88
[February 3, 1897.
been broken where it is highly establish free comm head-quarters in Carit communication between through the narrow neck which divides the Laguna Manila, and it is certain that the make every effort to take hold of this It was believed at first that the comma the insurgent forces was amongst but subsequent enquiry does not confir report.-HENRY O'SHEA, in China Gazette,
A DIPLOMATIC SENSATION AT
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND | ghastly sight to see the men clâmbering up the rocks suddenly relax and fall into the steep pre- cipices or ravines below, while their companions pushed on foot-by-foot ahead. It was well for the Spanish troops that they almost all were mountaineers, or they would never have reached the top. The 2nd colfiimn had to sustain the brunt of the battle for some time before the others arrived upon the scene. The rebels also fought with courage and determination, and groups of them made sallies to engage the Spanish troops at close quarters. When the full strength of the Spanish forces got within range the fire became terrific, and the rebel trenches replying with vigour the whole place became one mass of fire and smoke, in which it was almost impossible to see anything at times. except the faint jets of flame from the muz of the lantakas. Many of the Spanish troops, very young lads, were under fire for the first time, and acquitted themselves with great steadiness. Owing to the nature of the ground the Spanish advance was slow and painful, and
We do not find much evidence of the alleged after half an hour's rifle fire the order was given to charge and take the entrenchments at excitement in the English papers published in the point of the bayonet, many of the rebels Japan. The Japan Mail of the 9th January having beaten a retreat by this time. The men has the following paragraph, beaded" A "The Nichi Nichi Shimbun contains of the four columns sent up a ringing cheer Canard." and were soon clambering over the trenches, a long and circumstantial account of an incid- over heaps of dead bodies, assailants and defen-ent said to have occurred recently in the streets driving ders being mixed together in horrible confusion, of Tokyo. The gist of the story is that His the dead and wounded lying about as they fell Excellency the German Minister,
❘
TOKYO.
The following Havas telegram, dated Paris, 12th January, appears in the Tonkin papers —
"At Tokyo the German Minister struck Japanese student in the face. Great excitement prevails. The press demands the Minister's re- call."
The first commanded by Col. Arteaga the 5th company of the 6th azadores (sharpshooters) and I com- 8th cazadores and a small transport ving Bulacan by train and travelling as Bigue, from where they started to march ross the country in a north-easterly direction ugh the pueblos cf Binana, Pandi, and Pa- lang lupo to Cacaron. The second column, commanded by Major Olaguer Felui and con- ng of the 4th and 5th companies of the 5th azadores and one company of the famous 73rd native regiment, started for Cacaron from Santa Maria over a nasty bit of country, via Pandi, Magaraang, Sapa, Pulang-lupa, and Bagumbar rio. The third column, under Major Barthou, consisting of the 2nd company of the 4th cazadorës, a section of the 4th company of the same regiment, a section of the 3rd company of the 7th regiment, and a few of the Guardia Civil, started from San Raphael via the river Kingwa (a tributary of the Rio Grande), and after about 3 miles heavy march due south, reached Cacaron from the north. The fourth con- column, led by Col. Villalon, and sisting of the 5th company of the 4th Cazadores, part of No. 4 company, and a section of the 68th native regiment, started from Bustos, a large town a little to the cast of San Raphael, and marched in a south easterly direction upon Cacaron. General Rios directed the entire operation, and remained in his headquarters in accompanying Col Arteaga to report uponrible sight, the fire of the Spanish Mausers the manner in which his chief's orders were having done much more execution than was Dead men carried out in the field. It will thus be expected amongst the rebels seen that the attacking force took neither strewed the ground on all sides, but no rebel artillery nor cavalry with them, the Spanish wounded were visible, they having been dragged Commanders having all along evinced a strong inside at once by their companions. Desperate disposition to rely entirely upon infantry and hand to hand fights ensued in the trenches, sharpshooters, who are doubtless well suited for bayonet against bayonet, and revolvers against this guerilla style of warfare, but I cannot bolos., The Spanish got inside after a desperate help thinking that a few light quickfire guns defence. The rebels then had cause to lament and a supply of either Nordenfeldt or Maxims their stupidity in covering all the trenches and worked by infantry would be invaluable in approaches with dry grass, for the Spaniards -operations like there, and would demoralize immediately taking advantage of this piece of the enemy more than any amount of in- foolishness, set the stuff on fire and soon the dividual rifle fire or volleys by small sections. trenches, all connecting as they were, were one mass of smoke and flame in which hundreds of The absence of cavalry, of course, largely ac counts for the ease with which the rebels make the rebels perished in awful agony, or rushing good their retreats when hard pressed, but out burnt and blinded were shot down doubtless the Spaniards do not want to take bayonetted as they sought escape from the veritable hell they had so carefully and cun- any more prisoners, as resources in Manila are already greatly overtaxed in this direction, all ningly contrived. They were literally burnt the ordinary and military prisons being filled out-those who were not roasted like the people to overflowing. In addition to the four here are roasting the locusts infesting the The slaughter went on for columns above mentioned part of the small country just now. Spanish garrison of Angat was moved down to over an hour until the grass burnt itself out, but Cacaron via Santago, and took up a position in the smoke and confusion between two and where it could lend ready support to any of the three thousand of the rebels escaped into the Thills on the right, and the smoking and bloody fying columns needing it..
