Arizona silver belt., 1895-01-26
SCIENTIFIC WARFARE.
Important Part Played by EleeA tricity in Eastern Hostiiities.
The Goneral Adoption of Photographic Communication by the Mikade's Peo- pie--JapRnese Are Adopts
 In the Art.

It is interesting to note the important part played by electrical appliances in the war between China and Japan. The Japanese especially are quick to turn to account any advantage offered by scientific appliances, and in Corea they have materially strengthened their hands by taking possession of the lines and stations of the telegraph service Their men are trained in cons struction as well as in actual manipuA lation, says the Chicago Tribune, and can be trusted to keep the lines in working order ns long as they retain control,
 The mikados people have taken very kindly to the telegraph since it's intro. duction in 1870. Their first installation of couple of short lines, about forty miles long altogether, speedily grew into four thousand miles, and now the wires devoted to the service measure close on twenty-six thousand miles, in- cluding several submarine chbles of various lengths, one of the longest be- ing that connecting Nipon (the main island) with Tsu-shima, the largest island midway between Japan and Corea, position which, as may be readily imagined, is just now of the ut most strategieal importance.
 So well, indeed, have these clever copyists appropriated and utilized the telegraphic developments of western civilization that there is now hardly point on the coast more than a few hours distant from a telegraph office, so that fleet runner could convey the news of hostile descent to the adja- cent outpost and defensive force be called to tho threatened region in less time than it would take the Chinamen to determine upon their point of at tack
 This was demonstrated very clearly in 1876, when the news of the Satsuma rebellion was brought by boatman to kumamoto in one night, and flashed to the capital almost before the insur- gents rear guard had cleared from Kagoshima. The consequence was that the rebel Gen. Saigo was promptly met and snutfed ont before he had reached the territory in which his forces might have become dangerous through being augmented by numer- ous sympathiDers. But for the tele- graph there would doubtless have been serious trouble, for it would have taken Q fortnight for a runner to reach the capital, and the delay would have been all in favor of Saigo.
 In the matter of field telegraphy, too, the Japanese are adopts, their fal .a. eled upon apparatus which they baye imported from Europe. The posts are made in sections with spiked bases to stick in the soil, and the wire runs out from reels on light hand barrows The Japanese are entirely undisturbed by any considerations as to patent in- fringement, When the first telephone receiver rcachel Japah from America it was received with delight and en- thusiasm, and within week or so there were some Edison receivers of native make being exporimented upon. The police and fire brigade systems of telephonic alarms and calls now es- abolished in Japan are complete in every detail Many of the Japanese vessels are furnished with the electric light, and it is stated that the manipu- lation of the projectors is remarkably efficient.
 Notice has been given. that owing to the outbreak of the war lights on the Formosa coast have been extinguished, and no doubt others, both in Japan and China, will also be put out or false lights substituted to suit tue purpose of either. It will therefore be ncces- sary for all steamers navigating those waters to be extremely careful, aud | correspondent of London daily sug- gests that one of the best precautions is to use the submarine sentry, as by its aid vessel going at ten knots can be assured that it has at least twenty fathoms of water under it's keel, and warning is given on board if less depth is reached, thus giving ample time for position to be verified. The submarine sentry is a recently invented electrical arrangement for giving the warning mentioned.