Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-28

they have captured from the royal troops.
They have 5000 Matchbox rifles. and the
most of them have swords and spears They
have thorough organization. and there
are 100 men among them who serve as
scouts. At the first battle, which occurred
about two weeks ago, the government
troops were victorious, but at the next a
few days later, the rebels conquered and
900 OF the kings soldiers were left dead on
the field The advices we get here are to the
effect that the officers of the rebels are able
and brave. They led the government troops
into ambuscades, and have outgeneraIed
them in nearly every instance. The rebels
are favored by the people. and the govern
ment soldiers find il hard to get anything
to eat. Lii Hung Chang has sent number
of soldiers to the assistance of the king
but there has yet been no battle between
the Chinese and Korean troops. In the
capital Of Korea two-thirds of the people
are said to be friendly to the rebels, who
are marching toward Seoul. and 1t will be
only the foreign troops which will prevent
their taking the capital
Rivalry of Two Nations.
One of the chief cries of the rebellion Is
against the foreigners. 1 have before me
a manifesto which has just been issued by
them. 1t states that the foreigners must be
expelled from the country and that the old
religion must be upheld. 1t advocates the
destruction of the officials. and is of the
most infiammatory nature. There is no
doubt but that such of the missionaries as
are outside of Seoul are by no means safe
DIR. w. j. Hall was attacked by a mob in
the city of Pen Yang the other day, and
IL is said that the governor of the city
headed the mob. So far no foreigners have
been killed, but the colony at the capital
numbering about one hundred foreigners
is in great danger, and only the presence
of the foreign gunboatS makes them safe
In the meantime the troops which China is
pouring into Korea lay possibly get into
trouble with the Japanese. The two nations
hate each other worse than do the Ger
II ans and the French. Each nation is
afraid of the other, and each is apparently
preparing for war. The advices received
here state that the Chinese have sent six
teen transports of troops to Korea, and
sixty-fve hundred Japanese soldiers have
already been landed on Korean soil. There
are about eight thousand japanese people
living in Korea. They have colonies at all
the ports. and at each OF these ports a
japanese gunbOat will be probably sta
toned. The Japanese have one of the best
naVies in the east. They are a nation of
fighters, and they are sailing about Korea
with chips on their shoulders. If the Chi
rese happen TO run against them and dis
lodge the chips there will be a battle in no
time. and u war between the two countries
NAY spring UP which will possibly Involve
Russia and England and eventually bring
ON great European war. 1t is impossible
at this writing to state what is going 10
happen. These countries of the far east
are diffe -ent today than they have been in
the past. Ii Hung Chang has army of
10000 men equipped with the latest of i'm
proved rifles, and the Chinese navy will
rank well up with the great nayies of
Europe. Japan is making modern guns
equal to those which are turned out at the
Washington navy yard. The troops have
been drilled by German officers for years.
They are armed with rifles as good as any
you viii and in the world, made after q