Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-08-02
THE JAPANESE WAR


tary Herbert to-day, is the only official
news from the seat Of war that has
come to the government here from It's
representatives iu China and Japan,
and the surmise that official dispatches
are being DISTRACTED purposely amounts
to conviction. The Monacacy was al
Chemulpo, Corea, with the Baltimore
and Il is supposed that she ran over TO
Nagasaki for coal and supplies. 1t
Is thought here that the action
of japan in officially notifying
the British government OF the existence
Of a state OF war between Japan and
China was precipitsted by the how
Shing incident Had such notice pre-
ceded the sinking Of the ship Japan
would not have incurred liability 10
Great Britain and been obliged 10 apol-
ogize. In effect that notice Is equi1a-
lent to a declaration Of war, or at least
IL imposes the same obligation upon
neutral nations The United States, for
Instance, can sell China or Japan arms
or munitions OF war and supplies but
thew must be delivered ~ the risk OF the
purchaser and any vessel carrying them
10 liable to seizure. So, by this stroke,
Japan doubtless has seriously emoar-
rassed China n her efforts 30 supply her
self With warlike equipment from other
countries.
The conditions are very similar to
those Of the TOnQuin campaign In 1851
SIS when, under the name OF "reprisaiS"
actual war was waged on Chlos by
France. Although there was no formal
declaration of war when the French de-
creed rics 10 bs contraband the United
States and all other nations acquiesced
and the only protest came from the Brit
fsh minister 70 China, who was repri-
manded for il by his own government.
Just what the effect will be on the Chin
ese treaty ports cannot be fOreJold now.
Japan has taken the ground that they
are practically foreign settlements and
therefore has disclaimed any
intention TO interfere with
them, regarding them as outside
Of the zOce Of hostile operations. China,
however, has persistenJlY claimed the
right under the treaties opening the
ports TO close them in time OF war. The
treaties themselves present points or
variance and the whole matter, although
very important TO commercial interests
is shrOuded in doubt. There are no
precedents quite fitting the present case
and il probably calls for the making Of
some international law on the subject,
unless the war ends speedily. II Is be-
lieved here that China now will proceed
TO close the more important
treaty ports; beginning with Shanghai,
perhaps. by obstructing the entrances.
A NEWSPAPER MANS VIEWS.
ST. LOUIS, Mo, August flames NJ.
Rawlins, a newspaper OF this city, who
recently returned from fifteen years
stay in Japan during which time ne was
associated with Japanese soldiers and
travelled considerably throughout that
country aud on the COrean coast, said
TO an Associated Press reporter:
Japan will no doubt come Of victori-
Gus over China in the present struggle.
If numbers amounted to much Japan
would not De a morSel for China, as
there are 400, 900, 600 Chinese and only
100000 Japanese. Because OF the
vast expanSe OF water over there the
most OF the lighting must necessarily
be done at sea. The japanese navy is
new aud thoroughly organized. Their
soldiers are brave and disciplined.
japan mas cu!led from every nation the
cream OF modern warfare and has the
sympathy OF the civilized world. On
the other hand China is a nation Of SUI
perstition aud laziness. IL has some
large war vessels, but they have not
been we'll kept and are dirty and poorly
prepared for an engagement
Chinese soldiers are patriotic out are
not disciplined. The TWO engagements
already reported prove this statement.
The largest man OF war % the Chinese
navy has already been sunk and thous-
andS OF Chinese lost their lives, while
hardly scratch was felt by the Jap
anese. The fact that China has land
inlet to COrea will not amount to much
in the present struggle, as any plumber
OF Chinese soldiers would not avail on
COrean soil before 81 open fire OF the
Jap fleet. The JapS could rOut the
Chinese army from nearly any Ccrean
city by means OF their fleet as the sea
touches on all SidSs OF that country.
Nv theory is that If a prolonged war
should follow China might whip Japan
by sheer force Of numbers, as China
could swarm the japanese island like
locustS, and IL would not matter much
II even'a half million Chinese lost their
lives in the attempt But in this event
Russia or even America or England
would interfere for, as | said before, the
sympathy Of the civilized world is with
Japan and will not stand of aud see her
crushed.
A COURT INQUIRY BEGUN.
LONDON, August l.-Mr. Hugh
MatheSon, OF MaJhesOn & Co.. and Jar
dine. Matheson Il Son, London and
Shang hai. from whom the Chinese trans
port kOw Shung, sunk by Japanese
cruiser, was chartered, received dis
patch 10 day from Tien Tsin, dated Au-
gust l, saying that Col. Won Hennekin,
formerly aid de camp Of Ii Hung Chang,
the Viceroy Of China, who was on board
the transport when she fOundered, was
saved. The dispatch adds that court
inquiry has been opened at Tien Tsln,
in order that all the facts in connection
with the sinking Of the Kow Shung
may be known. The dispatch also adds
that it is reporsed 81 Tien Tsin that
war between China and Japan will be
formally declared this afternoon.
NOW SPAIN IS SCARED.
LONDON, August 1.-The Spanish
sS n result of its misSiv-
ings officially expressed, regarding the
possible results TO the PHILIPPINE Islands
in the event OF Japan becoming the
dominant power In the east, has pur-
chased three cruisers from English
firms.
AN APOLOGY OFFERED By JAPAN.
Toxic, JAPAN, August The Jap
anese government has instructed its
minister in London 10 apologize 10