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THE CAPTURE OF WEIHAIWEI.
(9th February.)
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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
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Weihaiwei is now completely in the hands of the Japanese, the island of Liukungtao, whose forts protected the eastern and western entrances to the harbour, having been captured after a siege of thirteen days. The telegrams leave us in some doubt as to the fate of the Chinese fleet. It is re- ported that the ironclads Tingyuen, Chenyuen, and Laiyuen have been torpedoed, but another account says that the Chenyuen and four other vessels have escaped. Whatever may be the fact as to these vessels, however, it may be taken for granted that the rest of the Peiyang Squadron at Weihaiwei has been captured. When the Japanese arrived the Chinese vessels remaining in Weihaiwei were reported to be the Chenyuen, Tingyuen, Laiyuen, Pingyuen, Kwangping, Weiyuen, Kangchi, and Chiyuen, all first class vessels, besides six gunboats and eleven torpedo boats. The captured vessels will augment the Japanese fleet, while China is now left without any fleet at all worthy of the name. The blow to China is a crushing one, for it deprives her of all power to impede the movements of the Japanese at sea, and the whole of her coast line lies at the mercy of the invader should increase the desire of the Peking Government to make peace and it may have sufficiently humbled their pride to induce them to sue for it in proper form instead of again going through the farce of sending another such mission as the two which have already been sent to Japan and proved abortive, Japan, having possessed herself of the Chinese fleet, may now be willing to listen to overtures and to forego her projected march on Peking, provided China is pre-. pared to give substantial guarantees of her intention honestly to carry out the conditions imposed upon her but there will be no suspension of hostilities until the conqueror's terms are complied with and if China indulges iu further hesita- tion and tergiversation she will very soon have the Japanese guns thundering at the gates of ber capital, for the way thither is now open.
The event
THE WAR AND ITS POSITION.
(6th February.) Another principal act in the drama of the war between China and Japan is now being acted-if in leed it has not already been consummated-at Weihaiwei. That port was, at last advices, virtually in the hands of the Japanese. All the forts on the main- land are in their possession, and they were bombarding the fortified island of Liukung- tao, which forms one of the strongest de- fences of the port. The Peivang Squadron, as we expected, was still in Weihaiwei, the report that the vessels had escaped, men- tioned by Reuter, having proved unfounded. Some stand was made by the Chinese at Weihaiwei, probably due to the crews of the men-of-war, and some of the guns of the forts are sail to have been well worked, but the final catastrophe could not be long delayed, the combined attack by land and sea being too severe for the Chinese effectively to withstand. The weather seems to have been very unfavourable for operations on the water, as there was a strong gale on the Srd inst., and that probably retarded the movements of the Japanese ships. No doubt this gale would considerably impede their movements, and may well have been disastrous to the torpedo boats. Neverthe-
[February 14, 1895.
less the ultimate success of the Japanese thick wadded coats, and if, as is possible, attack could hardly be doubted. The Chi-there is some scarcity of fuel among them neso garrison are reported to have been des- and they do feel the cold somewhat severely titute of case-shot or shrapnel, and it is they are certainly not in the parlous condi. Chinese reports. rumoured that the greater part of the milition described by the tary were emulous of the example of the Moreover, they have established themselves discreet generals at Port Arthur, who in such positions in Manchuria as to be showed such keen anxiety to be preserved in complete masters of the situation there. order to fight again another day. The crews Haicheng has been fortified in such a of the Peiyang Squadron had an oppor- mauner, taking advantage of its favourable tunity of distinguishing themselves, and it situation, as to be now virtually impregnable will be interesting to learn actually how to attack, and the other positions held by the Japanese have also been secured, while they utilised it.
