THE New Zealand Herald. AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. SATURDAY. AUGUST 4, 1894.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9581, 4 August 1894, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald. AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. SATURDAY. AUGUST 4, 1894.

It may seem at first to be a very small matter to us that China and Japan i should be at war, and should be i struggling for the possession of Corea. We have no kinship with either Chinese i or Japanese. We have no dynastic connection with them. They are essentially different in race, language, religion—in fact, in almost everything that can divide one section of humanity from another. We have no troublesome treaty with either Power binding us to interfere in case of war. We stand free of all complications. And yet, when the subject is closely looked at, it is seen that this war may be fraught with more momentous results for the whole world than any contest that could arise in Europe. It is, indeed, the most novel event that has taken place in this generation. Here are two of the greatest Powers of Asia going to war for the first time armed with the most modern weapons, and having the power to transport their enormous armies. The struggle may develope a vast military power in one of them, say, China. That Power may find its strength in the enormous numbers of its population, and in its vast wealth. We have hitherto regarded China as a huge inert Power which allowed us to act towards it in a somewhat bullying. manner, insisting that certain of its ports shall be open to our ships, and .for the residence of our merchants,. and that we should hold possession of a portion of its territory as our "Eastern Gibraltar," a military and naval station of a foreign Power in the centre of the Empire. But if China becomes a warlike State, as it easily may, is it likely to continue to remain satisfied with this state of affairs, and with the fact that in a large number of the British dominions no Chinaman can live without paying a poll tax. China is not likely to interdict commerce with foreign nations, but it is quite likely that she may 30011 choose to carry it on in a very different fashion from what has subsisted during the last lew generations. A Chinese army, well-drilled, with the modern arms and material, and led by an experienced general, | would clear the far East, and curtail ; greatly the influence and power of | European nations.

China, is now a systematically governed country, having no serious internal troubles. It has a population of about 400,000,000. The Marichu army is computed to number 324,000 men and the Chinese 650,000. The most efficient force is Li Hung Chang's garrison of Pechihli, the nucleus of which was formed by" the men who fought under General Gordon. The Chinese navy consists of about 50 ships, including two or three powerful ironclads, two armoured corvettes, four armoured cruisers, and a number • of smaller vessels. Forts, dockyards, and arsenals have all been erected of recent years. Japan has a population of 41,000,000. It can put into the field a force of 200,000 men, armed with weapons of precision made at a Japanese factory. It is said that everything in the military organisation and details comes up to the best European standard. In the Japanese navy are several vessels of considerable power and of great speed.

Close and immediate dampers are indeed before the world in the war between China and Japan. Bussia lias the port of Vladivostock to the north of Corea, which gives it an entrance into the sea there. But that port is closed for several months by ice, and the Russian Government has never concealed its desire to have a port in Corea, or on some of the adjacent islands. It may be considered certain that if a chance offered by the exhaustion of the contestants, or by an alliance with one of them, Russia would take possession of Quelpert, or some other convenient place for a naval station. But on the other hand, if China were completely victorious, and came to the consciousness of great power, she might call upon Russia to march out of the Amoor, which was acquired at a time when China was in difficulties. In every,way, therefore, this contest between China and Japan is fraught with great possibilities for the world.