942
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
after Tang had bolted, and including local levies was not far short of 30,000 men. Of them only about 4,000 could be properly styled the original "Black Flaga."
The local levies even the Hakkas, who were the most enthusiastic followers of Liu at first, de- ceased in number daily as the Japanese advanced towards Tainanfoo, until at the end probably not more than 12,000 remained with the colours. At one time a band of savages from the south, all rigged for the war-path, made a pretence of joining Lin. They were encamped in the city and only received food in return for their ser- vices. Two died, whereupon the remainder decided that this was a bad omen, and so, tak- ing the dead on their backs, the whole lot sud. denly disappeared and have never been heard of since! In the meantime they had got arms and ammunition from Liu, which they, no doubt, will think ample recompense for the trouble they were put to.
nounced that this step of forming an indepen- dent Government in no way indicated a lapse from allegiance to China; on the contrary it was hoped that what they now did would tend to aid Chins in the hour of her need and help- lessness; that the republic would be conducted in unison with the mother Government, both working side by side as "twin mountains." It has always been understood, too, that after peace had been established by the expulsion of the Japanese the people of Guis island would once more put themselves under the rule of their old Sovereign the Emperor of China. There can be no doubt but that Chang Chih-tang and even higher officials secretly instigated and supported Liu, and through him the people, in carrying on this scheme. As a fact, for many months Chang Chih-tung forwarded both money, men, and arms in considerable quantity to Liu; indeed this support only ceased within the last month or six weeks. though, even then, the high supporters in Nanking and Foochow, at least verbally, pledged themselves to redeem the paper notes which Liu was now obliged to issue as payment to his troops. The notes were really issued and supposed to be guaranteed by a foreign compradore and their face values were $1, $5, and $10. Cash notes, for face values of 100, 500, and 1,000 copper cash each, were on the pointing terms of surrender were proposed by Liu. of being circulated when the extremo crisis
(1)-The Japanese to pay up all arrears due arrived which put an end to all their plans and
the soldiers. calculations.
All Government payments have, for the past month or so, been made in these notes, pro- clamations being issued calling on the Customs, hongs, and all the people to accept them as good and valuable tender. For some little time the notes were redeemed at par on presentation aforesaid foreign compradore, but to the during the last week or two these redemptions were suspended, and thereupon bond notes resembling the others in appearance were issued, these being guaranteed by the wealthy people.. in the city. Another form of speculative note was also circulated promising to pay the holder fire dollars for every one dollar note presented after peace had been restored and the republic established. Opium merchants took advantage of the depreciation in the paper currency by buying up the notes at great discount, and then paying duty with
them to the Customs.
The stamp manis now 80 universal was utilised as a money raiser.
Proclamations were posted that postal agencies would be established in Amoy, Swatow, and Hong- kong for distribution of letters bearing the republican stamps. Two issues of these took place, the first, impressed from a locally cut silver die, was on a thin tissue paper unper- forated. About 5,000 only of these were issued. The colours were green, violet, and red. The die was then melted and attempts made to get a more perfect one stamped. Failing this a new die was obtained from Canton, and a new issue of stamps impressed from the Canton die made. These were also in three colours, blue, violet, and red, but are all perforated. The face values of the different stamps were for both issues 3, 5, and 10 cents respectively. It should be noted that the legitimate manufacture of stamps ceased with the existence of the re- public, and it is necessary that very careful precaution be taken to avoid forgeries, as already the demand, for first issue especially, has called the forger into the field. Liu decreed that all Chinese letters posted through the local post offices should be stamped, and the bags were duly viséd to ensure this having been
done.
A final effort to replenish the depleted trea- sury was made by taxing each passenger flying from the island, and there were many thousands of these. The rate varied from two to four or six dollars, according to the financial standing of the payee.
It must be said, in justice to Liu, that he undoubtedly paid his troops in money as long as he had it, and besides this clothed and fed them at Government expense. Knowing the number of men he had under his command and the amount of money at Liu's disposal it seems diffi- cult to discover how he can have "squeezed" the sums for his personal use that people out side the island are apt to assert.
From all that can be discovered now it would appear that the strength of Lin's command,
As the Japanese approached, and especially after the landing at the south had been effected, Lin realised the gravity of the situation and made many abortive attempts to surrender..
His first effort was made by letter, which handed to the Japanese Admiral. H.M.'s Consul took to the Pescadores and
The follow-
(2)The Japanese to send him and his soldiers to Canton in their transports and that the Shimonoseki Treaty be carried out as to all people having two years given them in which they would be at liberty to consider whether they would become Japanese subjects or not.
and
November 7, 1805
the delegates
matter any turned.
On the 15th the Dante with 1,800 passengersadd the Thales with about 1,400 left for Amoy and from these passengers Liu levied about $12,000. A compradore of a British firm wishing to send away $8,000 had them seized by Lin, who said the shipper had promised to contribute that amount to the war fund and had failed to do so. The Japanese despatch boat Saikio Maru was fired on that day by the Anping forts, as men- tioned in a previous letter of mine.
On the 17th the report reached here that the Takow forts had sunk three Japanese ships. This was vouched for by Liu, who said he had it by special messenger. This was really two days after Takow had been occupied by the Japanese forces naval and military!
