THE CHINA-JAPANESE WAR.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1188, 7 December 1894, Page 34

THE CHINA-JAPANESE WAR.

Shanghai. November 28. Captain Hannekin has strongly fortified Shanghaiewan in order to block the road to Pekin. The Japanese have released on parole Reuter’s reporter, who was captured at Port Arthur. Twelve warships besides a number of transports fell into the hands of the Japanese at Port Arthur. H.M.S. Daphine and a large body of marines has been ordered to Tientsin from Chefoo. ’ The Japanese sank two Chinese warships carrying soldiers who had escaped from Port Arthur. One hundred and twenty of the highest officials in China have signed a memorial to the Emperor impeaching Li Hung Chang for treachery.

v. " ~ g —■—- gi r -Lii—i: The Chinese were defeated at Motienling with heavy loss. Shanghai, November 29. China is offering fresh terms for : peaco through the United States. Shanghai, November 30. The attempt of the Chinese to recapture Kinchow was repulsed with a loss of 200 men, the Japanese only losing eight. Count Yamagata’s troops have occupied Langlitty and Liadyang, within 40 miles of Moukden. # Li Hung Chang has gone to Pekin. It is reported at Pekin that Nankin and another port in the island of Hainan are to be opened to foreign trade. Shanghai, December 1. It is reported that chaos reigns in Pekin, and that the United States Legation there is threatened. The Emperor is having a watch kept on Li Hung Chang’s army, as it is suspected of rebellious designs. Tokio, November 27. De Tring, Commissioner of Customs at j Tientsin, with several high Chinese officials, has arrived at Kobe with Li Hung "Chang’s letter. They will discuss peace proposals with Count Ito, Prime Minister of Japan. Tokio, November 29. The Japanese refuse to receive Commissioner De Tring on the ground that he has not sufficient authority to treat for peace. Tokio, December 1. Japan has bought the Chilian cruiser Esmeralda. Washington, November 28. The New York Herald’s special correspondent says that the outcry against the Viceroy will probably result in an order for his execution. - He may be expected to resist, as he possesses an army of followers. London, November 29. The Times says it is expected that Japan will- agree to the terms of peace in a few days. >• ' . ' , , _ . London, December 2. It is reported that Great Britain, resenting her exclusion from the peace negotiations by the Chinese, has decided on making • a naval demonstration off Chusan. v London, December 3. A Times reporter, who was an eye-witness of the Port Arthur engagement, states in his report that the Chinese used explosive bullets. The Japanese, he asserts, pillaged the town, killing everyone they could lay their hands on in revenge for the Chinese burning the Japanese prisoners alive. They also mutilated and disembowelled scores of victims. The Chinese prisbners are reported, on return.ing.to Hiroshima, to have informed the .Japanese Minister of War, who was apparently astounded, and vigorously deprecated the cruelty practised. A further Chinese loan of .£1,200,000, at 4| per cent., is shortly to be placed on tho English market. _ 5 Many foreigners are, it is alleged, taking , part in the preparations for the defence of Weihaiwei. Tokio, December 2. The Japanese Government has . returned a favourable answer to the Chinese proposals for peace, but requires further assurances that the Government will be able to fulfil its offer. Meanwhile the fighting will not cease. Tokio, December 3. The Japanese insist .on occupying Port Arthur until the conditions of peace are fulfilled. The Japanese Foreign Office has promised to enquire into the statements made by the Times’ correspondent as to the barbarity shown at Port Arthur. . ' % Washington, December 3. Japan and China continue to negotiate through the American Government for a basis of peace, and it is possible that an - armistice will be concluded at an early • date.■■ „ 1 , Shanghai, December 4. The Japanese are preparingfor further attacks, and their transports are moving in a westerly direction. ■ , It is believed that the Mikado will claim a higher indemnity, and a more onerous guarantee than China has offered, before he agrees to the terms of peace. The position of the Viceroy is certainly ! not enviable, but this is not the first time that his conduct has been criticised in his own country. No one need be surprised that the suspicions, which were more than whispered in prosperous days, should take the form of criminal charges in the hour of defeat and humiliation. The suspicions were to the effect that Li Hung Chang had used the public money to make himself the most powerful man in China, with a view to the sovereignty, after the fashion of the Mayors of the Palace in the old kingdom of the Franks. He was incomparably the ablest ruler and diplomatist in his country, and surrounded as «Jie was by : the best troops in China, the best men, best armed, equipped, disciplined and officered, he was certainly the most powerful of the Emperor’s subjects. The Chinese troops have been expelled from Corea, one army is being chased north towards Moukden, the great naval arsenal at Port Arthur has fallen, nearly the whole of the Imperial fleet has been captured by the enemy, the whole Chinese coast is threatened, and invasion of the capital province is imminent. With such results for his policy, we need not wonder that his enemies have,, seized the occasion to get him out of ’ the way. It has been said that the best troops in the army, Li Hung Chang’s . special corps, were cut to pieces in • Corea. But later advices inform us that not a single man of that force has ever been near Corea. They are all at Tientsin with Li Hung Chang, held for the defence of the capital. If that is the case there will probably be some difficulty about the impeachment. Early in . the war the Viceroy was deprived of his decoration, .. and he submitted. It remains to be seen whether he will submit again. The report of the defeat of a Chinese force above referred to is very like the 'Sensational bulletins we have got from

Japanese sources from the first. It pro- j bably refers 'to some skirmish on the ( road to Moukden. That serious work j is going on in that direction we i know from- the v fact announced else- | where that Captain Von Hannekin has set about fortifying 1 Slianhai-Kwan. I hat is at the end of the Great Wall of China, on : the Gulf of Pecliili, where the road between j Pekin and Moukden passes’ the mountain range. The captain was, it will be remembered, not long, ago commissioned to raise another army, and seems to be the sort of man to do it if he gets time, and if the arsenals can supply the arms and equipments. The latter, however, is the very thing which, according to the latest accounts, which tell of peculation and corruption in high places, seems doubtful. Given j time and means the German captain may hope to play the rdte of “ Chinese Gordon. But Gordon had only undisciplined, badlyarmed rebels to deal with. It will take not less genius and more means to account for the well - equipped, well - commanded regular troops of Japan. To show the favour the captain is in we quote from a recent issue of the Times that “the Emperor has conferred on Captain Von Hannekin the highest grade of the order of the double Dragon.” , That there are some capable officers on the Chinese side may be gathered from a story of the Corean campaign. When the Japanese army took possession so suddenly of Seoul, a Chinese force of 3000 men w' as at Asan, some distance to the southward of that city, having been sent to help the King of Corea to suppress the rebellion in the southern provinces. Its commander. General Yen, finding himself cut off from the main body at Ping Yang, to the north, fought two battles, got away to the mountains to the eastward, and succeeded in fighting his way round Seoul and reaching Ping Yang without serious loss. It was, in the opinion of competent critics, a really masterly retreat. Regarding the danger to tlie European residents at Pekin and other places, we observe that it was generally by newspaper correspondents and by some official representatives, notably the American Minister in China, Mr Denby, that this danger has been greatly exaggerated. It has been pointed out, moreover, that during the war of 1863, when Pekin fell into the hands of the Anglo-French expeditionary force, and the Summer Palace was looted and burnt, no foreigners resident in the Treaty Ports suffered at the hands of the mob. But all this was before the fall of Port Arthur. The despatch of H.M. gunboat Daphne to Tientsin with a large force oi: marines shows that a serious view is taken of the rlon n-nu