266
THE HONGKÒNG. WEEKLY PRESS AND
If the Chinese destroy all the boats, it will be baggage confiscated, and the passenger boats necessary to make a considerable detour and employed seized and burnt. With these notices cross the river farther inland. The city of posted everywhere, it is only natural that the Tan-kang, which is situated on the left bank, emigrant declines to run the risk. Hundreds has about eight thousand inhabitants and is a are anxious to cross to the mainland, particularly flourishing city. If they intend to oppose the those with wives and families, who are perhaps Japanese our first battle of any importance will in more dread of troubles in the city as the probably take place at this point. After leav Japanese approach than of the advancing army ing the city we pass through richly cultivated itself. It is difficult to follow Liu's policy, for fields of sugar cane and indigo, coming out on to his action can only tend to stir up a strong feel- a barren sandy plain, with five or six broading, and at a time when his popularity is de- streams to ford, and which during heavy rains cidedly hanging in the balance. become a water course, t
Several small villages of but little importance are passed and after about half of the distance has been travelled the route lies along the sea beach. As Takow is neared, the natural vegeta- tion, which in some places consists of jungle of screw pines, mangroves, bamboos, cycads, &c., will offer an excellent opportunity for the Chinese to indulge in a little guerilla warfare.
After Takow is taken the troops will probably be hurried on to Tainanfu and Anping, where it is hoped to drive all the Chinese sol- diers from the south,
The main expedition will probably land at Paw-tay-chui, which is a harbour about 25 miles north of Anping. They will no doubt unite with the guard division which will have taken Kagee, a point which is now occupied by the Chinese, and will then drive the Chinese troops in ahead of them towards Anping. They will travel first through the territory of the Pepohoans, but as these have expressed their friendliness to the Japanese, it is not thought any resistance will be met with, Nearly all the distance to Anping, will be over an immense plain and the traveling not specially difficult. It is expected that the southern and northern expeditions will have the whole Formosa Chinese force between them, and with the savages to the east and the ocean to the west the Chinese must fight, or surrender and there will be po more retreating. The Japanese forces will no doubt concentrate at Anping I shall accompany General Noge with the southern expedition, as it will pass through a portion of Formosa new to me and of con- siderable interesti Mr. Kasawa Maru, formerly Military Attaché of the Japanese legation at Berlin, who has been with me since my return to Formosa, is my compani in and will act as in- terpreter.
Every facility is given me in my work, and
none of my letters pass through the hands of a censor, as was the custom in the north.
It is said that at Tainanfoo there are ten complete camps, which amount to 5,000 men, and at Anping six camps or 3,000 men, with four camps scattered, which will give the Chi- nese force in the district about 10,000 men.. :
The Japanese men-of-war will play their part from the sea, and with the large Japanese force on land poor old 'General Liu with his world famous "Black Flags," who are brave only in the columns of certain journals, will be brought to bay and disposed of in short order. It is the opinion, however, among many of the Japanese that General Eiu will make good his escape as the brave General Tang did in the north
A
The principal foe to the Japanese troops in Formosa is sickness, although the percentage- of deaths is decreasing rapidly.
JAS. W. DAVIDSON..
AFFAIRS IN SOUTH FORMÒSA,
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
ANPING, 21st September. H.M.S. Pique arrived on Tuesday, the 10th inst., and Captain Bigge has been actively em- ployed in making provision for the safety of the community in case of necessity.
Liu, under pressure it is said of the literati, has prohibited any Chinese leaving the island and the Thales sailed with a few passengers, who were fortunate enough to get on board without being noticed, or had obtained special permission. Mr. Hurst, H.B.M. Consul, ap proached Liu in the matter, who replied that he proposed to stop only "those who had not completed their payments to the war fånd.” A proclamation, however, has been posts through- out the city warning the people not to attempt to leave, under penalty of being arrested, their
Some anxiety in felt for the safety of Chris- tians, owing to the summary execution of three natives belonging to the English Presbyterian Mission at Kagee, on the charge of being in collusion with the Japanese.
Letters from the region of Chang Hwa re- port that cholera is raging among the Japanese troops, and this fact may account for the ap- parent delay in proceedings. Small detach- ments had been sent to the various towns and villages, including Hoonim, one of the camphor centres. The Chinese officials appear to have bolted and the people everywhere are fr the Japanese to take possession, as the robber bands cannot be suppressed without military aid. The Japanese have still to meet a large force of Black Flags and local levies, and it looks almost as if the big fight might take place near Tainanfoo, as Liu still remains in the city.
Captain Bathurst, of the steamer Thales, and his boat's crew, four Swatow men, were captured near the large fort on Wednesday. Snipe was the object in view, but the coastguard, on the lookout for Japanese spies, declined to believe this, and marched the gallant skipper and his men to Liu's yamen in the city, a distance of about five miles. While negotiations were being made for the release of the captives, it is whispered that Captain Bathurst was put on Black Flag prison diet, consisting of champagne and biscuits. but the crew com- plained of their treatment, no food of any description being offered them. The incident speaks more for the vigilance of the coastguard than for the discretion of the sportsman, who is to be congratulated upon having escaped any rough treatment.
