The-Hong-Kong-Weekly-Press-1895-10-24 — Page 6

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[FROM OUR ANPING CORRESPONDENT.]

ANPING, 13th October. H.M.S. Pique returned from the Pescadores on Friday, the 11th, and Mr. Hurst, H.B.M. Consul, immediately on landing, notified the community that the Japanese fleet would arrive within twenty-four hours and that unless Liu surrendered the forts would be bombarded at noon on Saturday. It appears that the Com- mander-in-Chief had planned to fight on Friday, but upon the representation of Mr. Hurst, in order to afford the foreign community time to leave, he courteously agreed to postpone opera- tions for a day. . At 4 a.m. on Saturday aearly every

member of the community assembled on board the launch Anping, which steamed cautiously over the bar, without attracting the attention of the fort, and stood At off and on in the roadstead until daylight. 7.30 a.m. the launch was taken alongside the Pique and the residents were received by the officers, whose kindness and hospitality will not be easily forgotten. The Thales arrived from Amoy, and a portion of the community were drafted to her, in order to relieve the Pique of some of the strain put upon her officers

invasion of by the sudden

the refugees. Captain Bigge was unfortunately unable through

to take any part At 10 the proceedings.

deputy from Liu Yang-fu boarded the Pique to ask Mr. Hurst, H.B.M. Consul, and Mr. Bain, Consul for the Netherlands, to, accompany him, or the Prefect, on board the Yoshino, to arrange terms of surrender with the Commander- in-Chief. The Consuls agreed to assist Liu, who was strongly urged to come off himself and to act promptly, since the fleet were expected

moment. The courage of Liu

sickness

a.m. £

in

THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND

The situation at Takow is very serious, owing to the wanton destruction of all native pro- perty by the Japanese soldiers, who are also charged with having looted some of the foreign houses. The town of Kiao is deserted, and great fears are entertained that unless re- strained the troops will follow up their excesses when they come to occupy Anping. There is a panic in Tainanfoo and hundreds are crowding into Anping to escape to the mainland. The steamers Thales and Dante take about a thousand passengers to Amoy. Liu remains in the city and, it is said, will oppose the landing in person.

[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT WITH THE JAPANESE ARMY.]

TAKOW, 16th October. To describe the capture of Takow I will anticipate the arrival of the Japanese and describe the state of affairs when the Chinese were in possession.

[October 24, 1895.

→

which had just arrived from Amoy, had to shift | being hoisted at the flagstaff. But now a more to the south and took up a position near the difficult task had to be performed, namely, the Pique. The Peacock and Arcona returned from taking of Apes' Hill fort, and with any other Takow, with news that the Japanese fleet would nation than the Chinese this would indeed have move up at

been a difficulty worthy to rank with one of the to attack this place. once

twelve labours allotted to Hercules, but here, as before, there was no resistance, and the chrysan themum flag was floating proudly from the fort flagstaff at 4 p.m. Takow was then in full possession of the Japanese, the loss of life amounting to four men on the Chinese side, two.. being killed in Ki-ow village and two in Apes Hill fort. It is hardly necessary to state that the casualties on the Japanese side were nil. The damage done to foreign property by the bombardment is infinitesimal, and a British naval officer who has seen more than one bom. -- bardment, and whose opinion must carry some. weight, stated that he was surprised to see suohj little destruction to the houses on shore. I may say that he further stated that he thought it arose from the Japanese Admiral's considera- tion in bombarding on such a bearing that the forts and houses were not in line: As soon as the Japanese flag was hoisted over During the early days of the republic about Apes Hill fort the Japanese Admiral courteously 5,000 Chinese soldiers were stationed at Takow, informed Lieut.-Commander Ward that he was. most of them being Liu Yung-fu's redoubtable at liberty to proceed once more into the inner Black Flags under the command of his harbour and land the foreign residents, which he. adopted son, but as the Japanese were slowly accordingly did. H.M.S. Tweed is now moored in the inner harbour and the foreign residents and surely approaching southward General Liu

once more installed in their houses and seems to have felt that it would be impossible to withstand an attack made by them on. Takow, apparently very glad to exchange the Black for we find him gradually withdrawing his Flag régime for the Japanese. It may be of troops, and on the arrival of the Japanese fleet interest to state the names of the Japanese only about 500 Chinese soldiers were left to warships actually engaged in the bombardment. I accordingly append a list Yoshing, bearing man the forts. It is said that a telegram was

the flag of Admiral Arichi, Naniwa, Akitsu»\ sent by General Lin at Anping to his son, ap-ordering him to hoist the white flag, not shima, Tei-yuen, Yaeyama, Hei-yei, and two him at the last apparently with the idea of treating with the transports, one of which (Saikio Maru)` was moment' and after much negotiation a third Japanese, but as a ruse de guerre to cover his kindly placed at the disposal of the foreign

forts official came off to the Pique with a despatch men's retreat. On the 14th inst. it is stated residents. From information I have received