On the 18th the British steamer Thales re- turned, and the first suspicions of a "bolt" on the part of Liu were aroused by hearing that he had arranged for a passage for his eight dogs by that steamer. On the morning of the 19th General Liu sure enough, had successfully performed the vanishing trick"!
[1
The last known of Liu's movements was that
Anping (large) fort on pretext of inspecting it. on the night of the 18th he went down to the
He remained there that night and next morning had disappeared along with about 100 officers and immediate body guard. Lying off the fort at dusk was a large junk and it is supposed he left in her, but how far he proceeded in that craft is not known. Some say he actually es caped disguised as a coolie on board the Thales, that he has got away to the eastern hills, but nothing definite is known, as some assume
though this seems improbable. The news of Lin's departure spread like wildfire and the soldiers began pouring into the Anping settle- ment, where the only foreigners on shore were Messrs. McCallum, Burton, and Alliston, the others being either in Takow, on board the Pique, or in Amoy In the city of Tainanfu were Messrs. Ede, Fergusson, and Barclay, of the E. P. Mission. Messrs. McCallum, Burton, and Alliston persuaded the soldiers after a little altercation to lay down their arms, which were then stacked in the Customs opium godown. This operation took nearly all day, between 6,000 and 8000 rifles being eventually stowed away, together with several tons of small arm ammunition. The men were placed in some of the compounds and on the night of the 20th the forts and barracks were totally deserted, no soldiers in Anping or Tainanfu being armed.
To these proposals the Admiral replied that the fleet would be off Anping on the 12th at 12 noon and would meet General Liu or his authorized delegates to discuss surrender of the island and promised not to open fire on the forts without giving notice unless the Chinese commenced the attack. The flagship Yoshino appeared off the port at 7 a.m on the 12th, but for some reason unknown did not come to anchor until 2.30 p.m., which gave Liu the opportunity of having suspicions, on the fact of the Admiral being 24 hours late and having continued opera- tions in the north and the south, as the bona fides of the Japanese intentions. He therefore refused to go off and see him. On the day previous Liu had requested Mr. Alliston, a visitor from Hongkong staying in Anping, to take a letter for him to the Japanese troops at Khagi containing a somewhat similar offer of surrender to that sent to the fleet, of which Chinese troops arrived and a force from the Early on the morning of the 21st more latter fact he also informed the General, beg-Japanese fleet landed, the Northern and Southern ging that authority to cease operations for the Divisions of the army closed in on the city, and present. Mr. Harry Hastings accompanied the Japanese completed their possession of the Mr. Alliston as interpreter and the party was whole island. The Japanese landing escorted by twenty Black Flag soldiers.
found 4,000 of the 'disarmed soldiers congre- gated round Fort Zelandia. These were driven like so many sheep into a large walled they were kept under guard until shipped off to compound belonging to the Customs, where Quemoy, on the mainland, by the transport Riojun Mary early on the morning of the 23rd.
These latter, however, deserted when within about two miles of the Japanese lines. No Japanese headquarters, but as the Commander- difficulty was experienced in reaching the in-Chief was with the other division no practical result could be arrived at, so Messrs. Alliston and Hastings returned empty handed, though not without the full credit which such a plucky and even philanthropio action, un- doubtedly deserves. General Liu sent a deputation of two Chinamen to board the Yoshino. They called first on board H.M.S. Pique and were accompanied by H.M.'s Consul that the Admiral would give Liu a written to the flagship, where they presented a request guarantee of safety to and from the Yoshino. The Admiral declined to parley further about the matter, as he considered that Liu had had assurances enough, and finally stated that the Yoshino would remain until 10 a.m. next day, when, if Liu did not appear in person or by deputy, the fleet would either open fire or leave for elsewhere. Thereupon the deputation withdrew. At the stroke of 10 on the 13th, Liu having shown no inclination to keep his ap- pointment, three of the ships, got under way, leaving one behind.
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In the afternoon the Customs were asked to signal that the negotiators had left the shore. This signal was acknowledged by the Japanese ship, but again Liu failed to keep his word, for no deputation left the port.
At night Liu sent two deputies to the Pique, but every one had become so disgusted at his vacillations that they refused to help in the
On the morning of the 20th the prisoners had food and water served out to them, but after that the Japanese navy being unable to supply food for so great a number, the sufferings they underwent, especially for water, were piteous in the extreme. Several residents and officers of the British ships did what they could to assuage going, but, of course, even their best efforts fell the terrible thirst the poor wretches were under far short of what was required. Why the Japa nese made no effort to give them water seems in- explicable. On the evening of the 21st the vil lagers were again requisitioned and they sup plied a few buckets of congee rice, but so great was the soramble and confusion that but few got even this.
With the knowledge that eight Japanese heads had been exposed on the adjoining flats and five of them were even then rotting in the sun it is not to be wondered at that very little sympathy was felt for General Liu and his followers by the Japanese officers and men. A Japanese sailor guarding the corral committed an act of bar barity which should receive the most serious notice at the hands of the naval autho Water was being served out from a outside the low stile gateway facing t The people had been allowed to pus bowls through this opening and were
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