June 20, 1895.]
powerful support of one man, namely, Liu. He Dccupies in Formosa the position occupied by Spreckles in Hawaii. The greater part of the wealth of the island is in his possession, and he consequently exercises overwhelming influence there, Had his property been wholly situated in the island, he would probably have remained quiet and become a naturalised subject of Japan. "But on the mainland of China also he has possessions even more valuable than those in Formosa, 80 that a change of nationality would seriously impair his interests. Under these circumstances, he is evidently placed in a serious dilemma. In order to save his property on the mainland, he cannot become a Japanese subject. He mast therefore dispose of his property in Formosa within two years and leave the island, for Japanese law does not sanction the possession of real estate by foreigners. The difficulties of his situation are duly appreciated by the Viceroy Li, who, we are informed, brought the matter to the notice of Count Ito and Viscount Mutsu at Shimonoseki when the question of the cession of the island was under disonssion. The Chinese Plenipotentiary asked for a special licence to Liu authorizing him to own real pro- perty in Formosa after its transfer to Japan, without becoming the latter's subject. This application was of course rejected, and Liu seems to have been driven to his present course out of desperation. The Black Flags, it is said, are in his employ. This resistance on the part of the people may cost Japan a few lives and some money, but it will prove a good thing that Liu and his dependents have revolted, for the troublesome question about the disposal of his property will be very easily settled once for all. The affair will also serve as a means of ridding the island of all undesirable characters. ➡China Gazette.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
463
how much they would charge to prevent their I had men from firing upon the ship, and to stop the about 3.30 on the morning of Thursday, on board of the ship. It was firing. This was necessary, as none of those on the 6th, that we finished at the forts. and the ship had anything with which to defend then Mr. Nightingale took us by a back way to themselves as they had thrown away their arms, the shore, where we found our boats and went ammunition, and uniforms in clambering on ou board of the Arthur. When I got on board board, The panic amongst these poor refugees the captain told me that while I was away was most pitiable, and they were then huddled the ship had been fired at from a fort on the toge her on the ship like a lot of helpless sheep opposite side of the river, with a small in a pen. What few arms had been brought field-gun, the shot falling about 20 yards aboard were taken charge of by the ship people. astern. As soon as it was daylight we saw the they doubtless seeing there was nothing to be men rushing out of the fort we had disabled, done after the guns were disabled. Fully balf sampaus or anything that would carry them, of those men came aboard of our ship, stealing and clambering up the sides of the ship with the assistance of their comrades, as the ladders men if we had a soul abroad. were taken in. By about 6 o'clock we had 3,000 list on, as most of the men were on one side to We had a terrible get out of the way of the musketry fire which was now playing on us.
·
A PERILOUS MISSION.
that was a
We
A DEADLY FUSILADE.
After the letter had been decided upon and written, the question arose "who was deliver it," as
to undertaking. As Mr. Waters had proposed it, most dangerous and no one else would undertake the ticklish business, he had to further assist by taking it ashore himself. He went ashore to the Custom House, where he met air. Nightingale, of the Customs, and told him of his intentions. Mr. Nightingale told him it would be fruitless to attempt it alone, and volunteered to do all he could to assist Mr. Waters. He said that if any Chinese interpreter were taken the proba bilities were that both would be killed. As Mr.
About 7 o'clock ou Thursday morning the Waters knew that Mr. Nightingale was liked fort on the opposite side of the river began and respected by the Chinese officials, he pressed two or three shots fell over the ship, the dires- firing upon us with their field-guns. The first him to accompany him to the forts. As he says now: "Without Mr. Nightingale I could not
tion being, however, very good. After this have accomplished what I wanted." Having they seemed to direct their fire at the fore induced Mr. Nightingale to accompany him, part of the vessel the saloon was filled with Mr. Waters continues: the fort and on arrival found all ready for firing without dainage. The second hit the upper officials. The first shell that hit the ship hit -We then proceeded to
the side hinge of the baggage-port and exploded The gates were closed and double sentries posted and kept. While waiting for the gates to be through the ceiling of the saloon, tore its deck close to the wheel-house, passed opened, Mr. Nightingale told me, from some- thing he overheard being said inside, we might way through the boily of a man sitting on a never be allowed to come out alive again. I
obair alongside the saloon-table, and struck the did not seem to think so, because I could side of the saloon deck, not exploding. A third not understand the language as he could.
shot struck the skylight just forward of the were admitted to the fort and received by stoke-hole grating, killing four mon outright and the General. Mr. Nightingale then commenced wounding we do not know how many. Another negotiations with the General, and got out of shell exploded just before reaching the ship them their intentions. We then for the first and knocked two men, who were clambering time, to our great surprise, found out that their up the side, into the water. One of the matos intention was to destroy the ship and everybody
threw a life-buoy over the spot they dis- on her. why this was and was answered that the men had men never were seen again. The Arthur then Mr. Nightingate asked the General appeared at, but this was useless, as the had no pay for two months, and unless they had dropped asteru to where the German gunboat their money the ship should never leave. They had both torpedoes and guns in the forts, and it further astern out of her way, and she fired would have been impossible for any ship to leave one shot at the fort which was firing at us, if they wished to stop her.
which struck the parapet. We explained to the
She then waited On the 3rd inst., after the fall of Kolung, the 30,000 that morning, and he replied that neither the position from the smoke, she fired another General that the ship had been looted of Tls.ntil the fort fired another shot, when, judging Arthur was lying at her moorings at Hobé. The he nor his men had received a cent of the money, soldiers and people, upon the news of the fall, and as he had 500 men he wanted pay for them. another shot it is thought she must have either shell which was very well directed, bursting right over the position. As the fort did not fire began flocking aboard the Arthur in hundreds.