entrenchments were occupied one by one by the Spanish troops, but not without heavy loss, in which the 2nd column figured most. Twenty-three officers, non-commissioned offi- cers, and men were left dead outside, or beneath the trenches, and three times as many troops were lying about wounded mostly with rifle balls, many of them fatally. In the first line of trenches they found nearly 150 dead rebels. The wounded rebels displayed in many instances a grim and savage courage, rising up to shoot with the last shot a Spanish officer and soldier. It was a ghastly business and a sickening odour pervaded the place, which was knee deep in blood. When all was over and the perspiring troops had a few moments cessation after their exertions, an examination of the place was made, which resulted, allowing for the bodies burnt in the trenches, in an estimate of 1,200, rebels killed, 23 Spanish killed and 69 wounded, many of whom have since died. The guns were taken by the Spaniards, who also got some rifles and bolos. After destroying the works and burying their dead, the forces were formed up again into their original order and returned with their wounded to their original quarters, Bulacan, San Raphael, Bustos Angat, etc., meeting a few scattered groups of rebels on the way. Once or twice these flying bands of the enemy fired a few shots from long range, but they promptly took to fight again as soon as the Spanish opened fire. The operation was a brilliant little one in everything, except the column of Major Felui had to bear too much of the brunt of the first fighting, but it yet remains to be seen whether the rebels have
the town of Bulacan, his adjutant, a staff officer, in all kinds of fantastic attitudes. It was a hor- along Bancho, struck one of two were brig with
The hour fixed for the general attack upon Cacaron was 9 o'clock in the morning, and to be there in time the several columns were moving before daylight after a basty breakfast All such operations being arranged to occupy only a few hours, it is very seldom that the Spanish forces carry any provisions, so that they are practically without impedimenta beyond their personal equipment, and a few wagons of ammunition, and light carts and stretchers for the wounded. Major Olaguer Felni's column was the first to reach the point of attack, which fact was quickly announced to the defenders, whose outposts and videttes extended over a mile outside in every direction. Guided by the direction taken by there fleet-footed sentinels, the Sparish troops numbering barely 200 men rapidly came within range and opened out into extended order, advancing after a thousand yards in echelen, despite the heavy fire of the lantakas and rifleren behind the trenches, which it was Boon fouid were faced with heavy stonework, off which the bullets simply rebounded or fell flattenedThe rebel gunners threw shells from their two niortars amongst the advancing troops, but with little effect, and in the face of a heavy fire the panish infantry gained the heights, from which they could pour down a deadly fire into the lowest trenches. They went at their work with great gallantry and a loud cheer, and met counter cheers by the rebels inside. hard work getting up the steep sides of and a good many men dropped or wounded before the little band the desired height, and it was a
Lille
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that
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bis whip, and that the lads, who wore the uni- form of the Officers' Preparatory College, pre- ferred complaint to the Foreign Office and to the Bancho police. We have made inquiries which enable us to say that the story is entirely incorrect."
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The Hyogo News says:—It is declared that a Tokyo student accuses the German Minister of using his whip to him in the street while driving past, and that he has carried bis case before the Director of the Metropolitan Police, a sall subordinate officials refuse to entertain his application.
The Kobe Chronicle writes as follows: The Nichi Nichi has not yet recovered completely from the holiday festivities. Its issue on Fri- day contained a long rigmarole by two students who appear to have been trying to induce the Foreign Office or the police authorities to proceed against His Excellency the German Minister for an alleged assault upon them! Their story is so utterly unreasonable and the suppressio veri so very palpable that only the Nichi Nichi could have been beguiled into publishing it. The story is that these lads were quietly walking down a Tokyo street when H.E. the German Minister, who was driving a carriage and pair in the other direction, tried to strike one of them with his whip, but missed and struck the other's cap. This lad tried to run away, but the Minister dealt him another “Fortunately no injury was blow and gave him three thrusts on the face and shoulder. done: only a slight scratch." The lads (who were students in a preparatory school for the Military Staff College) were "wildly indignart,..... and
thought to do something with the
n of the foreigner, but reconsidered." The Nicht Nichi actually did think that the version Minister himself might differ from that giren by the students, and sent a representative to see him, but the Minister apparently wouldn't waste his time over the matter.
FORMOSA.
[FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.
Taipehfu, 12th January.
I am sorry to relate that while affairs have visibly improved in the central and southern districts, the north has had increasing troubles with bands of organized ruffians, who seem in- pon bettering their financial co rather than warring for home and Rich Chinese have been their pri and the petty Japanese merchant se have been considered worthy of
tent upon
aot
on their These bandits have been carryin trade rather on the same lines as mem
renoh their fraternity in the South China. An arm
hundred rush during the dead- of some wealth
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