that the Volunteers were called out so hurriedly ate on Sunday night and sent over, with a umber of Welch Fusiliers, to see if they could come up with the enemy.
+
mong thoss, who sooompanied the Wing
was a representative of the Daily Press was thus enabled to glean further partion Saturday's fighting and the hoisting fag on Sunday. He also saw Mr. about whom there was so much anxiety Mr. Madie and the Chinsmen under him, were, engaged in the work of erooting the Friday, they were fired upon by men on the hills, and in consequence they retired on board their launch.
Saturday's affair seems to have been a much- her job, than, at first reported. Captain Superintendent May and his 18 men, only two of whom (P. 8. Clarke and P. C. Gerrard) were Europeans, the rest being Indians, reached Talpohu at about two o'clock in the after- noon, and on making their way to the site of the destroyed mat-sheds they noticed about a thousand men coming from over the hills, yelling and shouting and waving banners, and subsequently opening are on the police. For two hours, the police held their ground alone, fortunately escaping unhurt, though their position could hardly have been more exposed than it was. They only fired when the enemy got too presumptuous and appeared like rushing them. At about four o'clock Captain Berger and a hundred men of the Hongkong Regiment were seen on the orest of a hill, and observing the uncomfortable position of the police came to their assistance with a run. Daring the next two hours several volleys were fired, and though they had the affect of making the rebels keep a respectful distance they still hovered about the ad- joining heights and every now and then fired their guns, of which they had several. At six o'clock Captain Long arrived in the Fame and assumed command. Seeing that there was no other way of dislodging the enemy it was decided, to shell his position. The Fame accordingly opened and threw several shells into the village of Tai- pohu and towards the enemy, several of whom were killed. Then Captain Long gave the order to charge and the men went forward with
"Tush.
On seeing them coming the enemy at once mads themselves searcs, and when our
men got up to where they had been they were far away. As we said in our issue of yesterday: the enemy were
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
April 22, 1899.
RESULT OF MONDAY'S FIGHTING.
A GREAT MANY CHINESE KILLED.
FIVE CANNON CAPTURED.
19th Aprili
scene of sotion. On an elevation commanding the entrance to the offing were - a couple of guns manned by the Asiatic Artillery The Fame, the Brisk, the Humber, and the ment launches, were seen riding at anchor, Peacock, together. with several Govern- and at the foot of Flagstaff Hill, on which the Union Jack floated in the breeze, were the white tents of the troops. Taipohu is a short are making things so lively in the hinterland are It would appear that the disorderly spirits who distance from the foot of Flagstaff Hill, and a already beginning to get tired of knocking their little further beyond, at the foot of another heads against a stone-wall, and an abundant bill and near a pass, is the village of measures have been taken for doping with them Taiwai. The village of Taipohu stands at we shall probably not hear of any more organised the foot of a hill which on Saturday was co-attacks on the British position. The rebels will cupied by the rebels, and beyond this are two no doubt content themselves with roving about or three ranges, one above the other.
plundering bere and there, but they will soon. be checked in their career, an everything is in readiness at Taipohu for sending bodies of men wherever it may be considered that they are required. It is to be hoped that the authorities. will take vigorous steps to break up the disorderly bands who are a terror to the peaceable inhabitants of the hin terland,
on
It was about one o'clock when the Wing Kwai party landed, and on reaching the top of Flagstaff Hill they found H.E. Major-General Gascoigne, Colonel the O'Gorman, Captain Long, Captain Superintendent May, the Hon. J. H. Stewart Lockhart, and several private individuals. Some men the Hong kong Regiment were lying down the crest of the hill ready to answer any call made upon them, and the signallers were busily en- gaged exchanging messages with other signallers who were on the look-out on one of the neigh- bouring high points. A couple of detachments of men had also been thrown forward, one to the right and the other to the left.
It appeared that only a minute or two before the Wing Kwai party made their appearance the signallers had reported that there were large bodies of what they called Chinese troops advancing with banners, and immediately after- wards they appeared erowning the heights surrounding the British encampment. The troops were fully prepared, but the Major General had given orders that on no account were they to open fire or to take any notios until fired at. Then to the surprise of the Major-General and his staff, from two or three hills big guns of some description were fired at, them, but from such a distance that they were unable to see what the projectiles were. The guns made a great report, but there was no sign of what they were firing, the distance- some 2,000 yards--being too great,
After repeated discharges the Major-General ordered the Artillery to advance and take a post on a neighbouring orast and open fire. He Regiment under Captain Berger, one in support also sent two companies of the Hongkong of the other in advance, with two guns round
i
1
Yesterday a message was sent over from Tai- pohn stating that it had been discovered that the shelling of the Asiatic Artillery on Monday was most effective, the projectiles having drop- ped among the rebels and killed a great, many of them. Five guns were also secured. There were no casualties on our side.
All was quiet yesterday. arrived in Hongkong from Taipohu, leaving On Monday night Major-General Gascoigne.
