Complex sentence: A sum of 285,000 taels of silver was paid in October 1877 for the land, rolling stock and rails which were then torn up by the government and shipped to Taiwan where they were left to rust on the beach.
Split into simpler sentences: A sum of 285,000 taels of silver was paid in October 1877 for the land, rolling stock and rails. The rails were subsequently torn up by the government then shipped to Taiwan along with the rolling stock and left to rust on the beach.