Frederick citizen., 1895-01-25
Intention OF The JIPS
Will Not Attempt to Reach
Pskin This Winter.


Capture Wei-Hai-Wei = Statistics
Showing China's Loss at Present
To Ee About SO.0OO.OOO Yen.
San Francisco, Jan. 23.-The steamer
Peru, just arrived. brings Toxic news
to Jan. 8. Under date Jan. 2, the ia.
pan Gazette says:
We understand that no attempt will
be made to reach Pekin this winter
The reason is obvious, but it would
never do to let the army remain idle
nor to permit the national enthusiasm
to cool through passive policy.
Hence it is reported that it has been
decided to capture Wei-Hai-
IF it was not for the bad weather
this diversion would not be attempted,
as the Chinese fleet is afraid to fight
and We!-HaiWei is no obstacle to a
march on the capital. Bat since for.
ward movement of any magnitude are
at present impossible the value OF cap.
turing Wei-Hai- Cd is easily compre.
hensible. 1t would destroy the las,
refuge of the Chinese fleet ana in all
probability the feet itself
Being close to shore the sailors
could be depended upon to desert and
1t is very unlikely that the Chiness
gunners in the forts will offer any
more determined resistance than that
exhibited by the towards at Port Ar.
thur. Its capture then would be sim.
pie, and apart from the moral effect
Of the blow the destruction or sur.
Of
stroy the last chance of China again
acting on the offensive. Before the
end of January we believe Wei-Hai.
Wei will be in Japanese hands"
Writing under date January s. this
United Press correspondent at Toxic
says:
I'm addition to two first class for.
tresses and a dockyard with all ap.
pliances. as well as great tract OF
territory, China has lost in the present
war fighting ships sggregating 1884
tons and valued at 100000 yen Cfva
and a half million gold dollars) OF
these vessels three were captured by
the japanese; the rest sunk or burned
Among other spoils taken by the Jap.
aneSe are 607 cannon; 7,400 stand Of
rifles; 2,801.741 rounds of cannon am.
munition; 77.45S7S5 rounds of small
arm ammunition; 1851 Koku Of rice.
specie and coin to the amount of one
million yen; 1926 tents; 1S sailing
ships and steamers and a quantity OF
other things the value of the whole,
including the fortresses and dock-yard
being about eighty million yen.
"The Japanese armies in the field
ciHtd nf 1ixIc 10
The first division and one half of the
second are now in the Lao Tung pen
insula where they form the second
army. Their inaction since takin9
Port Arthur has been a subject OF
comment. The brigade forming halt
of the sixth division remained to gar
rlson Port Arthur and the first division
has been massed at Chin Chow and
Talien. The reasons for this inertia
are apparent. The first division has
been held In readiness for another ex.
pedition over the sea. II could not
therefore, undertake any operations
involving a long march inland The
expedition in question is an attack
upon Wei-Hai-Wei, Chlna's only re.
naming fortified harbor in the Cult
Of PechiH. The first division will no,
proceed alone. 1t Is to be Joined by
the third division, now on the point
of embarking from Hiroshima Ths
place Of landing in the Shan Tune
province rs kept profound secret, but
the Chinese know that Wei-Hai-W Wei
is to be attacked and have been doing
everything in their power to fortify
its back door. 1t is a tremendous un.
dertaking to carry an army of 2o,00G
men into the Gulf of Pechili and land
them on the Shan Tung shores in
midwinter
The situation of the left wing OF
the first japanese army In Shin King
is not strategicaliy sound. Lieut-Gen
Katsure at Hai-Cheng is between twd
Chinese forces. each of them numeri.
cally nearly twice as strong as his
own command An element Is wanting
TO make practicable and effective a
plan of campaign, and that element
is a northward movement of japanese
troops from the Lao Tung peninsula
so as to operate upon Katsura's south
and engage one of the Chinese armies
threatening him. Every one supposed
that such a movement was contem.
plated especially when Marshal Oyama
pushed from Chin Chow to Fuchow
and occupied the latter place Decem-
ber S. BY continuing his march sixty.
three miles further north, he would
have found himself under the walls
of Kai Ping. the headquarters of Gen
Sung. But he fell back to Chin Chow
being under orders to hold his troops
ready for embarkation. On the 2Sth
of December. however, another brigade
took the ship from Hiroshima for the
Lao Tung peninsula. 1t Is probable
that on the arrival of that brigade
the northward movement alluded te
above will be undertaken. Not thai
the force then In the peninsula will
be stronger than the force there al
present; on the contrary the first ii.
vision now at Chin Chow and Talien
having been withdrawn for the expedi.
tion against Wei-Hai- wei and replaced
by the brigade. there will only be a
division In the peninsula instead of a
division and a half. But 1t is not a
question OF numerical strength. Tho
northern movement could have been
made long ago had not Marshal Oyama
been obliged to keep the bulk of his
troops within easy reach of Talien bay
with view to speedy embarkation. +"
The Porte Apol' gizcs.
ConSt n ntinopIe Tan o2-Tha norto