Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-03-19

Washington, March 16. Evidences
of great activity, political and CONNER
cial, in the affairs in Japan, China and
the countries of the far East come to
the legations here. AS result of
Japan's prosperity, brought about by
the success in the war with China,
that country has not only determined
to largely augment her navy but also
to establish commercial steamship lines
connecting the United States with
Japan. The Japan Steam Navigation
Co. is preparing to enter this new field, :
running between San Francisco and
Yokohama, in competition with
the Pacific Mail and the Oriental
and Occidental lines, now control
ling this trade. An important con-
alteration in projecting the new
Japanese line has been that of railroad
connection east from San Francicso,
but in the event of determination of
the Pacific railways not to give the
same rates as those given to the old
steamship lines, which are branches of
the railways, it is said the Japanese
company, supported by ample subsidies
from the Japanese government, will be
prepared to run at loss in order to
establish a toothold. Steamers are to
be built and the representative of the
company has recently passed through
Washington on his way to contract
for the ships, two of which probably
will be built in this country and two in
England. They will be of 6,000 to
5000 tons burden and of speed sew
eral knots greater than the ships now
in the Pacific service.
There appears to be little further
doubt that two of Japans' warships will
be built in the United States and,
although the contracts have not been
let, the indications are that the Cramps
of Philadelphia will build one and the
Union Iron Works of San Francisco
| the other. The Japanese Parliament
has passed the naval appropriation bill,
giving $40, 600, 600 for the single item
of new warships.
The Japanese cabinet is strongly
favorable to the American builders,
although the Japanese naval officers,
having been trained in English schools,
favor the English builders.
Events in Corea have caused intense
excitement in Japan of late, so much
SO that the Emperor prorogued Parlia-
ment in order to allow the popular
feeling to suhside. The situation in
Corea is critical and may bring serious
| r6HullS dJ any Ulme, Iu6 ming CO0-
tinues to occupy quarters at the Rus
sian legation at Seoul, on the plea that
his life is in danger A sensational
climax came recently, when a mob
representing the element favorable TO
the King seized two of the cabinet
ministers thought to favor the Japa-
nese and chopped off their heads. At
the same time three Japanese were
killed, one Of them, Japanese ped
dler, being literally torn limb from
limb. These atrocities have caused in
tense Indignation in Japan, because
the popular belief prevailed that Rus
sian officials in Corea had taken part in
the affair. The Japanese government
decided not to be drawn into an in
trigue or contest over Corea, for there
is sincere desire to see Corea in
dependent and free from foreign
domination. But Japan will protect
her people and if any overt act occurs
rejecting on the dignity of the
country there will he prompt and
forcible action by Japan. 1t is be-
lieved Japan already has demanded in
demnity for the outrages at Seoul, but
the possibilities of crisis have been
most important as affecting Russia and
Japan rather than Japan and the little
middle kingdom.