Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-06-19

AUSTIN, MOWER COT
THE WAR IN CHINA.
! Who COnstit ute the Opl,Osiss. Forces
Description Of H""nan-'rhc ln>ur.
rcctiosl ssnst Its Causcs-Formcr Mas
aicrsS.
From tho Now York Herald.
Tho imperialist forces that com
menced thcir march against Talifoo
about eight months since have succeed
cd in capturing That place. and, it ap
pears. signallzed their success by q
slaughter of 10000 inhabitants and
such portions of the rebel army that
fell into their hands. Yunnan has
long stood out against the authority OF
the Pekin government, and endeavored
to open commercial relations, through
its nelghbor, Burmah, with Great Brit.
ain. 1t is known that many of the
provinces and dependencies of China
are merely tributary, and not few Sc
independent as to do little more than
acknowledge n sovereignty amounting
to a mere matter of form. Tho north.
ern provinces have long beenin revolt,
and Yunnan. which ls largely popula-
ted by Mohammedans, entirely re.
nounced allegiance to the imperial
authorities. It has been q favorite
project with English capitalists to un-
dertake the survey of the coun.
try, between Rangocn, the great
commercial depot in Burmah,
and Yunnan, with the view of construct
ing q railroad. Trade with Western
China has long been desired, but the
exclusive policy of the Empire has SO
far proved almost an insuporable OBJ
stacle. The country, particularly Yum.
nan, is rich in gold and silver mines,
and its manufactures, mentioned fur
ther on, are of the rarest and most
valuable description. The favorite
route to these regions is through Bur.
nah.
THE INsURRECTI0N.
The insurrection in the Northern
and Western provinces of China as
sumed serious proportions in 1866.
The causes that led to it are not clearly
understood, save that discoptent with
the central authority at Pekin was
general and outspoken. MANY Mussul.
mans have been attracted to that par,
of the empire, but no good feeling has
existed between them and the natives,
It would appear, however, that they
succeeded in gaining large portion o1
the common people to join the revolt,
and obtained many important advan.
tages over the imperialist forces. In
1867 the government troops had to sus.
tain a severe struggle against the
rebels. On several occasions they
suffered severe defeats, and even Pekir
was threatened. Several Other large
cities and the treaty ports, Cheefot
and Hankow, were in danger of falling
into the hands of the rebels, though
none were actually captured.
THE CHIEF OF THE REBELS DECLAREI
HIMSELF EMPEROR.
He claimed to he one of the descend.
ants of the HanVo, who were Moham.
melans, and gathered under his banner
all the elements opposed to the existing
order of things. It is the custom in
China to despatch viceroys or lieuten
ants to the provinces, who are instruc.
ted to collect the revenue and admin.
lister the laws. They are not usually
accompanied with any great military
force. The people of Yunnan refused
to recognize the viceroy sent to them,
and being powerless to maintain hif
authority he had to return to Pekin. A
period of anarchy followed, and the
adjoining provinces being already il
revolt, they united in a common cause
of hostility tgct to the government. The 7.
ent factions which had united. The
Taipings, from Ho.nan; the Neuf
from Shantung. and the Mohammedans
from different other provinces. Thel
were able to make remarkable head
way. The attempts to suppress thu
insurrection were badly planned, ant
the imperial troops fought with LITTLE
or no spirit or courage. In January
1868, they we're again beaten ut ShaD
tung, and in the month of May follow
ing the rebels captured and burnet
several villages near Taku and gained
a great victory, capturing 10, 600 of tn,
enemy.
TWENTY THOUSAND REBELS PUT TO TIL
SWORD IN 1869.
In the early part of 1869 the North
ern provinces were almost entirely un
der the control of the rebels. At on,
time they were on the march for til,
great city of Tien -tsin (memorable fo1
the horrible massacre of French anc
Russian subjects the year following)
after winning many victories. The
Mohammedans formed large part o.
the advancing army, but the rien-tsir
authorities enrolled the militia and
put the ramparts in q state of defence
and having the aid of some British
ships of-war, no attack was made
This assistance was given to protect
British interests. But in June fortune
Favored the imperial arms. A grea,
victory was gained and 10000 rebel.
put to the sword. This had disheart
ening effect on the insurrection, and il
July, 1870, the imperialists were once
more successful in a sanguinary battle.
Military operations were now suspen,
ded, but the central authority was moi
established in Yunnan.
THE REBEL ARMY.
The rebel army is described as being
admirably organized. It is divided
into fifty large banners, each banner
numbering fifty men, but under the
command of each large banner is fifty
small standards, with fifty men each,
SO that the whole army amounts to
$50, 600 men. No information is com.
municated to the common soldiers.
They do not know where they are to
march and where they are expected to
find the enemy. Each soldier has to
look to his banner; when that is put
down he has to stop; when it is low
cred he has to retire, and when lifted
up advance. The rebels are we'll armed
and supplied with provisions, which
are supplied to prisoners in the same
quantities as they receive themselves.
Differing totally from their imperialist
foes, they treat their captives with
humanity, and do not compel them to
forced labor or subject them to any in
dignity. There are a considerable
number of European officers in the
rebel forces, who act chiefly as officers
of artillery.
THE ADVANCE ON TALHoO.
The final effort of the Chinese gov
ernment to suppress the Mohammedau
insurrection was set on foot about q
year ago. A large army was organized
and marched for Talifoo. Tie Miaoutze
having been utterly discounted, the
General Chungkai-lan, in command of
six battalions, was ordered to 20 and
assist in the siege of the district city
Of Sin-chen, occupied by the rebel