I may state' that the

were very for the Japanese. The Consuls, knowing that that another telegram came from the same the Commander-in-Chief would only treat with source intimating to the Commandant at Takow little injured, notwithstanding that the Japa Liu himself, promptly declined to take any to haul down the white flag and when the Japanese fleet kept up a very heavy fire for seven further action in the matter. At 2 p.m. the nese were within range to fire a few shots hours. The very long range adopted by the Yoshino, Naniwa, and Yomato arrived, followed and then retreat to reinforce the main body of Japanese will probably account for this. The second division of the Imperial Japanese army by the Akitsushima, and all came into position. troops at Tainan and Anping. H.M.8. Pique, Peacock, and the Douglas steamer

is now about three miles inland of Takow, under Thales moved to the south of the forts. At 3

the command of Lieut.-General Baron Nogi p.m. a white flag was seen flying from the large

and I think that Anping will be shortly occupied fort and the Japanese appeared to abandon the

by the Japanese troops. idea of attacking. In the evening the launch Anping conveyed the official above referred to on board the Yoshino, and he returned to the Pique with an ultimatum for Liu to the effect that if he did not himself go on board the flagship at 10 a.m. on the following day, Sun- day, negotiations would be considered at an end. This demand was sent on shore at once. On Sunday the Japanese took no decisive action and at 3.30 p.m. the flag of truce at the fort was hauled down, and it is supposed that Liu, after all, intends to oppose the landing.

H.M.S. Pique, Peacock, and Tweed are at anchor in the roadstead, and as far as can be as- certained all is quiet on shore. The Japanese land forces are supposed to be within a short distance of Tainanfoo. Large forces are known to have been landed at Portachui, north of Anping, and at Tangkhang, to the southward

every pears to have failed

of Takow,

ANPING, 17th October. Takow was bombarded on Tuesday, the 15th inst. Operations commenced at 7 a.. and the Japanese fleet kept up a continual fire for several hours. The forts made a fairly good stand for a time, but the shooting was bad, and the garri led by the Commandant, son of Lin Yung fu, abandoned the position, at an early stage, leaving the naval brigade to land without opposition.

son,

H.M.S. Troeed, Peacock, and H.I.G.M.S. Arcona were anchored outside with the foreign community on board, who landed again in the evening.

Many of the foreign houses and godowns suffered considerably from the shells, but very few lives appear to have been lost.

On Wednesday, the 16th, the fort at Auping opened fire on the transport Saikio Maru, which while cruising in the roadstead came within range of the shore guns. Five shots were fired in rapid succession, and one seemed to pass over the ship close to the funnel. On the whole the shooting was excellent, but the transport moved out and was soon out of reach. The Thates,

The residents at Takow speak highly of the discipline preserved among the Chinese troops by General Liu, for in no instance has there been any cause of complaint. However, for the last three months the soldiers have only been paid with General Liu's paper notes, which became absolutely worthless some three weeks much dissatisfaction ago, thus causing so amongst the Chinese soldiers as to amount to a mutiny.

On the 14th inst. three Japanese men-of-war arrived off the port, and H.M.S. Tweed, Lieut. Ward commanding, conveyed the British re- sidents to a safe position outside, as it was expected that the attack would be made at once. However, on Lient-Commander Ward's board- ing the Japanese flagship (Yoshing) he was in- formed that no bombardment would take place that day, but the Admiral requested that all foreign residents would leave Takdw by seven o'clock the next morning. Accordingly H.M.S. Tweed embarked all the foreign residents and accompanied by the British tugs Sui-tai-wan and Takow, proceeded to a safe position to the northward of Apes' Hill.

At 7 a.m., true to time, the Japanese opened fire on the Takow forts at a range of, I should say, 6,000 yards. For the first half hour the forts responded. but after this their guns were silent, and it was evident that Liu's soldiers were carrying out their preconcerted plans-evacuating the forts and retreating in- land. In round numbers, I should say, the forts fired twenty-four rounds, the best shot being from the 8-inch B. L. Armstrong guns in Apes' Hill fort, which struck the water about 500 yards from tlie Naniwa Kan. At 2 p.m. the Japanese fleet, consisting of seven ships, in- cluding the Tsi-yuen, the Armstrong cruiser captured from the Chinese at Port Arthur, closed the beach to the southward of Saracen's Head, and at 2.15 p.m. twenty-five boats "manned and armed were seen proceeding in a por- parallel line to the beach, steering for that tion immediately under Saracen's Head fort. At 2.30 the foremost boat's bows touched the beach and five minutes later the Japanese sailors were in possession of the fort, without meeting any resistance whatever, the Japanese ensign

My right arm is unfortunately at the present moment placed hors de combat, thus precluding my writing as full an account of the operations as I should wish, but I trust that it will soon be in good working order and that I shall be then able to send further details.

JAMES W. DAVIDSON.

THE KUCHENG COMMISSION.

PROGRESS OF THE INQUIRY.

MORE EXECUTIONS.

[SPECIAL TELEGRAMS TO THE "DAILY PRESS."}

FoocHow, 18th October, 10.10 p.m. The presence of the men-of-war at Foochow has quietened the Kucheng people..

The Taotai is exerting himself to arrest all- the criminals and has forbidden the Vegetarians to join the Home Guards.

The Court has released thirteen innocent pri-

soners.

The work is now proceeding rapidly. The Viceroy is frightened and concedes everything asked for.

The Commission expects to return here in a fortnight.

FoоCHоw, 20th October, 12.10 p.m. Fourteen of the Hwasang murderers are to be executed to-morrow at Kucheng

Four of the leaders are to be brought down. to Foochow on Wednesday to be executed here.

FOOCHOW, 21st October, 4.40 p.m. -- Fourteen of the Hwasang murderers were executed at Kucheng this morning.

The Commissioners, the Prefect, the local great orowd witnessed the Magistrate, and execution.

Ming Chiang-ahek, Miss Hartford's assailant, was the first man beheaded.

Perfect order prevails.