446
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
[December 11,1895. ---
THE AMOUNT PAID IN PERSONAL | made, a company of soldiers were sent in as a | asking that they should find them house · aç-
EMOLUMENTS, ETC.
The following statement showing the total cost of personal emoluments, pensions, &c. for
1892.
the years 1892, 1898, and 1894′ was laid before the Legislative Council on Thursday
1893.
1804. Average Average Average Exchange Exchange Exchange
2/10
2461
Salaries (including Allow-
Compensation
measures.
commodation and food in return for the fighting which they would be solely responsible for. These advances not being accepted they made several raids on the villages and houses, abducting women, to be held as hostages, and taking away much property.
reconnoitring party with orders to fall back as soon as unmistakeable signs of hostility were shown by the Hakkas. The party had not advanced far before a vigorous assault was made on them, and they, too, in pursuance of their orders had to retire and report the evident
By the 23rd or 24th the Japanese had assem- hopelessness of effecting anything by pacific
This point once definitely settled. bled on the right or western side of the Tang- the Japanese set to work with their usual kang river, and all being ready they crossed. As soon as energy to make arrangements for meeting the same without opposition. 2/14
the inevitable. A fully equipped force, number they reached the first line of defence, however, ing about 2,000 men of all arms, under the resistance was great and the progress slow. a brigadier, were soon ou the march for the By the evening of the 25th Nov. they had over- disaffected area.
come these difficulties and had penetrated nearly up to the base of the hills. Here we must leave them for the present, as it will be more convení- ent and probably more conducive to accuracy if we await details of movements and operations until a little later date.
22,578.21
ances) ...$821.509.52 $750.8.1.13 $764,337.04 Pensions
It should perhaps be explained that the Hak- 67,086.54 86,706.79 100,077.28 kas, or "immigrants" ("kheh-lang") as they Exchange
are called by all other Formosan lowlanders, occupy, together with the Pehphoans, the plain lands which extend from the base of the western- most range of mountains up to the large river which enters the sea at Taugkang, about 17 miles south of Takow, but which strear rises many miles to the north and eastward of this point.
Total....8888,596.06 $837,557.92 $886,992.53 The figures for 1895 cannot be ascertained, as the accounts for the year caunot yet be closed.
A. M. THOMSON,
Acting Treasurer.
Hongkong. 3rd December, 1895.
THE STAMP ORDINANCE AMEND- MENT BILL.
The objects and seasons of this Bill. read a first time at the meeting of the Legislative Council on Thursday, are as follows:-
The principal object of this. Ordinance is to enable the documents in the schedule to be stamped. without penalty, at any time within seven days from their date of execution.
At the same time. it has been thought desir- able to slightly alter the wording of sectious S and 10 of the principal Ordinance, to confer on the collector a slightly enlarged discretion with regard to the remission of jomalties, and to re- duce the penalties from tom and twenty times the amount of deficient duty to four and ten times such amount, respectively.
AFFAIRS IN SOUTH FORMOSA.
To
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With the Pelphoans the Hakkas have al ways kept up a constant feud, and rarely meet each other without fighting. These latter people are on friendly terms with the Japanese and. quite ready to accept their rule, will no doubt prove very useful allies in this Hakka
affair.
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The authorities issued a proclamation the other day calling on all persons who had stills or trees (sic) to send in an account of same, to- gether with title deeds proving their ownership and authority to work the same. This would ap- pear to show that the Japanese have not as yet inade themselves familiar with the tenure the aboriginal proprietorship of camphor trees alone renders possible. Having so satisfactorily settled the arrangements for going up country and working this industry with the Chinese au- thorities, after many attempts at evasion and As soon as it became evident that the Japan-obstruction on the part of the latter, it is to be ese really meant business the Hakkus, on their hoped that no misunderstanding will now arise and part, began to prepare for the struggle. By interfere with what is undoubtedly a most valu- damuting up the Tangkang river they have able and important branch of Formosan trade. flooded considerable portions of the plain. Here Foreigu merchants are deeply interested in this and there they have put up strongholds, camphor business and have a good deal of money "forts," elevated above the surrounding invested. While therefore they confidently rely water, with ready means of retreat to others in on the well known desire of the Japanese 'to the rear should the situation at any place call continue all the advantages and privileges for abandonment. The paths for retreat have hitherto enjoyed, whether in regard to
trade been very ingeniously constructed, with means
or anything else, they cannot help for flooding and otherwise destroying them feeling a little anxions lest the not unnatural as the last Hakka has passed. All want of information as to the real conditions over the submerged plains the road has and state of the camphor industry, as displayed been planted so as to hamper the approach of by the proclamation under notice, may lead to cavalry and to lesser extent infantry. Of course some delay, and its consequent financial in- this line of defence can only go about one-
convenience to those whose interests are so con- third of the way from the banks of the river siderably involved. We therefore hope that as to the mountains, but, after that, equally in- soon as the Japanese have studied the subject genious earthworks and defences have been and become thoroughly posted in the rights of constructed. All their women and children are the case many of the fears at present suggested massed together at the fiual stronghold just at may turn out to be groundless. the foot of the mountains and on the approach of the Japanese these non-combatants will By to the mountains, whither the fighting force will also eventually retreat if they find it impossible to hold out longer in the lowland defences. They are extremely well armed with Winchester repeaters and even field guns. Their supply of anumunition is said to be abundant, as Liu placed great reliance in them as a fighting body, and had given them the best equipment of all his troops.
