Hawaii Holomua, Volume II, Number 40, 3 November 1894 — WELL PREPARED. [ARTICLE]

WELL PREPARED.

Japan was Ready for the War Victoria, B.C:, Oct. 24. The steamship Empress of Japan has bronght Oriental advices to Oct. 12th as follows: All Japan is in a fever of excitcraent awaiting the news of Genoral Oyama’s expedition, supposed to be directed towards some point on the Chinese coast wilhin the Gulf of Peehili. Tho rej>orts of landings at Port Arthur, Wei-Uai-Wei and other Iocalities are published in Jaj>an newspapers. From the bcginning the Japanese authorities have beeu determiued to allow no inaccurate rej>orts to go forth. Admiral Ito’s oAieial report of the battle near T«i Koson harbor has been jmblished lt is extreraely e*uber ant in toue aud filled with oulogies of the spirit and fortitude displ«yed bv the oflicers and men. The j>osition o{ foreigners iu tho interior of China, esj>eoially in the north. is regarded as extremely critical. Eveu the residents of Shangbai feel it neccesary to remiud commauders of Euroj>eaQ fteots of the dangers that threaten them in tho cuse the Government sufters furtber reverees, and the few aliens who remain in Pekiog have far more serious cause for apprehension. The uuthority of Li Hung Cbang, whieh would ordinarily be exercised on behalf of strangers is now 80 weakened that his promises of protection ean no longer be trusted. No immediate raorement from tho Capital oonld safely be attempted as the roads are througed with dison.lerly bodies of troops and the j>casant populations famished aud destitnte. Tbe preseuce o! a marine gnard at the Legations to restrain lawlessness, whieh seems awaiting only for a pretext to rise np oo £aropeans and Americans, is imparatively demaoded. The eall of Prince Knng to power as President of the Tsong Li Yamen is interpreted as another aign of Li Hong Chang's declin.e The half-forgotten statesman. now over seventy years of age, controlled the diplomacy of the £mpire thirty years ago, nniil he was s»t aside by one of tho«« palaee conspiraeioa whieh fmjaeotly thr«w tbe Govermnent inio confu?ion.« Hia appointment waaquickly fo!iowed by the nomination of General Snsg to the chief command of the oorihern amlea. This is

anderatood as a denial of Li s position to be intrast«d with the direct management of the miliiary and oaval forces. Tfae statement previoa«ly pablisbed that the Cbinese fleet pnrpoSeiy carried no boats is corro borated. Tbe crewsof ali tbe lost vesseU|>eri3hed,with scareely an exception. -Tbe oumber drowned is rooghiy estimated at nearlr 700 Every deck officer engaged was injared. On the ships whieh retarned to Port Arthar aboot 100 were killed and 250 wounded. An extraordinary impenal edict bas been isfued caliing for a trne report of the battle of Phyong Yang. The Emperor annonnces the defeat was owing to dissension and the rivalry of the Generals in cbarge of several brig idos,. and it states tbe gniity warties will be severely pnnished. Ainong the passeugers on the I Empress was Major Richter, Iate of the Chiuese Army, who threw up his post of Iuspector General at Tien Tsin in disgust. He was fonuerly in the German Anny, aud was commissioned by Li Hung Chang a eouple ofyears ago to inspect all tbe troops of the regular militia and report on them and suggest reforms and iraprovements. He entered beartily on the work, bnt soon fonnd it impossible to accomplish it. He found corruption and fraud rarapant, even his reports to Li Hung Cfaang being garbled and cut before they reached him, and he could accomplish nothing. The war with Japan \vas never expected, and when it eame the Chinese were in a state of demoralization; poorly armed, poorly (īrilled and generally disorganized. Large sums of money had been expended to increase the efficiency of the army, but they had found their way into the, pockets of greedy, avaricious officials. A!ter leauiug China, liichter spent a shorttime in Japaneseand had a loug couference with high Japauese otficiais at Hiroshima. W’hen taxed with having given away valuable information, Eiehter laughed at the idea, for he saxd be could gain no information from them he could give to tho Japanese. The Japanese bad been preparing for war for several years. They had complete surveys of every port, the result of a large amount of opeu, also secret work, by spies. Major Eichter said tbey had excellent informatiou as to the defenses of Tieu Tsin.