THE WAR IN THE EAST.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5094, 13 September 1894, Page 3

THE WAR IN THE EAST.

Chinese gunboats and warships are cruising about the Gulf of Peohili with the object of preventing the Japanese from landing troops in China. Chinese vessels have hiding places in numerous bayß and arms of the Gulf, whence they are able to observe the movements of the enemy without b9ing seen. Admiral Ting, commander of the Chinese fleet, is desirous of engaging in an open search for foreign warahips in Chinese waters, but he is unable to carry out his wishes, a 9 the Viceroy's orders are that an engagement with the Japanese squadron muafc be avoided. The Japanese have agreed to refrain from molesting Chinese merchant vessels not carrying articles contraband of war. The Yokohama correspondent'of the Central News says the Japanese 4 per cent war loan has been fully subscribed. Sickness prevailed in both the Chinese and Japanese Armies. China had accepted the" offer of the "Black Flags" to fight againEt Japan; The Chinese general, Ten, is not tilled, as reported, but is at the head of the Tasbeu Army. The German fathers of the Catholic Mission at Si Wang Con, in the southern province of Shan Tung, have been captured by bandits, and held for ransom. A Government posse is in pursuit of the robbers. England will make no claim for the Kowshung. A Chinese transport fall of troopß was sunk by a Japanese cruiser, the Naniwa Yen, while flying British colours. Captain J. G. Cor, one of the largest owners of the Victoria (8.C.) sealing boats, has been employed by the Mikado Government to take charge of a large dry-dock, under a long contract. Dr George H. Duncan, health officer of Viotoria (8.C.), has joined the Japanese Army as surgeon. A despatch received in London from Shanghai, August 21, cays the connection with Corea has been stopped completely, and correspondents who started recently for the Peninsula have returned, as they found that it would be useless to procaed to the seat of war watching each other. According to a despatch from London, August 7, Russ'an newspapers are abandoning the idea of an amicable understanding between England and Russia with respect to Corea, and are publishing antiEnglish articles. .Especially suspicious of England is the Novo Vremya, which declares that England is secretly supporting Cbiaa, and that Japan will soon find this out. A London daily remarks that this language is noteworthy, inasmuch as the statements made would not bo permitted to pass censorship if the Russian Government objected to them. An extra of the London official Gazette was published on August; 6, containing a proclamation informing British subjects of the existence of war between Japan and China, and declaring Great Britain's neutrality. There ia also published in the Gazette a letter from the Earl of Kimberley to the Lords of the Admiialty, setting forth the rules to be observed at various British ports and harbours. A belligerent man-of-war must leave British waters within twenty-four hours after its arrival there, unless weather, or the necessity of taking in coal or provisions prevents. In the event of a Chinese and Japanese vessel being in a British port together, an interval of twenty-four hours must elapse between the departure of the two vessels. These inles became operative on August 12. Information received at the Japanese Legation, Washington, is that the new Japanese Minister to the United States left Japan on August 7 for his new post of duty. There is an increasing prospect that there may soon be Caucasian combatants aa well. This seems to be the case among the foreign population in the treaty ports also. Business firms in London that are getting despatches from Shanghai, Tientsin and other trading points, report that they are alive with all sorts of rumours of Russian preparation and Russian forward movements. Meanwhile it has become fairly clear that Russia and France are on Japan's side, and they assume that England is backing , China. The danger ef serious trouble lies in the inability or indisposition of FrancoRussian Btatismen to distinguish between what official England says and what unofficial, irresponsible England, represented in the trade of twenty treaty porte, is doing. The former iB sincere, even strenuouß, in its deßire not to be embroiled in this row, and is honestly striving to preserve the most correct neutrality. The latter, on the other hand,iß up to its eyes in praotical Chinese partisanship, furnishing supplies, transporting troops, and locally financing the whole Chinese martial outfit. Theße gentlemen are free lances as long as it is plain sailing, but the moment they strike a snag they are British subjects, and entitled to British protection. French and Russian papers decline to separate the undoubted active support that commercial England is giving to the Chinese. The steamship Gaelic, which left San Francis 30 on August 6, carried from 15,000 to 16,000 barrels of flour to Hongkong. This is the largest shipment of flour sent to China for a long time. From that port for Yokohama the same steamship took 2283 cases of fruit, 243 cases of aseorted meats, and 1100 barrels of beef and pork.