A very heavy typhoon was experienced between the 18th and 19th inst. There was but little warning and we have yet to learn what became of H.M.S. Pique and Peacock and the Thales, all of which left the anchorage as soon as steam could be got up. Many junks were lost and much damage done to houses and godowns, both here and at Takow. It is feared that the
sugar cro has sustained great injury.
ANPING, 2nd October. The sitution is practically unchanged, and there is no reliable news from the advancing forces. The late boisterous weather has, doubt less, delayed events.
Four Japalese cavalry horses, said to have been captured near Chang Hwa, were sent into the settlement a few days ago, and their appear- ance caused tuite an excitement among the Chinese A Pivalry sword and a bugle were also exhibited with a view, we suppose, of im- pressing the nrives and confirming the Japanese defeats (?) so equently announced.
•
The Republan stamps are in great request, but it will bendifficult to satisfy the demand, since the prepration, in Chinese hands, is a slow process, ac may, of course, be suspended at any moment t
A second typhon was experienced on Wednes- day, the 25th us, a week after its predecessor, but there was very little damage done.
The Thales, which left Tainanfoo on the 2nd inst., reports that everything was quiet at that port up to the date of her leaving. The officers were informed by Mr. Burton, the Harbour Master, that a Japanese officer's head, together with his clothing and sword, had been brought in to General Liu. The head was on exhibition in the usual way in Tainanfoo city. On the 1st inst. tuity. four Japanese horses with saddles were brought into the city. Just before the Thales left Amoy on the 4th inst. a telegram was received at the British Consulate stating the Japanese had attacked Tainanfoo, to which place the Hailoong received orders to proceed, but from
[October 10, 1895.
the news received from our correspondent with the Japanese army it seems probable that the statement that the attack had commenced so early as the 4th must have been premature.
THE SZECHUEN RIOTS AND THE BRITISH ULIMATUM.
yielded to the British ultimatum and consented We hear that the Chinese Government has
to punish Liu Ping-chang, the ex-Viceroy anti-foreign outrages in Szechuen. Had the of Szechuen, for his complicity in the recent surrender not been made active operations would at once have been commenced by the British squadron on the Yangtsze. Some of the ships mainder of the fleet are at Woosung. are up the river and nearly the whole of the re-
THE CHINESE SURRENDER.
Shanghai, 2nd October.
translation of the text
"The Brit
The following of the Imperial Edict, extorted Minister, Sir N. R. O'Conor. It was issued! Sunday, the 29th of September :-
"On repeated occasions have Edicts promulgated directing the Governors-Gen and Governors of all the provinces to issue sti. injunctions to the territorial officials the especial care must be exercised in the protection of the mission stations established by the various nations, in the hope that the people and the Christian converts may live at peace the ons with the other.
:
"It came to our knowledge in the fifth moon of the present year that a disorderly mob had created a disturbance in the provincial capital of Szechuen and destroyed mission property near the East Parade Ground. This outbreak was followed by several others throughout the pro- vince directed against missionaries, all of which are to be attributed to the fact that in the ordinary course of things the territorial officials did not know how to admonish the people, and trouble consequently arose. Moreover, when the agitation had subsided, prompt measures were not taken to punish the offenders, and Liu' Ping-chang, the Governor-General of the pro- vince in question, displayed none of the qualities expected from an officer holding the position he did. The blame attaching to him is thereføre very great.
According to a memorial presented by the Censor Wu Kuang-kuei impeaching his conduct, Liu Ping-chang at the commencement of the outbreak in the capital took no notice thereof, : nor did he send any soldiers to repress the mob. Such inaction resulted in the continual rein. forcement of the ranks of disorderly vagrants, and in the increase of the number of attacks on mission stations at other places in the province. In consequence of this culpable negligence on the part of the Governor-General, and his abuse of the trust reposed in him, he is, as a warning to others, at once to be deprived of his rank, and is never to be again employed in the public service.
2
"As regards the other officials who failed in their duty, the Taotai, the Prefect, etc., Lu Chuan-lin is hereby directed in each in- dividual instance to make the strictest enquiry into their conduct, which having been done he is to impeach and punish them."
The British Minister finds this Edict satisfactory, and he is regarded in Peking as having obtained a diplomatic triumph, M. Gérard, the French Minister, having contented himself with obtaining pecuniary compensa- tion for the outrages on the Roman Catholic missionaries.
It is no doubt as good an Edict as could be got without actually commencing reprisals, but it is not perfectly satisfactory. In the first place Liu Ping- chang was already a broken man, impeached and dismissed from office, and while it is well that he has been declared incapable of ever agar bemployed in the public service, it would have been better still if he had been ordered to go-though he would probably never have gone to work on the military pisate roads. Again, the Edict should have stated in so many words that it was obtained at the instance of the British Minister; on
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