The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1895-03-07
CHINA vs.. JAPAN.
The Chinese Officials and Their
Noisy Followers.
TO A CORRESPONDENT IN AMERICA
The Japanese Wrongly Blamed for Start
ing the War-No Telling What
1t VIII Lead To.

1t VIII Lead To.
A gentleman who has been for fifteen
or twenty years in an official position
in China. who has been closely asso-
ciated with Ii Hung Chang much of
that time, and who has had uncommon
opportunities to see the inner workings
of Chinese administration, has written
to correspondent in the United States
a personal letter, extracts from which
are given below. The letter is dated
Nov. "a, and one evidence of the accur-
acy of this gentleman's judgment is
seen in his prediction of the speedy fall
of Port Arthur. His letter has an
especial value from the fact that he is
not only we'll informed, but is a wit
ness who would probably be prejudiced
for rather than against the Chinese.
He says;
The war goes on full swing, but the
Chinese have no chance against the
highly trained and scientific soldiers of
Japan. A little more British dash and
less German security would have long
since resulted in the fall of Pekin, but
Japan is laboring to show Russia that
her officers and troops can fight on
mooern principles and are not merely
fit to thrash rabble.
Ii Hung Chang is of course moderately
to blame for the collapse. but we must
remember he is Chinaman and had
not the power to root out all the rotten
elements and create a real army.
China will never be able to work her
own salvation; she will either be cut
up and annexed or be second Egypt;
nobody here seems to care which. Most
Chinese who know anything desire
England to govern them, as all they
ask for is security to life and property
and no interference with their lands
and families; in fact, just as they live
in the Straits Settlements and Hong
Kong.
The Japanese are wrongly blamed
for starting the war. The Chinese in
trigued against them in Corea in such
manner as to render war a certainty.
No Chinaman ever believed that Japan
could fight their so-called foreign
drilled troops, but they know better
now. have personally seen Japanese
officials insulted, and marked how they
swallowed it, meaning one day to
amply revenge themselves upon the
cowardly Chinese officials and their
noisy followers.
The Chinese are fighting better at
Port Arthur, which is position $500
Europeans troops could easily hold for
years against any foe if food, etc., held
out. By this time l expect it is taken,
as the heights and pass commanding
the forts were reached by the Japs some
days ago. Before you get this you will
know the result. After getting Port
Arthur 1 suspect they will land about
go, 900 men and march on to Pekin,
holding it all winter, and the Yula
forts, ETC., will be first occupied
They can readily land near Shan Hal
Kwan, and, after taking the forts,
make the place base until Taku has
fallen also.
1t would be far wiser to stop the
war, as God knows what it may lead
to. If Japan annexes part of China
she will become danger ously powerful,
as they are a war-like people If the
Manchoos clear out, who can take the
throne except by a bloody rebellion?
True, the Japs may put in man
selected from the old Ming family and
govern through him, but they will
have to support him with arms for
years to come against all sorts of rivals
for the throne.
The japanese have in no way injured
trade or even taken Chinese junks.
They pay for everything. and where.
ever they are they soon become popu-
lar with the people, who have pre-
viously been robbed of everything by
the Chinese soldiery. 1 have seen sew
eral soldiers who have come back from
Ping Yang, etc. and they all admit the
Japs can thrash them and are far su.
perior men in everything except stature.
They admire the Japanese hospitals,
nurses and chow food. but don't like
the enforced cleanliness which the
Japs insist upon, sick or otherwise.
The Japs purposely let lot of re-
covered men escape SO that they should
tell the others they were we'll treated.
Japs that fall into Chinese hands are
tortured and slain, so l doubt if the
Japs will be SO tender in the future, and
especially as the Chinese officials said
that the Japs are afraid to torture a
Chinaman because they fear the re.
venge of his people. They get $40 for
every Jap head, but so far l do not
think much has been spent on this lux.
ury. Several Corean heads and Chi.
nese, too, have been dressed up and
used as substitutes, however.
TRAPPING SALMON IN NORWAY.