158
THE WAR.
JAPANESE SHIPS OFF THE PESCADORES
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
We understand that the steamer Pekin has re- ported sighting half-a-dozen Japanese men-of-war off the Pescadores, and information to that effect has been wired to the Commissioners of Customs at Amoy and other ports. It is also stated that a Japanese man-of-war has been seen off Breaker Point, which is only 135 miles from Hongkong.
REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.
LONDON, 19th February, China bas asked Japan to send peace Envoys to Port Arthur to meet Li Hung-obang.
LONDON, 20th February. The remains of Admiral Ting and the other suicides have been conveyed to Chefoo by a Japanese ship with the greatest honours.
LONDON, 21st February. The Japanese Government has applied to the Parliament for a further war loan of one hun dred million yen.
LONDON, 22nd Febrnary.
Li Hung-chang proceeds to Japan to negotiats terms of peace.
LONDON, 25th February, The Russian Mediterranean squadron has been
ordered to the Pacific,
It is believed in St. Petersburg that Japan is seriously desirons of the peace negotiations with Li Hung-chang proving successful, knowing the bad impression that will otherwise be created in Great Britain and France.
The Diet has voted the new loan for the war expenses.
LONDON, 26th February.. The Times correspondent at Kobe reports that the Japanese are organizing an expedition
to Forme
ma.de
VICEROY LI'S DEPARTURE FOR
JAPAN.
According to a Tientsin telegram published by the N. C. Daily News, Viceroy Li was to hand over the seal of the Imperial High Com missionership of the Peiyang and that of the Viceroyalty of Chibli to H.E. Wang Wen-shao, ex-Viceroy of the Yun-kuei provinces, on the 19th instant, and was to start for Peking on the 21st. Viceroy Li will not stay very long at the capital, as be is expected back at Tientsin by the 26th instant. Mr. Detring will act as Chief Secretary to the proposed Peace Mission.
Another telegram in the same paper says there seems to be a growing belief amongst native officials here that when Viceroy Li racates his yamen here in favour of Wang Wen-shao there will be but little chance of the former returning to his old post at Tientsin again. The belief is that after the conclusion of his mission to the Japanese, no matter how it turns out, Li will be kept permanently at Peking by the Emperor.
these
It is also stated that a Censor has memorialised the Throne on behalf of General Tsung Jen-l en (Provincial Commander-in-Chief of Kuang. tung), who was called up last October from the South to take command of the Chinese & my Govering Moukden, and has denounced Viceroy Li for having refused to deliver over 10,000 rifles to General lang's new Hunan levies,
for bought which
specially were troops and placed in the Peiyang Ord at Tientsin. The conse nance godowus quence is that a large brigade is lying idle and destitute of arms and ammunition at Shanhai- kuan, when they are urgently needed to reinforce the armies in Manchuria. This memorial is to be a test case; if the Emperor takes the matter up there will be many more similar ones, The onus of China's humiliation is to be placed on one man alone-Li Hung-chang.
According to a Tientsin telegram of the 19th inst. to the N. C. Daily News, in consequence of peremptory orders from the Emperor and the allowance of a limited time for the Viceroy Li to ppear at Peking, His Excellency has been com- pelled to change his time of departure from Tientsin. The seals of office were banded over to the new Viceroy Wang Wen-shao that morn ing (19th) and the departure for the capital was aunounced for the afternoon. A very small retinue of only a dozen persons accompany Li to Peking.
PREPARATION OF THE NANYANG SQUADRON.
A Nanking telegram to the N. C. Daily News tates that the Viceroy Chang, assisted by Com-
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missioner Moorhead, has been busy thoroughly reorganising the Nanyang squadron of five large ernisers and six gunboats. The cowardly incompetent officers bitherto in command of the vessels of the flet have been all dismissed and volunteers consisting of foreign educated officers have been placed in command. It is anticipated the squadron will be ready to try conclusions with the enemy by the beginning of March. Admiral Wu Ch'i-hsü commands the fleet. The former Admiral, Kuo Pao-ch'ang, who was re- tired by the Viceroy, has, however, contributed
Tla. 500,000 towards naval expenses.
Tri-
THE OCCUPATION OF WEIHAIWEI BY THE JAPANESE. NAMES OF THE CHINESE MEN-OF-WAR TAXEN.
Yokohama, 20th February. Admiral Ito, telegraphing from Weihaiwei on the 17th instant, states that on that day the on- tire Japanese flest entered the barbour of Wei- haiwei, and that the Liukuugtao forts, torpedo stations, the Chinese men-of-war Chenyuen. yuen, Pingyuen, Kwangping, Chenpien, Chen chung Chanpei, Chennan, Chensi, and Chentung, as well as the Government buildings, have been ceeded to the Japanese. Japanese crews were sent on board the ships for sea. The Chenyuen is to be sent to Port Arthur for temporary re: pairs. The other men-of-war will be sent to Japan. All the forts are now held by the crews of the Japanese squadron The Kwangchi was disarmed and afterwards given by the Japanese for the conveyance of the remains of Admiral Ting,
[February 28, 1885.
ANTI-FOReign feeLING IN
SOUT FORMOSA.
THE BRITISH CONSUL MOLESTED. On Thursday afternoon H.M.8. Mercury, second class orviser, returned to flongkong from Takow, Formosa, whither she went on Monday night (18th inst.) We have been enabled to gather the following authentic details of the rising at Takow. It seems that, for some reason or other, the Black Flags have lately shows signs of jealousy, and about a week ago they aa- sumed a hostile attitude to the British subjects at Takow. The English Consul was once molested in the streets, and had some difficulty in escaping serious injury. As matters got worse and a riot seemed imminent, he deter- mined to wire to the Naval authorities here- "Protection urgently required." The Mercury was despatobed immediately after getting on - Tuer in supplies, and she arrived day morning. The English Consul pleasantly surprised at the prompt arrival of the boat, and asked the Captain to remain for some days until affairs had become more peaceful. The Mercury, however, is due at Singapore in a few days, and it was decided to return to Hong. | kong.
