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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
that all business houses except Chinese houses were closed on that day. The outbreak of the rebellion seems to have been kept very secret from the first. On the let inst. only, a local newspaper published an extra and made known that fighting had commenced. 'About 8 o'clock | on the night of the 2nd instant, a gendar- merie officer with five gendarmes, with drawn swords, appeared at Mr. Lijima's store and the branch of the Kaigai Boyeki Kaisha, and proceeded to search the houses. They examined all the books and every scrap of correspondence, and went on to search even the ceilings of every room. They con- tinued the search till 11 o'clock, but obtained nothing suspicious. The officer wrote some- thing on a slip of paper and had it signed by all the men of the office and went away. We could not understand what the officer wrote, because it was in the Spanish language. What caused the gendarmerie to search the office we are unable to say, but they probably entertained some suspicion about the rumoured smuggling of firearms; for in Mr. Iijima's store a gendarme said he knew that some firearms were concealed; why did they not produce them? The Spanish steamer Saladora, which arrived from Japan on the 26th ult., brought four Japanese passengers. On landing, they were not allowed to take with them any of their effects, not even an umbrella. Each of them was strictly searched, every article of their dress and even the inside of their hats! Their effects were detained at the Customs until the 31st, when they were thoroughly inspected by two army officers, one, local
official, and two police officials, in conjunction with three Japanese, while books, newspapers, and all writings were kept nutil the 1st inst., and then they were further inspected. All the newspapers were confiscated. From these facts the attitude of the Spanish authorities towards the Japanese can be in- ferred. We are apprehensive that we may be subjected to serious injustice. All the JapanesO residents held a consultation and applied to the German Consul for protection in case of emergency, and the application was at once granted. The German Consul said he had heard that one Japanese was arrested by the Spanish authorities and asked if we knew the name of the man in question. But none of us knew of the arrest of any Japanese. The fact
is doubtful.
The communication is signed by nine Japanese and dated Manila, September 10th, 1896.-Kobe Chronicle.
AFFAIRS IN FOLMOSA,
FROM A CORRESPONDENT.}
ANPING, 9th October.
If the question of Mid-Formosa atrocities is to be dropped, such rubbish as contributed by Professors and War Correspondents should be suppressed. We had quite made up our minds to afford the Japanese every opportunity of remedying the deplorable state of affairs now prevailing in the centre of the island before referring again to the subject. But when Pro- fessor Burton calmly asserts that "your cor- respondent's statements as to the action of the Japanese are, with a few exceptions, either exaggerations or pure fabrications," we feel bound to remonstrate. And when the War himself Correspondent hysterically finds "highly indignant in reference to the exag, gerations that have been indulged in as to the alleged atrocities," and in fact "denies that there were any atrocities," your correspondent, naturally, feels inclined to give some more instances of brutality practiced by the soldiers. Will Professor Burton and the War Correspon- dent be convinced that the atrocities took place before the rebellion, and that the cruelties com- plained of led to the rebellion ? If. as we sup- pose, the learned Professor derived his infor- mation from Chinese in Japanese employ we can well understand how he had been misled.
The Japanese Government have already shown their disapproval, in dismissing certain officials and trying army officers by court martial. It is only fair, therefore, to presume that they are exerting themselves to bring about peace, and foreigners in South Formosa are only too anxious to afford every help.
There are several gentlemen willing, ut this THE moment, to sacrifice time and money, should the Japanese be willing to accept their services, in the way of mediating, for without foreign aid it is difficult to see how matters can be arranged.
We gladly dismiss the subject of atrocities, but if Professors and War Correspondents are permitted to challenge our statements, we must produce further proofs.
About five hundred boxes of camphor go forward by the Thales, representing nearly all the stock held at Chipchip, and Hoonim prior to the ontbreak. There is perfect disorder in the camphor districts, and a foreign compradore has been lately robbed on the road of $2.000. The Japanese appear to be quite helpless, and utterly unable to cope with the Formosan highwaymen.
THE FORMOSA COURT-MARTIAL.
