Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1904-03-10
ON OLD FIGHTING GROUND
Japa nese Are Familiar With
the Country.

In its campaigns in Korea and Man
churia, Japan will be fighting ON its
old battle fields Less than 10 years
ago victorious Japanese army fought
its way northward up the Korean
peninsula and then turned southwark
to the capture of Port Arthur
Iu the spring of 1894, China, ON the
invitation of Korea, sent soldiers
there to suppress an insurrection.
japan objected and on July Goth hos
tilities began by the torpedoing of
transport carrying 100 Chinese SOL
diers eff the Korean coast. Several
minor naval engagements followed
andAugust lst war was formally de-
clared. Meanwhile both powers were
transporting troops to Korea. Japan
landed 30, 900 men at Chemulpo and
10, 600 at Fusan, at the extreme south
eastern point of the peninsula China
massed a force ON the northern bound
ary of Korea, at the mouth Of the
Yalu river. This army then marched
100 miles south to Ping Yang. In
September $4,000 Chinese were be.
sieged in that town by 10000 Japa-
nese. The place was carried by as
sault, the Chinese losing heavily.
A few days later Chinese squadron
conveying transports to Northern
Korea, was discovered by Japanese
feet Of about equal strenth under
Admiral Ito and was defeated after
desperate fight in the famous battle of
Yalu river. The Chinese force con.
sisted of two small battle ships and
six armoured cruisers, besides gunboats
and tordepdo craft. Admiral Ito had
no battle ships, but he had five
cruisers, superior in power to the
Chinese vessels. The horror of the
battle exceeds that of any recent sea
fight. The Chinese ships were soon
disabled and set on fire aud surgeons
hurried about the decks killing the
wounded with prussio acid to save
them from burning alive So eager
were the men to be put out of misery
that they stretched out their arms to
the hypodermic needles and begged
for the injection. Five of the Chinese
ships were lost and about 1000 men
were killed. The Japanese lost 200
men but no slips.
After the capture of Ping Yang, the
japanese pushed slowly northward
conveying their field guns with diff.
Guilty through the mountains They
reached the Yalu river late in Octo.
Der and then fought their way across
Manchuria. Meanwhile the Mikado
had landed 30,0 men near Port
Arthur, which was defended by gar
rison OF 10000 Chinese. A part of
the Japanese Korean force turned
south and helped in the capture Of
Port Arthur, which fell late in
November. The rest Of the invading
army passed on toward Niuohwang,
an important trading city on the road
to Pekin, and only about $50 miles
from the capitol. Further to weaken
the Chinese defense, third Japanese
force was transported to Wei-hai-wei,
the naval station across the straits
from Port Arthur This fell in Feb
ruary after siege and the destruo.
tion Of four warships in the harbor by
japanese torpedo boats.
The next month China asked foi
peace. BY the treaty Of Shimonoseki,
the Pekin government guaranteed the
independence Of Korea, coded lower
Manchuria to japan and agreed tc
pay an indemnity Of 1870 million dol.
lars Had this treaty stood, the pres
ent war might have boon ayerted.
On the pretext that japanese occupa
tion Of Manchuria would menancC
Korea and China, Russia insisted
that japan cede back the province and
accept an indemnity. Two year.
later the Czar's forces occu pied the
territory and took possession Of Port
Arthur. The resentment which thil
action aroused in Japan undoubtedly
helped to bring on hostilities thil
year.