THE NELSON OF JAPAN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12523, 16 March 1904, Page 5

THE NELSON OF JAPAN.

ADMIRAL TOGO. Admiral Togo, fcho man in chief command at sea, of Japan's splendid fleet, is likely to be onp of the foremost figures of our time ; for on him has devolved almost as great a responsibility as fell to the lot of Nelson in our own national history. It is his destiny to wield one of the finest, one of the most formidable instruments ever forged. In 'her navy Japan has created, in less than 10 years, a. tremendous lighting machine. At this perilous crisis in her fortunes she has chosen to place the working of this machine in the hands of Admiral Togo — choice, we may be sure, that has been made with the utmost deliberation and after a complete survey of all the possibilities of the situation. Japan feels this is a matter in which there must be no mistake, and the unanimous approval of the nation expressed on his apE ointment to the chkf command shows that e is regarded as the right man in the right place. A SIMPLE GENTLEMAN.

»-' Admiral Togo is now about 55 years of age. He is not of princely or noble birth, but is a simple gentleman, a Samurai of the great Satsuma clan, as so many of his fellow onieers are. His senior in rank, Admiral Count Ito (not to be confused with his namesake, Marquis Ito), who was in chief command of the navy during the ChinoJapauese Avar, and is now Chief of the Naval Headquarters -Staff in Tokio, is also a Satsuma Sa-nurai, and formerly the whole Japanese fleet was officered and inarmed 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 elans of Japan ; but many men from all over the Empire are to be found in both services. , When Togo entered the navy, however, its whole personnel was Satsuma. 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 30 odd years,ago. He thus understands a 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 with excellent effect. Returning to Japan, he was employed in various capacities. In; 1894, when war broke out between China and Japan, he was in command of the Nani* wa, a cruiser of 3650 tons, one of the vessels composing what was then known as the first flying squadron of the Japanese navy. During the Avar he greatly distinguished himself, and earned the reputation of being a first-class fighting man. " SINKING THE KOWSHING. -It was in connection with the episode of the sinking of the 'Kowshing. that his name first came into world-wide 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 tolling again. It was wearing on in the year 1894. Though there had been no actual declaration of war. it was evident enough that Japan and China were about to fight over Corea. Warships had been assembled, and large bodies of troops were either on the field or wore, on the way to the scene of conflict. The Kowshing, a transport vessel flying the British flag, with a British captain and crew, and carrying some 1100 Chinese soldiers for Asan, was met by Togo in the Na-nivva, who signalled to her by firing two blank cartridges to stop, which she did. Thereafter a Japanese .lieutenant went on board the Kowshing with a peremptory order from Togo that the transport must proceed no further towards her destination, but at once accompany the Naniwa to the main Japanese fleet. Captain Galsworthy, of the Kowshing, was willing to obey these orders, but not so minded were the officers of the Chinese forces on the vessel ; they immediately raised a great clamour, and threatened Galsworthy. STARTING A WAR. Seeing what was occurring, Togo sent a boat to bring off Captain Galsworthy, and his crew ; but x meanwhile, the disturbance and confusion on the Kowshing had increased, and the Chinese prevented them from leaving her. Some time then passed, and at length Togo signalled Galsworthy to take one of his own boats and come over to the Naniwa : bub the British captain was not allowed by the Chinese to do so. For four hours Togo stood off and on trying to save him and trie ship, but finding there was no chance of this, he at last ordered the red flag, which announced that he was about to fire, to be hoisted. A few moments later, a well-directed shot from the Naniwa struck the engineroom, and penetrated the hull of the Kowshing, which soon afterwards filled and sank. As Galsworthy and his men leaped over the bulwarks of the transport into ■ the »:ea they were fired on by the Chinese. Togo at once sent out boats, and rescued as many as he could. In this way Togo began the Japanese war. His countrymen have never forgotten the part he played in this episode. "Togo!" they say, " it was Togo who sank the Kowshing." And they draw a confident augury from it. In the course of the war Togo saw a great deal of actual fighting, so he is a naval man of no little experience. He was present at the first battle of I'hungdp, at the battle of Haiyang, took part in the bombardment of Tan'gchow, and saw the final,.overthrow and destruction at Wei-hai-wei 'of all that was left of the Chinese fleet. Nor did his ship, the Naniwa, pass entirely scathless through, these ordeals, though she received no vital damage. But ever the fame of Togo Heihachiio grew ; he was.known as a man of resolution and resource, most of all as a hard and determined fighter. HIS POSITION TO-DAY. After the war he was raised to the rank of rear-admiral, and promoted to the third com maud in the Japanese fleet. Prior to his present appointment he was Commanderin Chiel at Maizuru, a dockyard on the Sea of Japan. His present rank is that of viceadmiral. In person Admiral Togo is a short, somewhat stout man, with full black beard and moustache, and a distinctively Japanese appearance. He is. not a great talker; indeed, in manner he is somewhat reserved. Above all, he is a cool, resolute, determined, very courageous sailor, quick and alert of perception, but calm and* precipitate in action. He knows his fleet well— what it can do to a nicety. He knows the spirit and temper of 'his men, freshly and passionately moved at this time by a consuming fever of patriotism. Japan confidently expects much from him and them, and has no fear that they ..will disappoint her fervent anticipations.