Captain Lang, late of the Chinese naval service, has given
some interesting information to a Reuter reporter. The Chinese Navy has, he says, excellent stuff in it, and, on the whole, is about equal to the Japanese. All depends on hove. the ships are handled. Admiral Ting he speaks of with enthusiasm as an officer he would follow anywhere. The gun- practice is excellent, and the ships are accustomed to perform the most complicated manceuvres. "The gridiron evolution in which the' Victoria' was lost was performed by them over and over again with the greatest accuracy and precision." Captain Lang's general opinion on the situation is that in the end Japan must be utterly crushed. "If China liked, she could keep a war going for a century. She is a self-supporting country, and is quite content to wait for a desired result. The Clhinese bitterly bate the Japanese, and I can well believe the present struggle is pleasing to both nations. Knowing what I do of them, I think it will be carried through to the bitter ,end if the two Powers are allowed to continue the war." The .Chinese will not, he thinks, land in Japan ; but it is quite possible that they will take the Loochoo Islands, and will -drive the Japanese out of Corea. "Certainly China will not rest satisfied until then."
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