The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1895-08-12
Diplomats Not Settled Upon Future
Conduct of Affairs.
w y. AEmsrRoNc's IMPRESSIONS
Gathered During His Tour Through
Japan-War Came on Before Country
Was Ready-Havs Walked Up the
SDakes'-wanted Russia as n Friend

The foreign diplomats, the best
thinkers among the Japanese them
selves, the political leaders, and their
friends, the foreign mercantile classes,
in the Treaty ports, are all at sea re-
garding the future of their nation of
forty-two millions of people, which
springs towards the front rank of mill
itary powers in the twinkling of an
eye. The government itself is, no
doubt, sorely puzzled by the many
sided political situation. 1t has
"waked up the snakes" and don't
know just what they will do. Then
there is the commercial and industrial
war which the cheap and skilled labor
of Japan is entering against the great
commercial strength of England and
the continent.
A visitor who ventures to give posi-
tive opinions regarding the political
or International situation of this
country is hardly worth listening to.
But, If he will take the trouble, and
it often is q trouble, to get at, and
collate the opinions and predictions OF
the men of affairs, the men who have
to do with, or study, events, he can
if he will secure many interesting
views of the situation.
It will be some time in the future
before all the important facts relating
to the recent war will come to the
surface. The better opinion prevail
ing here, among the prominent for
eigners, is that Japan was not quite
ready to engage in war with China.
She wished to postpone the event for
a couple of years, until her navy had
been increased by several battle ships.
She realized that the Chinese had
better war ships. But her hand in
the game was forced. The move
ments of the Chinese and the useless
condition of domestic politics drove
her into action.
L believe that the American navy
and army men will compare the great
naval fight of the YaIu river, to the
celebrated fight of "the first Bull
Rum" in the civil war, where both
sides were novices in fighting, and,
while brave enough, were little
afraid of each other, and finally the
Federal troops gave way in panic
before they were really whipped, old
soldiers, of course, fight quite differ
emily from young and inexperienced
soldiers, however, well trained. This
was the case in the battle Of the
Yalu river. Not an officer on
either side, however, had been
in a naval engagement. Each
one of them, from admiral down
to ensign, were in the position of doc
tors with their first cases, or lawyers
with their first briefs. Both sides
were well trained in the handling OF
guns, with, as we all know, the advan-
tage on the side of the Japanese, il
the organization of moVemen and
fleet maneuvres.
The battle was fought at long range,
finally the fleets got mixed up, the
smoke was so dense, the men could
not fire to advantage, the concussion
of the heavy guns made the gun crews
temporarily deaf and shattered the
electric apparatus of nearly every
vessel. 1t seems to be the opinion of
naval men, that If the Chinese admiral
had become aggressive and used his
two great battle ships as rams the
Japanese having no battle ships, the
destruction of the Japanese fleet would
have followed. But, while both sides
fought bravely enough, their lack of
experience stood in the way OF the
most efficient work. At the close of
the fight both sides were in doubt as
to just how they stood, and if the
Chinese admiral had simply remained
where he was with his great ships, in
stead OF running away, it would have
remained drawn battle, and the sub
sequent war would have taken a diff
ferent shape.
1t certainly is a strange event in the
history of the world, that the Europ-
cans who have spent vast sums in the
building and equipment of modern
warships, should see, for the first time
their own theories put to a practical
test, by Oriental nations, who twenty
five years ago, only sailed awkward
junks, and were utterly ignorant OF
naval warfare. The descendants, and
successors of the old naval fighters OF
Europe and America, hurry out to the
East to learn something about the
action of modern ships and guns, and
now that they have the facts are spec
ulating on the way they would have
made the fight. If the Chinese and
navy mere were disposed TO
resent criticism they would say to the
Europeans, "why don't you try your
ships and guns on each other: why do
you wait for US, men children in fight
ing, to show the effect of your own
war devices?'
1t was a gallant act of Admiral Ito,
after the battle Cf Wal hai-Wai, when
the Chinese admiral killed himself.
The Chinese fleet had surrendered.
One vessel was asked which might