JAPANESE WAR SONGS.

Timaru Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 1770, 3 June 1895, Page 4

JAPANESE WAR SONGS.

The following war songs were com-' posed, says the Japan Mail,' by Mr Yokoii Tadauao, a compiler in the HbiT Oflice^j in accordance with ' the command :of H.I.H. Prince, Arisugawa, for the Ja-; panese troops in Corca. They are called; Tosei Gunka, War Songs for the Chinese; Expedition. i CHASTISE •CHINA. > Strike and chastise the Chinese troops, for they are cowards;,— they, support the Government or China,- which spurns the honourable friendship of tlie Empire aiidi offers resistance to the Empire; r However great their, armies; in. number, they! are in reality ah 'undisciplined rabble ;i and however fine their arms look, they; are useless, like fine ladies in pictures. 1 In the naval battle, off vHoto China's warships wei'e 'destroyed, and in the Battle of Setkwan its troops wereroutedJ The ships so frail, '"the troops so weak, how can they withstand us, even though) thek.numbjeji.bxi. counted .by .millions. R Strike and chastise China, Strike and; chastise China. ; '': tobekin. :•; . China is a country where in bygone days, teachings of . sages: prevailed ; but as time rolled ou the cpuntiy has become: retrogressive. It boasts of itself as the Celestial Kingdom^ but its heart is bar-j barous and is 1 the' very reverse of celestial. Till its ignorance is dispelled the ; sky of the > Orient mjisti ; eyei' .be dark.; NoW ! is the ; tim6 to plant the flag of the Rising Sun on the walls of Pekin and to illuminate . its darkness. -, i -This is the duty of ottr glorious eiiipire, the Land of the Rising Sun. Go forth, imperial army, march in •emulation till Pekih is; talwn. GALLANT -WARttIORSi-. If warriors go to war by land, the turf shall receive the bodies of the slain. : >If warriors go to war /by sea, the ocean shall receive the bodies of the slain.; From- time itnmemoraal our gallant' war-j riors have gone forth in swarms. Humani life lasts but for. fifty years ;' who would; wish to purchase a few miserable years; of life at the cost of dishonour ? Marcln and fire as long as breath remains, fori our lives are at ; the . disposal 1 of: the Sovereign, our bodies ai-e to:be sacrificed! to the gloiy of the country ; let soldiers; die with all their wounds >in front. The! souls of those that ;thus defy death shall? be through the ages to coine the guardian! angels of Oriental tranquillity. So goj forth, ye warriors; warriors go, forth. ■ THE EMPEROR'S WILE. War is 1 not waged for the sake of Corea alone, but it is the Emperor's wilL to: promote the future welfare of the Orient. Respecting the dread will of the Emperor, : strive unceasingly^ /against the enemies of p'e'ace until l the ■ Emperor's will is! attained. Wherever >a standard is unfurled we fight in the presence of our Sovereign; strive, then, to fulfil the royal commands and to deserve the royal ■ commendation. . Your superior's command expresses- to; you the will of the Emperor ; fight heedless of all but duty, though rifle bullets fly round you thick as hailstones. If you fight with this unflinching spirit, nothing .will be impossible to the ; - army; of Japan. Then the "' Golden Eagles "* will oe ready to reward your "glorious "deserts. Then having firmly.. and .permanently established peace, completed your duty, and relieved the Emperor's anxiety, you may return chanting, triumphal songs, ' *There is a military order called the Order of the Golden. Eagle,.,