The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-02-16

cavalry patrol along the seashore, but they
would have none of it.
shar-hai-kaun can be avoided and turned
by a landing at Rocky Point. or at the I'eh-
tang River, but make no doubt the ;.d-
vance of the japanese from Kinchou-
Northern one,'-which is repol tad, will
cause Shan-hai-kaun tic be evacuated at
once.
SOME USEFUL TORPEDOES
had almost forgotten to tell you about
Taotai Sheng. The steamship Fetching in
crossing the bar ran into and damaged a
torpedo. Sheng made a complaint against
the Captain for damaging one of the con-
tact torpeaoes laid in defense of Taku
Useful torpedoes! This is the same gentle
man who made corner In rice, and were it
not that the season is unusually open there
would not be enough rice for the soldiers
for GlIe Southern provinces.
! was at Port Arthur week after its cap
ture. What a prize it is for the Japanese.
and just the thing they have been wanting.
Now they have an jmpregnable depot close
to the shores of Chilli, and only seven
hours by steam from Wei-Hai-Wei. They
can. from it, patrol the Gull of hiaotung,
and elfectually seal up the Chinese fleet.
AS base from which to start an expedi-
tion. it is admirable: in its basin twenty
fonr steamers can lie at the same time. and
the Chinese troops left basin, dockyard, and
machinery in good order, as also were the
forts and guns, and none of The aInnuni-
tion was destroyed. Nearly 10000 tons of
coal. with fifty or more miles OF steel rails,
were also captured.
Taotal Kung, who was great man at
Port Arthur, and escaped from there during
the fghting--to do him justice, he is not a
military Off cial. but civil one-has love-
ly theory 10 account Tor the success of the
Japanese. He says the latter did mot
fight like men at all; the Chinese soldier
were all standing up ready to receive hem,
but the Japs separated into small bodies,
ran on a few yards, then lay down; then
got up and advanced. and lay down before
they could be fred at. What could China
men do against such idiots these? Beside,
they fought SO unfairly; they got into one
of the end forts. and actually turned the
guns on the Chinese soldiers! 1t is most
unfair! The guns We're never meant to do
that!" Delicious idea of tactics. is it not?
DIVIDED INTO TWO PARTIES.
The ordinary Cinnamon here are divided
into two parties. One contends that Port
Arthur mas not yet been taken by the Japa-
neese, and that it is impossible for them to
DO so. The other says the Viceroy is now
really angry with the Japanese and they
had better look out. Also, in order to pre-
vent useless slaughter of Cinnamon, he has
ordered the soldiers to run away in future.
One would ha We thought this order slight
ly superhuous. for the army of China at
present goes rather more quickly than a
china dinner service! vi
l have seen some of the wounded Chinese
soldiers from Phyong-au and Ta-lien-wau
in the Viceroy's hospital here. 1t is extra
ordinary-what little damage to bones the
Muratta bullet causes, ana Taylor's reports
ought to throw a great light on the yexed
question of the effect of smell-bore bullet.
Hitherto the attaches to the Chinese Ar
my have not been able TO see the fighting
The Tsung-Li Yamen says it is delighted
that these officers should be in China, but
that they must not go near the soldiers.
who are only recruits, and who do not
know one foreigner from another. and
would kill them at.first opportunity. There
is reason in this, for German officer, who
for years has been training tie Chinese
troops. has more than once had to ride for
his life from his own men. A Chinanan 4,
and an educated one, too, thus summed up
the war the other day:
''All the FOREIGN people are rebelling
against the Emperor; all the foreign
peoples too much strong, China too much
weak; SO that can do? China must.pay.'
Allowing. China 100000. 0OO. inhabitants. and
out of these. if they have any knowledge
that there is war, $50. sos. GOO will tell you
that the enemy is ''foreign evil.'' but
what sort of ''foreign deyir' he does not
know. AS soldiers have been drawn from
all parts of the empire, many of whom have
never even seen foreign devil" it is
hardly surprising if the hatred of the for
eleners should find vent among these
utf1ans by indisoriminate murder.
SAFE FOR FOREIGNERS.
Tien-Tsin is perfectly safe for foreigners,
for, between sailors, marines. and yolun-
teers, there are nearly 1000 armed men.
The marines intended to reinforce the
legationsinscase of disturbance, but as yet
they have not been sent to Pekin, because
if there is no row. no one knows what to
do with them up there.
Thus in the midst of the war, rumors of
landings, of riots, rebellions. and SO on, the
peaceful life of Tien-Tsin and Pekin goes
on as usual, except that at the capital the
legations will be dull, for there are very
few ladies up there. most of them having
been sent away for safety.
Do you want to know W hat is going on in tn