The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1895-04-12
ENGLAND AND ASIA
Great Britain Will Be Jealous Of
Japan's Augmented Power.

We need, greatly need. a Port
mouth in the Far East, situated, We
would suggest, ia some point in
Western Boru-o, or. IL there is
good hatbor, on the island now bs-
longing to the Dutch, called the
Great Natupas, which, If the imper
feet descriptions OF it are reasonably
correct, must bs siDgularly deiensi-
BILE. That seems TO ia the clear de-
dnctinn from he capture Of Wei
Hai-Wei, which ought TO impress
Europe much more than the orcupa.
tion OF Corea. the slow march scrus
East Mauchuria, or even the storm
OF the great arsenal, Port Arthur.
The Japanese have exhibited at
Wei. Hai-Wei not only the foresight
which we nov expect Of tbeni--ths
scientific knowledge aud the power
Of adapting mean. TO end.--but the
kind Of soldier.liks resolution and
fidelity to duty which we have all
been deceived into believing to bs
qualities exclusively pertaining to
Europeans. Any navy 10 Europe
would, We fancy, be proud to have
executed that second rush OF tor
pedo boats iUto the harbor OF Wei
Hal. Wei, when the first one, though
successful in blowing up one great
ironclad, had suffered so terribly
under the Chinese fire, when a storm
was blowing outside, and when the
cold ought to have irozen the very
hearts Of men bred in q gen,ler eli.
mate than ours. The English would
have written thing, we think, about
that crew which went on, though a
lieutenant aud two men were fruz n
to death Ms they stood, aud would
have drawn auguri.s as to the cou-
tiuurd vitality # the race from that
exhibition OF plucky endurance aud
OF fidelity to duty which withstUod
even death by torture.
II the Japanese navy. which we
see TO be welt armed, we'll provision
ed and we'll commanded, is manned
by men of that temper, Japan, No
may depend upon il, i. not ouiy a
considerable STA Power, hut ba. in
her n poleutiality 81 being a very
formidable one. She only needs
more ships; and besni-s her capacity
for building them for herself, she
will shortly bs in possession OF a
great sum Of money with which
to purchase NOR. JaIan IL, in
fact. Power which, IL not ALSO
lut.ly first. class, is first. class in
its power Of action, and has arisen
suddenly and, ~ il were, with a
leap, at the extremity OF Asia. 1t
seeus to US that our Ministers, We
care not OF which party, will bs
bound, as far-seeing statesmen. to
provide against the possible hostility
Of the new Power. They are DE-
pending-ws do not mean by 'the,"
one party more than auother-far
too much upon the unity Of Europe
against the aggrandiz-m-nt OF
Japan. We see no grounds for ~.
Stunning that this UNITY wall DO du =
able.
We must rely in the end on our
own strength, aud our own strength
may bs severely tried by our want
Of base near enough to be- OF use.
II is all very well TO say that Japan
and Great Britain have no grounds
Of quarrel, but sea Powers are j-al-
Gus Of each other, and il the Mi.
k,do's Government resolves, as il
wilt be tempted by the national
citation to resolve, upon a policy of
adventure aud conquest, it is our
property which offers most tempta-
ton aud is most exposed. Hong.
kong, the enirepot for commerce
with China; Singapore, which Lord
Beacons field thought the key OF
Asia; Borneo, with its endless posi-
bIlIties; even India or Auslr alia
themselves might be the subjects of
attack. The japanese in their ella.
ton hope TO be tn. first Power in
Aria, aud to be- that they must in
some way prove to us that We
have tn content ourselves with
the second position, which would
mean a maritime war. How far
ara We ready for in The Ad.
miralty has strengthened the
fleet very wisely, for We were wrong
in thinking the movement prema-
ture; and the theory il, that We
should in great engagement do.
stroy the Japanese fleet. But, sup
pore Wa did not; that the torpedo'
were too many for us; or, though
nominaily victorious, We w-re severe
ly wounded, how then would the
two Powers standi The Japanese
would retreat to their own u senals
to r-fi', or to Port Arthur, which
they will not give up; and where
should we goi We have coal in half
a dozen known places, aud one
depot, Chagos, which everybody out
side the Admiralty forgets; but
! l. Il II