The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-10-13 00:00:00

THE BLACK FLAGS.

The following (says The Times) is the proclamation
Issued by Lin-Yang-Fn, the commander of the "Black
Flags," on May 8, 1883, axing May 12th for the day
of conflict :
-

-------- -
"You, French freebooters, are forcible dwellers in
Europe, and look like tigers on the world at large, seeing
how to give vent to your crafty schemes and cruel deeds.
There is no land for which your mouth does not water;
there are no riches you do not desire to devour. Re-
ligious teachic g you employ as a means to undermine and
injure the people. International commerce is to you the
pretext for swallowing up countries. Your cruelty
is infinite. Your wickedness is extreme. On your
strength you rely to debauch (our women), which
excites the indignation of gods and men, and is un-
endurable in Heaven and on earth. Now you want
to avail yourselves of an excuse to endeavour to
acquire Annam, and under the pretext of international
commerce to depart from the treaty, trying to befool
the world in order to give vent to your martial designs,
and to seize cities and storm towns, slaughtering
officials and robbing the revenue; killing the innocent
and encouraging secret bands. Your outrages and
cruelties have reached far and wide. Your crimes are
almost tco numerous for words. Your shame could
not be washed out though you were to exhaust the
water of the West (or Canton) River. The issuer of
this proclamation having received commands to avenge
the wrongs ioflicted by you, and having sworn, with an
army with justice on its side, to lead his troops to the
slaughter of you vile lot, his first desire was to pro-
ceed at once with lightning speed to beat down your
rabbit-holes anti to exterminate you pack of foxes with-
out pity, which would be a matter of great rejoicing
to the heart of man, and would manifest Heaven's
vengeance. But reflecting that Hanoi is also old terri-
tory belonging to Government, and that the traders
there are all respectable, loyal, people, I could not en-
dure that the city should be reduced to ruins, and
young and old be killed at the edge of the sword. I
therefore issue this proclamation that you may all
know that on the day this proclamation arrives,
you French robbers, who have already acted unlaw-
fully, relying on your powers, may lead forth your
crowd of dogs and sheep to meet our army of
heroes, and decide which is to be master. I have
fixed on Wai-tak• fu, an empty space, as the spot where
I shall establi,h my fame. If you know yo-i are r, -
match for us, thstt ou siren Jt-ws will ouly go to great,.
the edge of our swords, and are desirous sti.:l to
maintain your lives, then if you will at once decapitate
your leaders and present their heads at my official
abode, return to squat in your own dens, leaving our
city, I, out of regard for the lord of Heaven, for
humanity, and for my commission from Government
to maintain peace will not kill those who surrender to
gratify myself. If you dilly-dally and are irresolute,
coveting and hanging on still in our land, one morn-
ing the soldiery will arrive and with it unforeseen mis-
fortune. Ah I You ought to see your chance and
yield. Do not be mulish, and so involve yourselves in
death. Each one ought to seriously consider the
matter, and so save himself from future ill."