as sooll
When the Japanese landed at Takow all the Hakkas fell back into their own districts, of
course taking with them all the arms and
ammunition in their possession. It is also said that Lin had formed some reserve stores of ammunition in the Hakka country, as at ima time he thought of himself retreating there and waying guerilla warfare on the invaders from that place and the adjoining mountains.
FROM AN OQUASIONAL, CORRESPONDENT.] TAINANFU. 28th November. A regular expedition against the Hakkas has been arranged and at this moment the troops are hotly engaged in the plains on which are situated the towns of A-kou and Ah-li-khau. It was not without first doing all negotiation and concilia- tion could suggest that the Japanese devided to resort to force. Responsible agents were sent in to interview the Hakkas and offer them all reasonable protection and terms, and it must be almitted that these envoys were properly re- ceived and treated by the tribesmen. For a time things appeared to be going on favourably, but so soon as the question of total disarmament arose then the Hakkas became immoveable. their plea that they need arius for protection against the Pehphoans the Japanese responded that they would undertake all the responsibility | of defence, and would guarantee that the life and property of any one under their rub should be carefully guarded. They also pointed out the great necessity in every well regulat-com- munity for each person having confidenes in the authorities and leaving to them the administra-
Inability to make trustworthy terms with the tion of these laws under which justice would be aborigines, however, led to Lin giving up this dealt out impartially to all subject to them plan, as, of course, unless the savages, who They tried to show the inconvenience and con- have full command of the mountain fastnesses, fusion that must acise if all and sundry thought were friendly the situation would be quite as they bad the right to take the law into their unpleasant as that from which protection was own hands. This and much more the Japanese sought. The Hakkas. although always more continued to urge with the great forbearance for less at feud with the aborigines in times aud patio, by all to no avail, the Hakkas past, believe they have lately patched up a sort positively refusing to give up their arms and
of friendship and alliance with the latter announ ing that any attempt to surch for the and have had several "w-wows" and orgies to same would be energetically resisted.
cement the same. It would seem urious, however, if the aborigines should suddenly for- get and forgive the years and years of treachery and cruelty with which the Hakkas have cou sistently treated them, and there may be a good deal of truth in the statement that all the aborigines want is to get their arms and ammunition, after which they will eject the in- truders or otherwise get rid of them.
Though reminded of what the Japanese had already accomplished, both in this island and elsewhere in China, and the consequent foolish ness of continuing resistance to their advance, these misguided people persist in believing or asserting their ability to do what others had failed to effect; and so it has come about that, most reluctantly, the delegates had to with- draw, leaving the military to settle matters. Even then, hoping that better counsels might prevail if a real demonstration of force were
I
Prior to the actual commencement of hos tilities the Hakkas made several attempts to win over the plainlanders to their side, only
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The railway progresses apace and we expect will reach this city in the time announced. The Japanese have started on making a good horso and carriage road between this and Takow and hope soon to complete it. This will be a grand boon, and practically makes the two ports into one, a benefit which, in view of the risks to health attendant on residence at the northern settlement, dannot be too highly appreciated.
All over the country, and even in the city of Tainanfu. umerous out-of-work and evil dis- posed Chinese are committing depredations on the people, and are even audacious enough to assume Japanese dress and authority for their misdeeds. This irritates the people very much, and is the cause of much regret and annoyance to the authorities. The other day, on the earnest solicitation of the country people, a body of gen- darmes were sent out to a place near Koussia, about five miles from Takow, and after some resistance of the part of the robbers succeeded in capturing thirteen of the rogues, includ- ing their leader. Amongst them was a Can- tonese ex-soldier, reported to be a notorious pirate. They were all taken to the city of Pithau and we hear will have very short shrift, or at least one the length of which has been diminished by a head. The Japanese coolies, too, are a source of terrible annoyance to every one, and not least to their own authorities. They seem to be an extremely low class, and commit the most wanton acts of robbery and destruction. They walk into the peoples' houses and help themselves to anything that takes their fancy for the moment. If they find nothing they proceed in a spirit of pure wantonness to destroy all the poor peoples' little furniture and crockery, and as often as not assault the owners. It seems fortunate for the Japanese authori- ties that just at this juncture, when doing all they can to conciliate the people, they should be forced by circumstances to introduce such a horde of ruffians as these coolies are. Whether
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