Lieut.-Colonel Masuda and Captain Furuichi have been suspended, and Major Sato and Capt. Ishizuka have been court-martialled in For- mosa, the cause of the trouble being connected with the late insurrection at Yun-lin. The public, observes the Kokumin, must not be be- trayed into passing any hasty judgment upon the conduct of those officers. It would be wrong to stigmatize them, as some persons seem disposed to do, as guilty of cowardice. The Lieut.-Colonel received, while he was at Kagi, the news that the defence of Yun-lin was broken; that things were in the most critical condition. He hastened to the garrison, taking with him only one company of men. He suc- ceeded in beating back the insurgents at Yun-lin and at the same time took steps to clear the vicinity of lurking Hakkas. In the meanwhile, other serious tidings reached him that the in- surgents had appeared before Kagi and had surrounded it, and he was thus obliged to lead back his troops at the double to rescue that mportant post. Now the steps that the Colo- nel took to clear the vicinity of Yun-lin of Hakkas were strong and decisive; in fact he burned down houses and even killed law-abid- ing people. This proceeding furnished a good pretext to the Hakkas to say that, rather than be passively murdered by the Japanese, they should, as they were to die anyhow, rise against the invaders and oppose them to the death. It was this indiscreet bloodshed that provoked some of the natives to desperation, and has now led to the Colonel's suspension. The Colonel, how ever, is not without justification for the steps he took: He must have found it impossible to discriminate between rebels and law-abiding people, as the former frequently hid themselves in the dwellings of the latter, while the existence of such shelter exposed the troops to extreme danger, as the Hakkas entered other people's houses and used them as shelters to fire at the Japanese troops. Captain Furuichi com- manded the garrison of Yun-lin when it was besieged by the insurgents, and had only one company under him,
had
That handful of men to encounter a body of insurgents numerically several times stronger than them selves. When a message was carried to Major Sato, who commanded Yun-liu and its vicinity, and relief was urgently requested, the Major told the Captain that he should evacuate the place and withdraw to a safe position, an which he obeyed. In this re- injunction
blame could be laid spect, therefore, no
The reason why upon Captain Furnichi.
was suspended was Lieut.-Colonel Masuda more indefinite. He was said to have failed in exercising.due vigilance and to have suffered the insurrection to assume formidable proportions. This officer, however, must have found it ex- tremely difficult to keep watch over a large dis trict with only one company of men at his disposal, especially when his want of know ledge of the native language is remembered, added to which was ignorance of the topography of the country. The conduct of Major Sato and Captain Ishizuka was doubtless open to grave censure.-Japan Mail.
The British steamer Mount Lebanon, which left Yokohama on the 28th ult. for Portland, Oregon, returned on the 3rd inst., with a crack in her crank shaft,
|
[October 22-1896.
VOLUNTEER ENCAMPMEN
OFFICIAL DINNER
The Hongkong Volunteer Corps C Instruction breaks up this morning has been most profitably and enjoyab the weather, which at first threatene the arrangements, having turned out be fine and on each day the sun shone brilliance and made things altogether if hot. The drills have been exceptionally tended. the arrangements in all the departments admirable, and happily the health of the mon has been excellent. An absurd rumour went about town that a number of men had required medical treatment during the week, and we are authoris to say that the hospital has not been used once. - One gunner had a snake bite, another lacerated his thumb, and Lieutenant Chapman sprained his ankle through having a peg too many. (We may parenthetically remark for those who might fly to wrong conclusions that the was a tent peg.) With the exception of these. three accidental cases there has been no sickness amongst the men. Saturday was the most important day and some capital work was done, In the afternoon there was a muster of 105
rank and file to take part in fire discipline,"în the presence of Major-General Black and several other officers. The guns were taken to the north shore, the general idea. being that the enem was endeavouring to land large parties in boats, the boats being represented by floating target The Field Battery, under Lieutenant Chapman, opened fire with common shell and the range was found with the first shot and verified with the second, which went right through the barrel. A shrapnel fire was then opened upon the enemy and thereupon the Maxims were brought to bear upon targets representing boats which were trying to escape the fire of the seven pounders. A murderous fire was poured into the enemy and there can be no doubt that if the Corps had been engaged in actual warfare they would have completely. annihilated the enemy. The shooting by both the Field Battery and Maxims was exceedingly good and the practice cannot fail to have been most instructive to the whole Corps. Of course it was very hot work, a blazing sun pouring down the whole time, but the men stuck to their duties unflinchingly. In the evening the whole of the officers dined with the men, Major Pemberton, the Commandant, pre- siding, and amongst more than a hundred guests were his Honour Dr. Carrington (Chief Justice), Hon. T. H. Whitehead, and Mr. JJ. Francis, Q.C. After dinner various toaste were proposed, three prizes were offered for competition, and an open air concert was given, these pleasant proceedings concluding with the singing of "God Save the Queen," the whole of the Corps standing at the salute.
Major PEMBERTON, in proposing the health of His Honour Dr. Carrington, Chief Justice, said
፧
We are very glad to see Dr. Carrington here to-night. He is an old volunteer himself and he showed conclusively the other day that he has much interest in the Volunteer Force, because he most willingly took the chair at the lecture given by Surgeon-Colonel Evatt at the Volun teer Institute, and although the night was de- cidedly horrible and the attendance rather small, still Dr. Carrington took the chair and made some very interesting remarks. We warmly welcome him here to-night and give him the op portunity of seeing the Corps under the mos | favourably circumstances. He would have be
present at the practice this afternoon. his duties not kept him away. He to me that he was coming, and unfortunate that he was not able to be prese However, we have him to dinner and have Mr. Francis and Mr. Whitehead. now to announce to you that my time is short, and therefore I was anxious to ass here three people who I think will interest in the Corps in future. After a consultation with the officers Corps we decided to ask Dr. Francis, and Mr. Whitehead think if we can get influential an interest in the Corps it will com help the Corps and increase the int in it. (Applause.) I no your behalf to Dr. Carrington for kindly
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