The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-02-27
THE NELSON OF JAPAN.

IIG XNI<l4S1OAf 1I c AL <A4Ns
 More perhaps is heard and known in this. country of the army of Japan than of her sister service; but without her navy she would not and could not be the centre of the worlds interest as she is to-day.
 Admiral Togo, the man in chief com mand at sea of her splendid fleet, is likely to be one of the foremost figures of our time; for on him will devolve, in all probability, as prodigious a respon- sibility as fell to the lot of Nelson in our own national history.
 It is destiny to wield one of the finest, one of the most formidable instruments ever forged. In her navy Japan has created. in less than ten years, as per 1 feet and as tremendous a fighting machine as any on the globe. At this perilous crisis in her fortunes she has chosen to place the working of this machine in the hands of Admiral Togo "a choice we may be sure that has been made with the utmost deliberation and after complete survey of all the | possibilities of the situation. Japan feels this is matter in which there must be no mistake, and the unanimous approval of the nation expressed on his appointment to the chief command shows that he is regarded as the right man in the right place.
 Admiral Togo is now fifty-five years of age. He is not of princely or noble birth, but is simple gentleman, d Samural of the great Satsuma clan, as so many of his fellow-officers are. His senior in rank. Admiral Count Ito (not to be confused with his 1iamesake Mar l quis Ito, who was in chief command of the navy during the Chino-Japanese
 war, and is now chief of the naval 1 headquarters staff in Tokio,) is also a
 Satsuma Samurai and formerly the
 whole Japanese fleet was officered and manned by the Satsuma, in the same
 way that the Japanese army was drawn from the Choshu clan. Nowadays, neither navy nor army is entirely given over to these, the two most powerful of the clans of Japan; but many men from
 all over the empire are to be found in
 both services. When Togo entered the
 navy, however, it's whole personnel was Satuma.
 Admiral Togo received a great part of
 his education at the naval college,
 Greenwich, where he went through the
 regular courses of instruction current
 some thirty odd years ago. He thus
 understands good deal of the history,
 training, and traditions of the British navy, and he has brought the knowledge
 thus acquired to bear on his own ex- cellent effect. Returning to Japan, he was employed in various capacities In 1894, when war broke out between China land Japan, he was in command of the
 Naniwa. a cruiser of 3,650 tons, one of
 the vessels composing what was then
 known as the First Flying Squadron of
 the Japanese navy. During the war he
 greatly distinguished himself, and
 earned the reputation of being a first
 class fighting man.
 It was in connection with the episode of the sinking of the KowsFling that his name first came into worldwide
 prominence. At the time some adverse
 criticisms of his action on that occasion were heard. but these died away on a fuller knowledge of the circumstances. } The story reveals something of the character of the man, so it is worth , ltelling again. ) It was wearing .on in the year 1894 Though there had been no actual de-
 claration of war, it was evident enough : that Japan and China were about to fight over Korea. Warships had been assembled, and large bodies of troops were either on the field or were on the l way to the scene of conflict The Kow-
 shing, a transport vessel flying the
 British flag, with a British captain and ' crew. and carrying some eleven hundred l Chinese soldiers for Asan, was met by
 Togo in the Naniwa, who signalled to : her by firing two blank cartridges to
 stop, which she did Thereafter a Jap- l anese lieutenant went on board the Kowshing with peremptory order } from Togo that the transport proceed nc Further towards her destination, but at 5 once accompany the Naniwa to the main Japanese fleet. Capt Galswothy O. the Kowshing, was willing to obey these orders, but not so minded were the I officers of the Chinese forces on the yes 3 sel; they immediately raised a great elamor and threatened Galaworthy. Seeing what was occurring. Togo } sent a boat to bring off Capt Gals worthy and his crew: but, meanwhile l the disturbance and confusion on the Kowshing had increased, and the g Chinese prevented them from leaving
 her. Some time then passed, and al T length Togo signalled Galsworthy tC Y take one of his own boats and come : over to the Naniwa; but the British . captain was not allowed by the Chinese e to do so. For four hours Togo stood of t and on trying to save him and the ship r 1 but finding there was no chance of this l he at last ordered the red flag, whici