Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-17
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Ii Hung Changes Greatest Enemy
Now in Control.
DEATH Fer GENERALS and ADMIRALS
They Have Been Condemned for
Cowardice.
| For GENERALS and ADMIRALS
THE EMPER IRIS LATE EDIC1

VANCOUVER. B. c.. January 1.-THE
following advices from China have been re-
celved by the steamer Empress of Japan:
The situation is growing more compli-
Gated since the arrival of Viceroy Lui Kun
head of the Human faction. The first evil
dence of Lui Kun Yih is the issuing of
decree condemning Adnrals Ting and
kung and Lord Lii to death, and all other
officers in command of divisions yet alive
who showed cowardice before, after or
turing the battle.
BY this sweeping decree. none of the
generals or admirals escape. The decree
states that as they are responsible for the
necessary fall of Port Arthur, death must
be their penalty. The board of punishment
will publicly disgrace the commanders be-
fore execution.
The mandate overrides Lii Hung Changs
desperate attempt to "whitewash" every
cowardly commander who deserted his
post at the fall of Port Arthur.
Officers have been sent after Admiral
Kung, with Instructions to bring him back
alive or leave his dead body to the Hultures.
Kung will surely be taken. He is now hid
ing at Yang Chow. Kung is brother OF
the Chinese minister to England. ard up
to a recent date, under Lii Hung Chang,
was a very powerful politician at court.
Lui has selected Kung for his special re-
verge, on account of his enmity to Ii Hung
Chang.
Lord Ii. another impeached admiral. IS
in hiding, and Is in communication with
kung. Government spies have reported
these facts to the authorities. SO that his
capture is certain.
Admiral Ting Is locked up with his fleet
at Wei-Hai-Wei. 1t is said If he heard Of
his fate he would cheat the eXecutioner.
as he is extremely proud and will not live
to satisfy the hatred of his old rival Lui.
An edict issued month ago by the en-
peror of China to those within the palace
Precinct has just come to light. During
this time it has been jealousy guarded
from the public, as 1t was hoped and wish
ed that the young emperor, despairing and
discouraged, would change his mind and
recall his utterances. The translation of
this most extraordinary edict of any issued
by the emperor during the war has been
obtained. 1t was given out when wing
Thung Tsao and Wen Thung Shihi memoir
ialized the emperor, suggesting the re-
n-oval of the capital westward. The SUBJ
stance of this proclamation Is as folloWs:
when we first took charge of the ana1rs
of the empire it was our intention to intro
duce many reforms. Suddenly and uneX-
pectedly the Japanese have broken the
peace, taken away our Corean dependency
and taken possession of the borders or our
empire.
1--WE have sent our generals, upon whom
we depended, with their armies. to punish
the enemies of peace and drive them away,
but We never INTENDED TO disturb tLe peeC0
of the Japanese empire, and this all for
eign nations well know.
Little did we expect that our generals
were incompetent, and, In many cases, I'M
trustworthy, and that soldiers were IN
subordinate and ill-supplied with the arms
adequate, and which large sums OF money
were appropriated by us to supply them
with and 1t is for these reasons that the
Japanese have gained victory after Victory
and place after place. which causes here
the greatest concern and makes our anceS-
tors restless in their honored graves.
"AII this aifiiction and trouble Is because
we are unworthy. and have employed unfit
men. Ii, however, the worst comes, ana
the enemy secure our sacred affairs. then
there remains nothing for us but to perish
al the altar of our fathers, and be gath
cred home to them, lighting to the last, as
they did before US. for our country and our
honor
when that time comes. may you rev.
erently escort the empress dowaSer west
ward, and elect worthy man 80 be your
emperor; look after the sacred affairs OF
our ancestors, and wipe out their terrible