has vessels with with speed OF
only fourteen knots. while Japan has
vessels of eighteen knots. AS to skill
and arms, Chinais no match for Japan.
Moreover, she has only 80 vessels OF
the China Merch9nts' Steam Navigation
Company as transports, which she re-
quires for the transportation of rice for
the interior. But Japan has about so
steamers of over 1000 tons for that
purpose, If recently purchased vessels
be added. AS it is the first occasion
in which steal-armored squadrons have
engaged in combat, foreign powers VIII
regard with attention the issues OF
naval engagement. Thus the present
occasion is worthy of our full exertion,
and it will be good opportunity to
show the world our military strength.
Since the naval fight off Fusan, the
running of japanese steamers between
Jinsin and Fusan have been suspended
General travel on the smaller Oriental
lines is much broken, and news Of an
authentic nature is difficult to obtain.
In Yokohama 1t is believed that Chi
ra's plan will be to march troops into
Corea by way of Wiju, and the Japan
ese government is said to be taking
steps accordingly. From Hong Kong,
reports on the Corean difficulty are
even mere unsatisfactory, the news
being of wild and contradictory na-
ture. Fuhkien authorities have ordered
some of the Lok Ching batallions to
proceed to Foo Chow, and "braves"
are being enlisted to strengthen the
forces in Fuhkien. The garTisons Of
the Ming Ngan forts are daily practice
ing with their big guns, and are pre-
pared to give good account of them
selves should the Japanese warships
make any attempt on the arsenal at the
Pagoda anchorage.
The Hochi reports that intelligence
is said to have been received in Tolylo
TO the effect that the Chinese man-of-
war Koot Su, which fed eastward to
the Corean coast after the engagement
of July 25, reached Asan, where her
crew abandoned her and landed, and
that a Japanese man-of-war followed
and captured her. At Rysan, while the
Japanese soldiers were preceding tow
ard Siugen Flu. laying their line OF de-
fense, over 800 soldiers assembled and
entered the lines whereby collision
occurred between them. The Chinese
troops opened fire. which was re-
sponded to by the Japanese soldiers,
Field guns put the Chinese soldiers to
flight, and they sustained loss Of 1sO
killed and 40 wounded. The queen Of
Cocea is reported Ill and under treat
ment for malariaI fever