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fighting, the number engaged on each side, whether any were killed oo wounded, if so how many, and other particulars in the nature of actual facts.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND I put it down with a strong hand. But for all that, the populace is awaiting anxiously the return of the Governor-General, who has been telegraphed to in all haste. I cannot say more now, but will write more fully by next mail."
7th September. On Saturday a telegram was received by Com- modore Boyes stating that H.M.8. Redpole ar- rived at Manila on Friday. She was at once placed in quarantine until to-day (Monday) and consequently there could be no communication with the shore.
The following Havas telegram is published in the Tonkin papers:
+6
PARIS, 1st September. "At Manila three thousand insurgents at- tacked the Spaniards during the night of Satur- day. They were repulsed with gerat loss."
8th September.
It is reported that telegraphic intelligence has been received from Manila to the effect that the import market is entirely disorganised owing to the rebellion and that no further con- signments should be sent.
The following Havas telegram appears in the Tonkin papers :--
Paris, 2nd September. "Further risings have taken place in the Philippines."
From this it would seem that the attack made on the night of Saturday, 29th August, was followed up by further risings on the following Sunday and Monday.
CHANGE OF MINISTRY IN JAPAN.
The Japanese Consul courteously informs us
that he has received a telegram from Japan stating that the Marquis Ito, Minister Pre- sident of State, resigned on the 31st ultimo, and that Count Kuroda has been appointed to the office ad interim and will hold it in conjunction with that of President of the Privy Council.
DEATH OF CAPTAIN MCLUEN.
SHANGHAI, 4th September. Captain McEnen died at Yokohama on Saturday last.
9th September. Yesterday morning Commodore Boyes re- ceived a telegram from the captain of the Redpole stating that the boat must remain at Manila for the present. From this it is to be inferred that the situation is considered serious.[SPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE “DAILY PRESS."
We give below an account of the commence- ment of the rebellion in Manila which was sent to the Shanghai Daily Press by a correspondent. It will be seen that the report gives the date of the outbreak as the 24th August, and the letter was dispatched on the 25th and must therefore have been seut by the Zafiro. This is somewhat curious in the light of events as they were made known in Hongkong, When the Zafiro arrived here on the 28th August no one on board bad heard of any outbreak ; there was simply the rumour that a conspiracy against the Government was being hatched. Moreover, the British Consul did not wire to Commodore Boyes until the 31st, when he said that a serious rebellion had broken out, presum- ably meaning that it had broken out that day, though from the Havas telegram it would seem that fighting commenced on the 29th. Under those circumstances it is rather difficult to ex- press any opinion upon the accuracy of the following report, which, however, we must say, does not read like an exaggerated story
"The authorities and wealthier classes in Manila were completely taken by surprise on the 24th August when, apparently in obedience to some preconcerted arrangement, the native populace and the lower classes generally turned in open revolt against their Spanish masters. The police were stoned and Escolta Street, the principal business district of the city, was in- vaded by a mob who threatened to loot and burn the town. The shopkeepers and mer- chants hurriedly closed their houses and ran for safety to the neighbourhood of the barracks, where they were comparatively secure. Up to the present time no great damage has been done, but the masses are in complete revolt.
[Captain J. P. McEuen, a retired Com. mander of the Royal Navy, was formerly Assistant Harbour Master at Hongkong and frequently acted in other departments. He retired from the Hongkong Service in 1884 to take up the appointment of Captain Superin tendent of the Shanghai Police. He has of late been in bad health and a short time ago left for home, intending to travel by the Canadian route, but on arriving at Yokohama he was too ill to proceed and had to be landed The deceased gentleman was highly esteemed by all who knew him.]
AFFAIRS IN FORMOSA.
(FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.]
TAIPEHFU, 1st September, 1896.
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September 10-1896.
to-day. The rebels attacked o but being unable to get past receiving no encouragemen people they deserted the city in disg nese report had it that the city and a thousand Japanese killed.
stance coast
From Changwha it is but a short to Lokang (Rokko), the importan city. This place is splendidly built for Chinese town, the main street conta largest and best built business houses found in Formosa, with the possible ex of Tainanfu, and even there they excelled. As a result of the rebellion houses were reduced to ruins, the loss bein principally confined to block after block large brick and tile structures I have mentioned, while about a thousand Chinese were rendered homeless.
Returning to the days of the rebellion we find a small force of Japanese guarding the city. They were informed of the approach of the rebels, who, having been successful at Hoonlin and Huk-to, were marching through, adding to their strength hourly, by forcing the country people under penalty of fire and sword to join their ranks. The Japanese force was not sufficient to defend the whole city, so they all gathered together in an old Chinese yamen just at the outskirts, throwing up hasty barri- cades and enclosing all by a bamboo ste
kade.