After Mr. Nightingale had some conversation By Tuesday morning there were nearly 2,000 with the General in Chinese, I asked him to in-killed or wounded all the men or disabled the people on board, and it was decided by the quire of the General how much was the least he captain and the officials on board to leave.demanded to allow the ship to leave in safety, Steam was got up and all was ready to leave, pointing out that he must be easy, as we had to when orders came for the ship not to go, which find the money. proved in the end to have been a most fortunate (which I thought a very reasonable sum). After The General named Tls. 5,000 thing for all on board the ship, as it was later learned that it was the intention of the shore agreed to by both sides.
some consultation with the officers, this was soldiers and officials to open fire upon the ship from the forts. These had three 8-inch guns- two Krupp and one Armstrong, firing pro- jentiles weighing 280 pounds. There was also one 12-inch 50 ton gun in the fort, firing an eight hundred pound projectile, and the soldiers fully intended to use these
MR. WATERS' ACCOUNT OF THE * AKTHUR” AFFAIR AT TAMSUI.
The Arthur having arrived at Shanghai from Tamsui via Amoy a representative of the Mer cury had an interview with Mr. Waters, who gave the following account of the firing on that
Vessel
THE TROUBLE COMMENCES.
LOOTING BEGUN.
About 8.30 p.m. of that night a mob of soldiers, under a Captain Li, came down to the bund, intent upon loot or murder. They stopped all who showed any signs of wishing to leave the shore in sampans, und anybody who refused to come ashore from the sampans to be looted. They dragged the occupants of any sampan caught ashore, robbed and beat them, and told them that if they attempted to leave the place they would be killed. Three dead bodies were found on the beach in the morning, shot and ent most brutally besides plentiful blood stains showing what work had been doing. This same gang of marauders Boon directed their musketry fire at the Arthur, keeping this up all night and hitting the ship in many places, and wonnding many of their own people on board, and loaving their marks and damage from stem to stern of the ship.
THE PASSENGERS LIKE A LOT OF SHEEP.
Mr. Waters made a proposition to the officials on board that a letter should be sent ashore to the people in charge of the rowdies asking them
and
Iltis was anchored. She ordered the Arthur
gun.
THE PERILOUS ESCAPE.
Cantonese left us. The agreement was
We then got up our anchor and went full out further harm, though several shots were speed ahead, getting out of the harbour with-
fired at ns, all of which fell short. We wont this way. The money would be paid providing
to Amoy, where all the passengers but the These latter demanded to torpedoes so that they could not fire upon us delay and after a Chinese gunboat had come the officers would let ne disable the guns and be taken to Canton, and it was only after long even though the men revolted. I was to be from Foochow and taken the Cantonese aboard allowed to take away parts of the guns and cut that we were free. Even then We were the torpedo connections and to take the pieces not clear of Our troubles, as the forts to another place, where they should be kept un- in Amoy threatened to sink us, and we til the money was paid. After we had paid the had to leave without water and with every money we were to be allowed to disable the 12. light put out on the ship, sneaking out during 8 inch guns, but refused to allow the 12-inch to and put into some place on the coast. inch gun. They would allow us to disable the the night. We had some officials still on board, be touched.
We After long standing out, how-arrived here safe this morning at 3 o'clock, and ever, they agreed to include the 12-inch I at once came ashore.
the parts were taken away. As get the money, even then, he wanted security, Nightingale, who worked so hard for them General was afraid be would not Mr. Waters is loud in his praise of Mr.
people taking away the parts of the guns. By Morse, the Commissioner of Customs, who ad- so I was left until the money was sent, the other in negotiating with the fort, as well as Mr.
lish work. All around were sleeping soldiers ing the money demanded by the General. the way, taking these parts away was tick vanced $1,000-all his shroff had-towards pay. and if any of them had awakened and found Mr. Waters reached Twatatia before the us taking away these parts they would have President knew of the landing of the Japanese noise in doing it. cut us to mincemeat. I did not make much at Kelong. He was threatened with arrest by Mr. Nightingale and I completed the disable-gaged with the Formosans, so he at once resigned, When the money arrived, the British authorities on the island if he en- ment of the 12-inch gun, and on our return found as his agreement distinctly stated that active the men sharing the money out. The General warfare was not to be part of his duty. He would only take $16, bat begged me to take succeeded in getting his accounts squared up him on board the Arthur, which I consented to just 20 hours before the Governor ran away, do. The money had been collected from official in Hobé-that is, $4,000 was gathered official in escaping, receiving the heartiest thanks an and after that did all in his power to assist that there, and I let them have $1,000 which and profuse promises for these services.
the
GENERAL FORMOSAN AFFAIRS.