The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-10-24

China Is as enersetie as it's tempera- ment will permit in bringing both its army and its navy to more modern standards of eficiency. With regard commissioners have formuIated plans for the formation of . nucleus navy winch embrace reform in naval educa-: tfon, encouragement of shipbuilding and arms manufacture. and the I'm provemeut,of of cpmmuuicetione and coast defences; and Prince Tsaf Hsun and Admiral sah. all commissioners are said to have decided on the Following steps:
 (l) To ascertain the number of ex- isting men n-of-war and vessels; CD to raise tho necessary funds; (3) to fostar naval education; (4) to inspect naval bases. Inasmuch as the provincial gov- ernments have to be communicated with on these various proposais. many months must elapse before definite re-
 Prince Ite,s Utter.nces.
 Tn his public utterances Prince Ito. of Japan. invariably exhibits saga cious comprehension of current affairs. Speaking recently at banquet given in his honor, he referred to the friend ly spirit which, has arisen between Ja- pan and England. and remarked that in order to carry out the alliance en- tered Into the exertions of the Japx. nese nation at large were needed fir addition to those of It's ofIicfals Any thing that tended tot he sdetriment of the alliance would Impair Japan's gov ereign status and might even affect her very existence. Some references he also made Go the way in which Ja- pan Is exercipEpg her protectorate over Korea have since received support from the reportssof strenuous sattempts.to ins troduce modern methods. of sanitation among the unenlightened people of the peninsula. sins spite of stubborn resis- tance to every new departure: and the yice-like hold which the opium evil has obtained on the people.
 With thu staying of the notorious pi- rate. Jikiri and his band. piracy In the Snlu Sea- Is. tt is hoped. crushed out for ever. Jfkis5. who had sworn the terrible oath to XIII 100 people before he passed in his checks" was loeat-- ed, with seven of his gang and his wife, on the island of Patian, having taking possession, of fortified cave in the crater of an extinct volcano. A gunboat and troops were sent to cap ture them. After Intellectually smelling the cave for two days and nights. the troops prepared to rush the defenders. But the latter took the initiative. and charged the troops.
 With their terrible barongs and kris es the pirates hacked right and left among the soldiers Lieutenant Viii son was almost decapitated by Jikiri himself. who paid the penalty by hav- ing the top of his head blown off with load of buckshot. Eventually all the outlaws were killed, but the troops lost three dead and had nineteen wounded. If the full list of Jikirfs victims were known, 1t is believed that his awful oath would have been proved verified.
 Japanese Christian Scientists.
 Japan has sect who practise a re- ltgion called Tenrikyo. The doctrines is7 said to be very similar to that of Christian Scientists. and, like Chris .tian Science. also. very singe larly. 1t was founded by woman. It's adher- ents stated to be numbered by tens of thousands. belong to the lower middle classes. They have temples. schools. hospitals and other institutions and their priests travel all over the Japa- nese colonies to gather in converts. Ac- cording to reports, youth Of IS, proselytized by one of these agents. has inst left Korea to: enter one of the training schools, bringing with him ten youthful companions.
 Since the AnkIo Japanese treaty has come into effect and Japan has seen mofe of the Engiishman abroad she is forming & very poor opinion of his moral tendencies. The evil report of British civilization~ is reaching the mass of the pople. and in proportion as the Japanese regard their foreign guests as wanderers from the. traditions of their civilizations they are tempted to depreciate the yelue Of Western civilization as a factor in Japanese de- veioptsenf. The panese theipsslxas carry their national seff=respect wi1ere- ever they Eox they are aedociie people. easily fnfismed 10 g beight oEspractical patriotism that astonishes the student of their ways. No one pretends that they have very strict morality in their own country. but the Japanese