IN THE EAST

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 80, 26 August 1914, Page 5

IN THE EAST

JAPANESE ASSAULT BEGUN. . > NO TIME LOST./ Tokio. August 24. Count Yamato states that the Japan- i esc have commenced the bombardment of Kiao-Chao. ' BACK .FROM THE EAST. JAPAN AND KIAO-CHAO. A gentleman who arrived by the Malieno from the Far East was .seen toy ft representative of the Auckland Star on j Monday .morning, and upon being informed that Janan bad declared l war with Germany, he remarked, "It will b-: no more than, an experimental manoeuvre for the navy of Japan. I left there tast June, and can assure you tha,t the country is always prepared for war. The military and naval training there is excellent, but not in 'the machine-like form that is a maTk :d ■ « feature of the . German system. The Japanese are intensely patriotic and filled ivitli eswrit de coups. lam not surprised at them declaring war against. Germany, as, apart from, the fact thai ■ ~ they are in treaty with Great Britain, .' there is also not the slightest doubt' that there was no love for Germany ' since that naition Mocked Japan fr.ua securing the fruits of its victory over China some jots ago. I have no hesi- -' tation in saying thiat 'with Japan it ia a case of ab'solute preparedness for war ' at any time. I saw the troops drilling • - in: all the principal centre® when I was J there." . In answer to a query regarding KiaoChao, the gentleman remarked: "I left ■ there on the 7th of May. It is a Jiuignifloent place, and l has a very fine bar- N bor. Genmany has spent imi'lions upon Kiao-Chau, tile place being also well fortified, and having large barracks. The town is splendidly laid out with, wide streets, everything havipg been done in the thorough manner characteristic of he German nation, which does the work in the sure faith that the inrush of , comiiieree will in due course repay the , outlay. Kiao-Chao is a health reßort for the Chinese (people. It is in the ■ Shantung province, and, therefore, calculated to capture the silk tra<l e - In -J faA, tihis year, for the first time, it , •£ did get the bulk of the trade m What ; article to the determent of the Britten post of Clu-foiL This is to a great extent due to the fact that Germany has , constructed a railway from' Tsmanfu, a. f ? distance of alxrat 200 .males, and I iMn-|3 d«mtand that a furtheV concession HUT HH been obtained of an area of ten miles of rich alluvial country each side of the railway for the whole of that dls«u£tiM3iGt.-;