Colonel The O'Gorman in command.
It was reported that the party of Royal Engineers, who accompanied Colonel O'Gor man were taken over to blow up a large.. wall surrounding & prison where the rebels who recently visited H.E. the Governor at had incarcerated some of the respectable people Hongkong. We are authoritatively informed. that this is not correct.
A BRITISH OFFICER WOUNDED,
FOLLOWING UP THE REBELS.
PRISONERS TAKEN.
20th April.
There is nothing much to report with regard, to the state of affairs in the Hinterland, no de place since Monday. velopments of any importance having taken
series of trend to have made a complete by the village of Taiwai, in the hope of cutting Hongkong yesterday with a wound in the wrist.
on a position which over- looked the site of the flagstaff. On Saturday evening some 500 men of the Hongkong Regi- ment went over to the assistance of their com rades, but they found all quiet, and there was no stirring on the part of the enemy the whole el Sunday.
On His Excellency the Governor hearing of
the disturbános ke at-once resolved that the
rebel fire ceased, but shortly afterwards smoke off the enemy. About a quarter to two the was seen rising from the villages in the hills, the rebels having apparently set them ablaze.
This was the condition of affairs when our representative left Flagstaff Hill in order to accompany the Wing Kwai on her run home.
The Major-General purposes stablishing a camp a few miles away from Flagstaff Hill and leaving merely a small party to protect the Flagstaff and the base. Small parties will also be sent out in any direction the Major-General may deem desirable.
The troops at Talpohu have had a very hard time of it during the past two or three days, but the Major-General has been immensely pleased by the keenness shown by them.
fing should be hoisted forthwith instead of waiting until Monday. Accordingly H.E. Major-General Gascoigne and the Hon. J. H. Stewart Lockhart and Commodore Powell left H.M.S. Brisk. They reached Taipohu about two o'clock, The Major-General sent word The Major-General and a small party in- that he wanted the Hongkong Regiment to spected the site of the proposed camp yesterday meado - as quickly as possible and to form morning, when they must, unknown to them tares sides of a square on what is now selves at the time, have been in very close
waad - Fingstaff ⠀ Hill-that ⠀in, the proximity to the rebels,
en which the police quarters had been ed and on which preparations for the hoist of the flag had been made. The flagstaff had bean erected in the early morning. On the Major-General, the Hon. J. H Stewart Lockhart, and Commodore Powell reaching the top of Flagstaff Hill they found the Hongkong Beriment forming three sides of a quare, wild their guns in the centre. As the Major General arrived the troops presented arms, and hë ördered them to shoulder. Then Mr. Look: who wore his fall official uniform, hoisted the troops presented arms; and the guns salute, the Fame and the Brisk doing her After: this Mr. Lockhart read the Hon and Her Majesty's Order in Council, minating the proceedings.
Kwas with our representative on kong shortly after seven o'clock dug, and after four and a half. mming came in sight of the
We may mention that two of the Wing Kwai village of Taipohu and the position occupied party (Mears. Rogers and Grant) visited the by the rebels on Saturday and brought away various relics, such as pieces of the shells fired from the Fame. The Major-General, however, on learning where they had been, warned them against crossing the lines.
Major, Brown, of the A.M.S., returned to caused by a spent bullet.
It seems that on Monday a detachment of the the Hongkong Regiment, under Captain Berger, followed up the rebels after the attack on the camp. They had a couple of guns with them, and the shots fired from them did some execu- tion among the enemy. Continuing their advance Captain Berger and his men encamped for the night in a valley some distance from Taipohn and as it rained heavily they had, anything, but a pleasant time of it. During the evening the rebels showed themselves, on the surrounding. hills and on Tuesday they assumed a still more threatening attitude, so much so that an attack. in force was anticipated. Word was accordingly. sent over to Hongkong, and in response troops were sent out, some to Deep Bay and some to, Taipohu in the hope of boxing the rebels up In this, however, they were unsuccessful, the rebels having in the meantime cleared out.
Some half-dozen prisoners were, however, sent into the camp, one of them being the wearer of a gold button.
A CHINESE ACCOUNT OF THE TROUBLE. An intelligent Chinaman on being asked yes- terday what was the cause of the trouble plied to the following effect :--
In the district that has been ceded to Greas Britain the Chinese Government interfered very little with the people, and the poorer, On its way home the Wing Kwai met
classes were practically not taxed at all, launch containing several officers on their way fifteen cents per mow per annum on the rice The only tax levied › was one of ten to to the "front," together with some artillerymen, felle. There has been no house tax. When the Wing Kwai reached. Taipohu she of the people are engaged in the man found that there was not too much food to of salt, which they have been in the spare, and as she had ample aboard she was able | smuggling, to Canton. With the to supply some of the half-famished police with | the British they fear that this smuggling tre 's better meal than they had bad for days.
to an end, and that