The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-08-30

The following article on the war
in Korea is from the Pacific, re-
ligious paper published in San
Francisco:
The attention of the whole civilized
world has been attracted TO Japan,
China and Korea within the past few
weeks to a greater degree than ever
before. The daily papers have been
adorned with fiaring woodcuts repre-,
senting the Japanese Navy" and
with other indistinguishably similar
woodcuts illustrating the "Cnlnese
Navy.u Every day or two thumbnall
mans of vast regions have appeared,
designed TO enlighten the public as to
the theater of the war, about the orl-
Gin and merits of which next TO
nothing is generally known. Inc
truth is that, in ordinary times, even
residents of the Pacific Coast take Ill,
tie interest in Asiatic politics, and
when a war is threatened they concern
| themselves very little with the merits
of tbe case, but confine their attention
| to the relation between the dispute
| and the price of American flour,
| canned goods and mmunltlon.
The contradictory and often unInteI-
| ligibIe dispatches appearing in the
| daiIies give so little information that
| il is impossible at this writing 10
| know exactly what has Happened, De
| youd the existence OF a state OF war
| between China and Japan about ho-
! rea, a small peninsula nortneast OIL
| China. west of Japan aud south OF the
| Russian possessions on the Siberian
coast. It's position gives to this PENN
sula a significance far beyond It's IN
| trinsic importance. 1t would De III
| valuable 10 Russia as an outlet, as her
one port of NIadivostock Is blocked by
! ice nearly six months OF each year
| Korea stands IN a relation OF depend
ence both TO Japan and TO emma. Inc
I latter country annually receives lTlD'
ute bearers from the King OF Korea
| and until within recent years, korea
| was never considered as other than
one OF several tributary countries
| under China's control and patronage
But not many years ago Korea
! with the consent, and apparently al
the instance of China, assumed an IN
dependent position, and sent ana re
cefyed ambassadors OF her own u
Western lands, yet without termln
ating her subordinate relations U
China. The Chinese Resident ma
| been one of the most Influential an'
| and everything done in Korea wa
| apparently a well known and ar
| ranged for in the yamen of the grea
Chinese statesman, Ii Hung Chang
as if Korea had been only one q
China's provinces 1t IL this state q
things which puzzles Westerners-
| and no wonder. Although many pam
phIets have been published WltnIl
the past decade, discussing the Iela
tions OF Korea TO China, 1t Is safe U
saw that very few understand VIVA
those relations really are. Mean
time. Korea, like Turkey, has beel
rbe worst and most corrupt Y gov
erned country in the world, and, IIk
: Turkey. it, fate has been questIOl
, iuvol ying the peace of three empires
IaDan has the heaviest commercia
interests in KOrea-a somewhat IN
| compreheu sible fact, in view Of Ia
undoubted superiority OF the Chimes
a. traders. The domestic politics Z
Korea have always heen as unlnteill
gibIe 10 outsiders IS the genealogIe
? OF a nest Of rats, but there - no goo
reason TO suppose that Japan mas pee
mixed up in them all. IL az - r.
r ported, she has carried away the Kin
of Korea in i bag, she II likely
have something % say 70 Korea
D, DoIitjcs IN the 10 II ediate future.
Japan has, within recent years, in
stituted popular representative gov
erument. The meetings Of the Parlia
meut have been invariably brief an
stormy. generally ending IN bein
: Drorogued by the Emperor, with
O new election 70 follow, and still othC
4 more turbulent sessions in the Ofiin;
Jauan has been in condition
p seGthing unrest for many cause
partly internal, partly external, M
4 Ill. a. in the case Of the second Frenc
! empfre. a war has become a militaT
necessity. Evils in Korea have tee
made the occasion, and the war i 10
gun. Japan has adopted Germa
:. military naval methods. Her arm
and navy have attained degree
efficiency unexampled in any Asiat
power, and the whole nation II lite
= ally spelling for fight. The pHgn'
. cious and ebullient patriotism of u
L Japanese in this country - windo
through which we may discern II
n national spirit. Thousands Of dOlla
are raised as a freewili Offering on III
altar Of patriotism, and hundreds
10 men are said 20 be willing and reaC
Z 10 90 from here al 4 moments nOtiC
~ and al their own expense, 20 tai
part a. soldiers for their cOuntT
tg Thus far, all the successes seem 10
=. on the side of the japanese, WI
aside from excellent DTeDaratiOn. 4