The Chinese of the city were greatly disturbed and an offer of raising volunteers was made and
accepted by the Japanese, although there were no means of arming them. A force of one thousand was thus obtained and they were rendered recognizable by a band placed about their chest. They rendered splendid assistance in removing valuables, work on the stockade, and aiding the people in reaching safe retreats during the fighting. The Japanese officials are enthusiastic over the loyalty of the townspeo. ple, who thus gave such valuable aid, when with their 20,000 inhabitants they could have torn the Japanese into pieces had they so desiret. The rebels came and the attack commenced. Unable to drive the Japanese from their im- provised fort, and being subject to a deadly fire whenever they came in close range, an attempt was made to burn them out. Accordingly the Chinese houses in close proximity were fired, I have just returned from my in country trip. but fortunately for the Japanese the wind was having visited the districts touched by the late in the wrong direction, and the conflagration rebellion. The first. stage made by railway thus started, spread down the principal business brought me to Hsin-chu-ku (Teckcham), 40 street for many blocks. The rebels were ap- miles distant. This city is the southern ter-parently enraged at the refusal of the Lokang...... minus of the old Chinese railway and a regular people to join them, for the fire was allowed to passenger service of two trains a day has been spread and the torch was applied to other houses, established. The place is a particularly filthy until for about a half mile nothing but blackened settlement of 2.500 Chinese, while the Japa-rains remained. The fighting continued for six uese are located there to the number of a hours, the rebels then retreating, but leaving hundred civilians, officials and others, with about a hundred of their dead in the streets. 500 soldiers for the city and surrounding vil- Japanese loss, 4 killed and 16 wounded. Lokang lages. Although the space enclosed by a wall natives killed, 6. Wounded unknowits is not large, a considerable portion of it is under cultivation and a dirty stream for irri- gation purposes runs through the city. The streets are crowded and the place seems to be The revolt came as a complete surprise, for in a flourishing condition. A fairly comfort- though it was known that trouble was ferment.able Japanese hotel affords accommodation for ing, it was not thought it would burst out so
all strangers. rapidly. The cause cannot as yet be known as so many rumours are afloat that it is impossible to arrive at the truth, and it is better to wait a few days before attempting to give the history of the outbreak. It is also at present impossible to say how serious the consequences may be, as much depends upon the action of the infantry. The possession and safe-guarding of the city is entrusted to this corps, which is composed almost entirely of people of native extraction (Tagals), who have not, by their past history, given any reason to believe that they will remain faithful to their conquerors as against their own people. Should they remain faithful to the Government the affair will be settled in a few days. The absence of Governor- General Blanco also greatly aggravates the situation. By this time he is in Mindanao, in the south of the Philippines, where there is another revolt, fomented by the Ma- hommedans, called Moros, of so serious a nature that he thought it necessary to go him- self to quell it. On the other hand, it is reassuring to all to know that General Echalace, who is Secundo Cabo and a General of Division, has taken the most stringent measures to check the trouble here at once and
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From Teekcham I selected the route which could enable me to first visit the coast districts. Following south by chair I passed through numbers of villages all more or less similar, giving special attention to Hiongsan, Aulang, Oan, Taika, and Goche. For 80 miles all ap- peared quiet, and prosperous, with the fields all occupied by busy workers, while the villages were swarming with Chinese and the salesmen were crowding even the streets with their wares.
All Japanese and much property of the Chinese was looted. One Chinese, a wealthy farmer, afforded special assistance by disguising himself as a coolie, and, acting as spy, bringing the Japanese much valuable information as to the movements of the rebels. I understand it is the intention to reward this man in particu- lar for his loyal aid.
The principal Chinese sufferers were of the wealthier class, but as there were still many who lost all their earthly possessions, the Chief of the civil office had applied to Taipehfu for aid and already had obtained $2,156 for dis- tribution, with more expected to follow
Lokang was the only settlement on or near the coast touched by the rebels
es My next stage was on further south to Huk to, a small village of mud huts. Upon the arrival of the rebels at this place, many villagers joined them, and after a pluck fence, during which the captain_comman was shot and killed from a house, the Japanese were obliged to retreat. The captain seems to hare been an uncommonly brave fellow although fatally wounded heyet_comm for some time, and when finally the command over to the lower offic implored those about his death couch surrender, his last words being that should be buried in this sam fell and that under no ciron
At Changwha (Shoka) the removal of the market makes the place appear less prosperous thau of old. During the Chinese days this big inland city was the centre to which hundreds of country people daily gathered to dispose of the country's produce. It was not always a quiet crowd and, offering too great an ap- portunity for bad characters to enter the city unsuspected, the Japanese ordered that the market should be moved to the outside of the wall. Many of the city Chinese who received employment either directly or indirectly as a result of the existence of the market removed to the ontside of the gate, where a new settle-Japanese retreat. The ment was built. This principally accounts for tion of two houses destroyer the quietude of the big city as we find it making the attack, remains entire