THE TROUBLE IN CHINA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 11543, 30 November 1900, Page 6

THE TROUBLE IN CHINA.

THE QUESTION OF JAP

INTERVIEW WITH THE JAPANESE

GENERAL.

[BY ABTHXJB H. ADAMS, OITB SPECIAL CORRKSPONDEST IN CHINA-]

Peein, September 25. The political position here is surely unique. With an Empero. in hiding, and foreign Ministers waiting instruction from their Governments, and wondering with whom they are to treat when these instructions come, the situation is simply chaos. There is talk of the Legations withdrawing, since there is no Government with which to treat. Inseparable from this question is the position occupied by Japan. The Russian troops are gradually being withdrawn, and it is said that the Russian Legation will shortly be removed to But the Japanese continue to make theii preparations for a continued stay in this country; their Transport Department is continually sending up huge quantities of stores, that seems to promise a permanent occupation of the capital. The Japanese are the only nation that understands the Chinese mind. Evidence of this is startlingly apparent in their management of the quarter of the Chinese city which is in their occupation. After traversing the deserted streets 01 the Russian quarter, to cross into the Japanese quarter iis to enter a populous city. While the Cliinese refugees from Pekin cannot be induced by the other foreign Governments to return to the city, though each of the Governments has issued proclamations in Chinese inviting the Chinese to return in peace, and resume their occupations*, promising them their protection, the Japanese are apparently the only Power in which the Chinese place any reliance. Hence their quarter of the city is like the Pekia of old its stjects are teeming with people, its shops are open again, and all the trades of the Chinese workmen are in full activity. And all this has been done in the short space of a few weeks. A ride through their quarter affords, by contrast, a surprising testimony to the governing qualities of the Japanese. I was fortunate in having a conversation on this subject with Lieutenant-General Yamaguchi, the commanding officer of the Japanese troops in Pekin. Baron Yamaguchi received me at his headquarters, in the Japanese Legation. He is a little man, neat and dapper in his dark and 'muchbraided uniform, relieved only by the broad red stripe down his trousers' leg. He wore 9, white-pointed beard, and had the true Oriental face, lit by eyes that twinkled good-humouredly. The Japanese have cultivated one trait of civilisation politenessto a point that even a Frenchman might envy, and Baron Yamaguchi was a perfect Japanese. I asked him first as to the position Japan meant to occupy Jn the forthcoming negotiations. Calling attention to the reported withdrawal of troops by the other Powers, I asked if Japan,meant to do likewise.

" Japan," he said, " will stand in all matters in line with the other Powers. There will be no separate action on our part. We will do as the other Powers do. As to the withdrawal of troops, we are making all preparations to stay here till the spring ; but these preparations are merely those that would suggest themselves to a prudent army in the field. But, of course, at any moment we may receive orders to withdraw. In any event we will act as the other Powers are doing, and leave one battalion in Pekin for the winter. I don't suspect that the main body of the Japanese army will stay here."

"Regarding the Japanese army, General," I said, " what have you to say about the high commendation given by all foreign observers to its conduct of the present campaign '! Would you say that it is as efficient as it has been said to be V"

The General did not think his army was perfect. "Regarding this campaign," I continued, as a test of the working of the army, would you consider it is now ready for a big war with some other Power '!"

General Yamaguchi probably misunderstood the drift of this questionwhich, as the interview was conducted through a bad interpreter, was quite likely. He deErecated, with extreme earnestness and voluility, any suggestion of the likelihood of a big war. "At present," he said. " there was no suspicion of such a probability. We do not contemplate any such event. At present there is no necessity to move the Japanese army to any other place." On my pressing him for an answer to my specific inquiry, he said, " Our army, at present, is not ready for a big war. Whatever other people have Mid of it is, after all, the mere personal opinion of outside persons, neither Japan nor His Imperial Majesty's army is ready for, or contemplate, any big war." With that I had to be content.