The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-02-24
DETAILS OF THE JAPANESE AT
TACK ON CHINA'S STRONG
HOLD.
STORMING OF THE FORTS
CHINESE FORCES ABANDON THEIR
GUNS, WHICH WERE TURNED
UPON THEM.

TOXIC, Feb. (per steamer Gaelic).-
The news from Wei-hai-wei is discon-
nected and fragmentary, owing partly to
arrangements of the telegraph in Korea,
and partly to heavy storms in the Yellow
Sea, which have interrupted communlca-
lions as well as interfered with the naval
operations at the point of attack.
The land forces, under General Oyama,
began their march from Yung-Cheng on
January 80, the Kumamoto brigade taking
road which runs along the northern
coast OF the Shan-Tung peninsula, and
the Sendia division moving by an interior
and considerably longer route. Small
bodies of the enemy were driven from
various posts, the names of which are
given in the official reports.
By the evening of the 18th the chain of
forts at Pochiyaisu, on the eastern extrem-
lty OF Wei-hai-wei harbor, were in posses
sion OF the japanese. These forts, four in
number, had an armament of twelve guns,
ranging from Is centimeters to % cent?
meters. AS the guns were all in working
order, they were Immediately turned upon
the Chinese fleet and upon the fortitca-
tons of the island of Ihi, which lies a
little westward of Pochiyaisu. The Japa-
nese fleet co-operated vigorously until
noon OF January 81, when a violent snow
storm compelled the ships to cease action.
On February the weather cleared, and
the onset was renewed. Since that date no
authoritative news has arrived. but Jap
anese transport which passed the station
on the Sd brought information that all the
land batteries were concentrating their fire
on the island of Liukung, at the mouth of
the bay.
Full and authentic news is soon eX-
pected, but will not reach Toxic in time
for this mail.
China's second attempt to negotiate for
peace-counting the Detring tiasco as the
first of her efforts to that end-has proved
even more fruitless than was anticipated
by the Japanese. The capacity of the
Picking Government for gigantic blunder-
ing has never been more strikingly demon
strated. From the moment it was decided
to send an embassy to Hiroshima the
foreign diplomats lost no opportunity of
impressing upon the Tsung Ii Yamen the
necessity of dealing squarely with their
adversaries.
Mr.. Dun, the United States Minister in
Toxic, was especially emphatic in warning
the Chinese that unless the Commissioners
should be empowered to determine all
questions that might arise, their visit
would be a dire failure. The Tsung Ii
Yamen did not hesitate to give the most
positive assurances that the ENJOYS would
be genuine Slenipotentiaries, authorized to
speak unreservedly in the name of their
sovereign. 1t is believed that still stronger
cd uac vua 10 o,ivap 70 NJ, 1iraa+
response to that gentlemans inquiries
from Japan upon the subject.
When they appeared on the scene of &C
ton all their surroundings indicated that
they had come to remain for virtu-
ally indefinite period They brought a
small colony of attendants, clothing suit
able for the heat of the coming summer,
and fifty-three wagons full of food. Yet
the first glance at their credentials made it
evident that their duties were so impera-
lively limited that they could only listen
to the conditions which Japan might pro-
pose report them to Picking, and then
await further instructions. This being the
case the sole course open to the Japanese
was to dismiss them.
Only two meetings were held between
them and the Japanese Commissioners,
Count Ito and Viscount Mutsu. The first
took place on February l, when the letters
of credence were demanded. Mr.. Foster
was not admitted, his presence being con-
sidered undesirable. When it was found
that Messrs. Chang and Shao were not in
any sense qualified they were invited to
the Prefecture on the following day and
informed that they could not be received
by the Government of Japan. On this
occasion also Mr. Foster was excluded
The interview lasted only half an hour
Three days after their arrival in Hiroshima
the Chinese were making ready for de-
parture.
1t is reported that Mr.. Fosters annoy
ance was SO great that an open quarrel
took place between him and his clients 1t
appears to be true that the American coun-
selor contemplated leaving the embassy.in
Hiroshima and returning to the United
States When the Chinese started on
February 4 for Nagasaki, however, he ac-
companied them to that port.
At the close of the second and last inter
view in the Hiroshima Prefecture Count
Ito told the ENJOYS that whenever prop
erly accredited delegates should be sent by
their Emperor they would be received with
as much respect as if this unfortunate
error had not been committed. If China
desires to promptly renew her application
no obstacle will be put in her way; but it
is doubtful if anything can now check the
advance of the invaders through Pechili
and their occupation of Peking.