PATER'S CHATS WITH THE BOYS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2603, 3 February 1904, Page 69

PATER'S CHATS WITH THE BOYS.

JAPAN AN» COREA,

Last week I briefly traced the history of Japan down ,to her birth as a modern nation with a modern parliament and modern ambitions. To-day I shall outline her recent relations with. Corea, and show how Russia comes in. Last week I referred to two disputes with Russia over Saghalien ; first as to ownership, and second as to Russia's conduct under joint ownership. The third collision betw&en the two nations took place in 1894 — just ten years ago, when Japan's ambitions caused her to make war upon China for the possession of Corea. It is 1000 years ago, more or less, since Japan coveted Corea, but I shall hark back no more than 300 years. Ths Japs then successfully invaded' Corea, and returned triumphant with the ears and noses of 200,000 Coreans and 30,000 Chinese ; and though these ears and noses are not in existence now, I have a dim recollection of reading of some monument which records that feat of arms. Taking another hop, skip, and jump, we come to 1894, when Japan began to fully realise what Russian aggrandisement was capable of, and at the sam& time saw the necessity for an outlet for her surplus population and her rapidly increasing manufactures. Corea was in a state of unrest, and Japan 'proposed to China a partnership to carry out certain needed reforms. China refused. Shortly after a conspiracy (Japanese one- probably) to overthrow the king was discovered, and the excitement was intensified by wholesale executions and by the assassination at Shanghai of an ey-Corean Minister, who had turned a Japanese agent, by a Corean patriot. This was followed by an insurrection. Both Japanese and Chinese poured troops into Corea, and all attempts to prevent a conflict failed. A reference to the map will show the course of events pretty clearly. On land the Chinese had some initial success at Asan, Kaisong and Pingyang, but when the Japs settled down, they were not long in concentrating three columns to drive the Chinese north, and through Wiju over the Talu, the recognised boundary line. In one battle the Chinese lost 2000 killed and 14,500 in wounded and prisoners, while at Kiu-lien-lcheng 16,000 fled precipitately without firing a shot, recognising that the better part of valour is discretion. A second Japanese army in the meantime had*^ mobilised at Hiroshima, and departed for a destiny unknown.. This landed oboufc 40 miles north of Port ' Arthur, and captured Kinchou and Talienwan. The two armies converged on Nieuchwang and its port, Ting-Kow, and after capturing these chased the Chinese north through Feng-h'uang-Tchen towards Moukden. A third army landed in two divisions on the Shang-tung Peninsula — one tc the west of Wei-hai-wei, at Ning-hai, the other to the east at Tung-cheng. These captured the land forts and surrounded Wei-hai-wei on the land side, while the Japanese squadron blocaded a Chinese squadron in .-the bay. Things had gone so badly that Li Hung Chang was deprived of his three-eyed peacock feather. On sea events went as merrily for the Japs. Indeed, it was a maritime incident that really opened the war. A Chinese transport, the Kowshing, was on her way to Asan when she was signalled by a Japanese crttiser, the Naniwa, to heave to. The officers obeyed the signal, but the troops took charge" of affairs. There could be only one ending ! She was sent to the bottom, and nearly everyone on board went with her. A couple of days? after the Chen luen, an ironclad, followed the transport. War *vas now practically declared. Japan was wild with excitement. A war expenditure of £15,000,000 was- agreed to, and a loon of £10,000,000 was announced. In the previous war the Mikado requested that £60,000 a year should be deducted from his salary, and 10 per cent, from all government servants, the money thus acquired to be spent for six years on the betterment c.f the navy. The nobles, not to be outdone, raised a £16,000,000 loan free of interest. A nation which had foreseen a war, and which was willing to sacrifice itself to prepare for it, was, when opposed to inert China, naturally, successful. At Talu a Chinese fleet of 12 battleships and fvuisers with four torpedo boats, convoying transports with Hunanesc troops, was pretty well blown out of the water or sunk, a small remnant getting away in the evening to Port Arthur and Wei-hai-wei, only to be caught with other Chinese ships like rats in traps. At Wei-hai-wei, Admiral Ting, seeing that it was useless to continue the struggle, agreed to surrender the remnant of his squadron, on the Japanese commander giving his word of honour that he would spare the lives of all ; but he himself preferred to commit suicide rathei than surrender his sword.

The Japanese, were now victorious all along the line, and the Chinese could do nothing but make peace. Representatives met at Shimonoseki, and a treaty was drawn up stating, among other stipulations (a), that Korea was to be absolutely independent of China ; (b) that the Liao-tung Peninsula and neighbouring islands, Formosa and the Pescadores, were to be ceded to Japan ; (c) thab Woosung (Shanghai is on this river), the Upper Yangtse-kiang, and several important to^ ns should be thrown open to Japanese trade, residence, etc: (d) that, an

indemnity of 200,000,000 taels (perhaps £50,000,000) should be paid. But the practical result vv r as Dead Sea fruit. She had just as much right to her conquests as Russia to Central Asia, Prussia to Posen, or France to Madaga&cai — more so, on account of similarity of race, trade, social conditions, etc. These nations combined, however — anxious for the integrity of China, they didn't want her dismembered ; h was in th-e interests of peace that her territories should not be divided, etc. — and wrested the Peninsula from her, though allowing her to exact an extra amount of indemnity. But what did they do? France and Russia guaranteed a loan to China, and so placed her to some extent in dependence upon them. Then Russia "leased" Talienwan and Port Arthur ; Germany took Kiaochan; the French p,ot an assurance that no other Power should be allowed to dominate the mainland opposite Hainan ; the Italians claimed (but didn't get it) Sanmun Bay, in Che-kiang ; and we took Wei-hai-wei, when. Japan left it ; but we have scuttled since. Since then Russia- has been consolidating her power in the East as rapidly as possible. If war takes place, will Japan win? She is only a miniature Empire ; but~given 50 years and a free hand on the mainland, she could hold out against the world, says a writer in the current number of the Contemporary Review — a writer I have quoted more than once. Russia has such immense resources that, unless her transport service fails, it would appear she must win in the long run. But Japan will be fighting for her very existence. The present time, too, is the most favourable to her, for every month strengthens Russia and relatively weaken? Japan. What is it to be?