the inhabitants of the surrounding districts have been conciliated by the respect paid by the invaders to the rights of property and to the persons of the vanquished, a policy contrasting so favourably with the course pursued by the undisciplined rabble hosts of the Chinese army that the advent of the strangers has in many cases been hailed as a welcome deliverance from the
brave." plundering Chinese
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ŠHAO YU-LIEN,
Meantime the war is going on steadily in Manchuria, and the reports concerning operations there are of the most various character. The Chinese assert and the wish is undoubtedly father to the thought that the Japanese troops are suffering hor- ribly from the rigours of the winter. One report states that no less than one thousand of the Japanese have died from cold, disease, and suicide in a fortnight, and their suffer- ings are depicted as being so unendurable The collapse of the peace negotiations in that the bodies of thirty-seven soldiers their very inception is hardly more than who had put a period to their miseries were might have been anticipated. found in a group by a detachment of never sanguine of their success, and have Mongol cavalry scouting among the hills to pointed out some of the possible stumbling The Japanese Govern- the east of Haicheng. If no one else be- blocks in the way. lieves these stories, the Imperial War Comment, knowing the character of the Chinese missioner WU TA-CHENG seems to give them for treachery and bad faith, would naturally full credit, for he has issued a proclamation require the fullest assurances of the powers to the Japanese soldiers, in which after of the Envoys before they entered upon setting forth his own great resources-fifty negotiations with them. To judge from the battalions of armed coolies-to show the report telegraphed by Reuter, their creden- utter hopelessness of contending with so tials were not found satisfactory, and the mighty a host and so puissant a commander, Envoys seem to have been summarily dis- on their return to he appeals to them to cease making their missed, and are now bodies a target for Chinese bullets and China. The Envoys themselves were pro- invites them to desert from their comman- bably not regarded with any great personal ders and seek shelter, rations, and safety favour in Tokyo. Neither by rank nor by in his camp. If, says the artless Wu, you reputation were they likely to command Japanese soldiers should be defeated and any particular respect. "have no place to run away to, wherever more especially, as the author of the first you should see my sigual-boards bearing proclamation offering rewards for Japanese the words 'Surrender and avoid death' you heads, could not expect to meet a very cor. may at once present yourselves to the dial reception in the capital of Japan. Be "officers in charge, who are also delegated fore any proposals for a settlement of the "to the duty on account of their reputation quarrel are likely to meet with much ap. "for charity and justice; you must then proval in Japau, the Japanese Government throw down your arms and prostrate will require to be pretty well satisfied of the yourselves before the signal. You will sincerity of the Chinese in desiring peace then be received into our encampments After the somewhat humiliating manner in "and given two meals a day and exactly which the Chinese Envoys were sent pack- "the same treatment as our own people. ing it is probably that no immediate attempt You will not be put to hard labour, and will be made by either party to renew peace "when peace is restored you will be sent negotiations, and it is not unlikely that the "back to your homes to meet your wives Japanese Government, feeling indisposed to and sons once more." This charming be drawn into any armistice, are satisfied to picture of Chinese clemency and benevolence let matters drift until the Chinese are ready is in such vivid contrast to the actual treat to sue for peace on such terms as the victors ment accorded to those Japanese who have may dictate. been so unfortunate as to fall into the hands of Chinese Generals hitherto that the Japanese soldiers may be pardoned if they
The Chinese officials treat Commissioner Wu's assurances with mild incredulity. The fate of Japanese are not yet sufficiently convinced of the prisoners has commonly been torture first hopelessness of the conflict (vide Wo TA- the Japanese and dismemberment subsequently, and the CHENG'S proclamation to dreadful fate of some of their countrymen soldiers) to be ready to treat as the defented at Port Arthur must still be rather vividly party, and the Japanese will not abate their in the recollection of the soldiers of the demands sufficiently to render them accept- Wo able to Peking. The hostilities will there- First Army Corps in Manchuria. makes the mistake of treating the Japanese fore proceed, notwithstanding the loss of soldiers as he would his own troops. He Weihaiwei and all control over the coasts. fails to credit the Japanese with any loyalty The conviction of the iuutility of further or patriotism because those sentiments are efforts will only penetrate the minds of the unknown in the Chinese ranks. But there mandarins when internal disorder, and pos- will be no desertions from the ranks of the sible revolution, confronts them. The fall Japanese. They may be conscript soldiers, of Peking merely might fail to sufficiently but they have a strong love of country, impress them, and it may be necessary to deep devotion to the MIKADO, and the habit carry the war to the central provinces or ob. of obedience to their officers, the result of even to Kwangtung before Celestial o
It is, however, to be good training and discipline. And, as a stinacy gives way. matter of fact, the Japanese armies are in a hoped most sincerely that the war will not far better case than the troops under Wube greatly prolonged, for not only does it TA-CHENG. They are provided with ample militate against trade but it also serves to supplies of food and clothing, including" arrest all progress and development.
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Long ago we expressed the opinion that any negotiations preliminary to the occupation of Peking by the Japanese would fail, and there seems little reason to alter that opinion.
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