The Rattler left for Formosa on Sunday.
EXPLOSION of a POWDER MAGAZINE AT TAKOW.
We have been favoured with an extract from a private letter dated Tainanfu, 9th inst,, in which details are given of the explosion of the The loss of lifs, powder magasine at Takow, though considerable, is much less than first reported. The writer of the letter says
Our telegrams from Japan give the names of the vessels taken possession of at Weihaiwei. The Tingyuen, we learn, is so severely damaged that she is considered not worth repairing. The other vessels taken are as follows:-The Chen- guen, built of steel, 7,430 tons displacement,
"There was a terrible catastrophe in Takow 308 feet 5 inches long, 59 feet beam, drawing 20 feet, two propellers, 6,200 indicated horse-power, last week, Stock was being taken in one of the with a belt fourteen inches thick, carrying four forts, and the magazine blew up. The débris fall- 30 cm. Krupp, two 15 cm. 4-ton do. eight 1ing to a great distance in all directions damaged M., 2. 1. She was launched in 188 speed 14.52, | a lot of property. Stones, shot, bits of gous, dogs, knots, coal supply 1,000 tons; the Chiyuen, a | and pigs were thrown to distances of half a mile protected cruiser of 2,355 tons displacement, 236 and people were killed by being struck with those feet long, 33 feet beam, drawing 15 feet of water, missiles. Ninety deaths are reported. The shock was felt here (Tainanfu), thirty miles of. twin screw with 2,800 h.p indicated, developing a speed of 15 knots, and with a coal capacity of 230 The General is dismissed and has to make good tons; she carries two 21 c.m. Krupp guns, the damage (about $100,000). He can afford it, one 15 cm, do. and pine machine guns, with fish having squeezed the soldiers' pay for years past, torpedoes; Pingyuen, an armoured cruiser, of His brother being commander-in-chief here was able to intercede for him, otherwise he would 2.800 tons, and carrying six gans, 4,000 h.p. ; Kwangping, protected twin-screw cruiser, 1,030 have lost his head."
We take the following further details of the tops, 2,400 b.p., 236 feet long. 27 feet 6 in. beam, and 11 feet draught, and capable of attaining a explosion at Takow from the Amoy Gazette :- speed of 16.5 koots, carrying three 12 o.m. quick-rible disaster at Takow on Friday, the 1st in- firing guns and 8 maobine guos; Chenpien, a twin-screw steel gunboat, of 440 tons displace- nient, 400 h.p., carrying three quick-firing guns; Chenchun and Chenpei, twin-screw steel gun- boats, 440 tons. 350 h.p, carrying each three quick-firing guos; and the Chennan, Chenhsi, and Centung, three other steel gunboats of the same class. These with the guns from the forts make a fine prize for Japan, and when all the vessels are repaired and in fighting trim will consider- ably strengthen the Japanese navy. There will be great rejoicing in Japan as these vessels are taken to the different ports of that country. Mercury.
There is news from South Formosa of a toro stant. It appears that about 2 p.m. a powder magasine in the large fort on Saraçen's Head exploded with terrific force, completely wreck. ing the fort and killing, it is supposed, upwards of eighty people, chiefly soldiers. It seems that preparations were being made for the reception of a new regiment of Black Flaga from Pelao, but how the powder became ignited no one can say, only one soldier who was in- side the fort at the time being saved. The hillside and the town of Kiao were literally strewn with debris, pieces of concrete falling close to the Sin Taiwan at anchor in the harbour. Some terrible sights met the for- Weihaiwei, via Japan,
eigners who hastened to the scene, Dr. Myers being one of the first on the spot to sender 21st February. The Chinese prisoners captured by the Japan. medical assistance. Several of the injured were sent to the hospital, but in most cases ese at Weihaiwei, and numbering 2,000 soldiers and 2,000 sailors, were escorted beyond the death soon relieved the sufferers. Three mon Japanese lines on the 19th instant and liberated. and a small boy are now under medical super. During the operations before the fortress 500 vision and although the case of the child, ter. Chinese sailors were drowned, 200 of whom we tribly injured in the head, is pretty desperate, down with the Laiyen. The leniency exhi- bited by the Japanese throughout the operations and especially since the fall of the fortress is very much praised and admired by Chinese and foreigners alike,
CHINESE LOSBES AT
WEIHAIWEI,
JAPANESE LOSSES.
During the attack on Weihaiwei on the 11th instaut four men were killed on board the Fuso and twelve wounded. The Akitsushima had two officers wounded.-China Gazette.
The Hoppo of Canton is said to have lately sent a present of valuables to Peking, among which were two pearls of great value. These are said to be as large as betel nuts and to weigh about | three maos each. They are of perfect form, and
have been sent to the Emperor.
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hopes of recovery are entertained. An unfor tun to man on board a Namoa junk in the harbour was struck by a large piece of granite, and killed. Part of the body of a man, at- tacbed in some extraordinary way to a great block of coral, crashed through the roof of house in the village. Houses and godowns are all more or less damaged, and those foreigners living on the Kiao side appear to have had most wonderful escape. Some fifty bodies have The Come been recovered from the ruins. mandant was absent at the time of the explosion. The shook was distinctly felt and heard at An- ping and Taiwanfoo, a distance of over twenty- five miles.
The British steamer Hongay is reported to have been sold to the Nippon Xusen Kaisha.
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