Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1895-03-21

ing in their stead Japanese. Even
in the merchant service they are dis
charging the foreign captains and
officers except in few Of the mail
steamers where there are generally
lots Of foreign passengers and cargo
else foreigners at present would not
travel with them. In the merchant
service their captains and officers
have to pass examinations very much
similar to those that officers in Eng
fish ships have to pass, and on SINH
lar lines.
They have very large merchant
marine and some very fine steamers
among them and an immense junk or
native craft trading round their
coasts, quite different to any other
part OF the world that ! have been in.
Some Of the fast merchant steamers
are fitted for armed cruisers and have
been Of good service AS transports
during the war.
Their navy is uniformed very much
like the English navy and American,
in fact except for being smaller men
and dark featured, you would scarcely
know the difference between them
and European sailors.
The few men-oi-war ! have been on
board Of were very clean and tidy.
Most OF them have been built in Eu-
rope but they have built several
smart ones themselves at Yukoska,
their naval port near Yokohama.
had no idea they were preparing
TO invade China but have noticed for
several years they have been fortlfy'
ing very strongly the treaty sparts
of Yokohama, Kiobd and Negasaki.
The soldiers are dressed after differ
European armies, more like the French
or italian armies, not like the Eng
fish with their red coats, but dark
colored uniforms with usually yellow
facings. 1t is very serviceable uni
iorm,
expected they would beat the
Chinese and said SO from the first, but
was not prepared for such brilliant
battles both by land and sea. The
only thing | am afraid of is they COM
menced the war too late in the year.
1t ought to have been commenced
early ~ the spring and then quick
march Of successes and they would be
ut Pekin before the Chinese knew
where they were but ! am afraid the
severe winter IN Manchnria and
around Pekin will retard them and
they are not used to such cold weather
on their Island.
Il does not appear to have affected
them very much by the accounts we
read in the papers. In my opinion
any nation attacking China, must do
it sharply and promptly, and before
the Chinese can recover themselves,
else there arc spch hordes of Chinese
that they can bring them up unarmed
as they mostly will be and harrass
the enemy. Life in China Is not val
ued very much, but II they give them
breathing time to get well drilled,
and rifles Of modern construction it
may yet 60 hard with the japanese
The old saying, every cock will
fight on his own dunghill," holds as
good in China as elsewhere. With
Chinese well drilled, trained and
armed, wonders | think could be done
with them. have carried both Chi
nese and Japanese crews, and hardly
know which would choose from II
well trained; still | think the Chinese
would make the best men, though !
like the Japs best.
| know the japanese have gone In
very greatly for European civilization
the last 25 to 80 years, and it has
been truly wonderful. They have
railways and telegraphs all over the
country and all worked on similar
patterns to Europe. All government
civilians or not, have to cut
their hair short and dress European
fashion, and even the natives in the
towns must have trousers and not 90
about the streets with their legs ex-
posed above the knee rs they used to
DO. For violation they are sent to
prison. They have gone in for ciyili-
cation, you will see, with yen-
yeance. have thought they went
even too much for the native mind.
II the Japanese continue to give
china such a thrashirg as they have
been doing. when it is over think it
Wi gNe a big squirt to trade, as
Ihina will say How i It Japau has
beaten us everywhere; it mus. 81 hi
they have gone in ior,
md we must do the same, and get rid