The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-08-30
SLAIN BY THE CHINESE.
DISASTER TO FRENCH IN ToNoUlN.
A Section of the Army Said to Have Been
AnnIhilated-The Siege of Foo Chow
-Gordon Wins n Victory In the
Soudan-The Cholera.
OTHER NEWS.

OTHER NEWS.
LONDON, Aug. 2S.-A Shanghai dispatch
to Reuters Agency says; According to
reports received at Sontay $4,000 Chinese
troops invaded Tonquin, and had an en-
gagement with the French. In this battle,
it is asserted, the French were annihilated
while several thousand Chinese were
killed.
NEW YORK, Aug. 2S.-The following Is
a list of the French troops in Tonquin at
the opening of hostihtes between France
and China:
Marines $500: Naval Brigade, Loo; Ana,
| mese Sharpshooters, LIZA; Algerian Sharp
| shooters, 10 Tonuuincse Sharpshooters,
! 1900; Foreign Legion, $685. cavalry, 100; ar
tlllery, S.i three regiments sent out in Is 3,
1928; transportation service, 20; auxiliaries'
ambulance service, etc, 2,S. Total, 1855.
At the office of the Courier dos Etdts-
Unis, where the above list was prepared, it
was said that the French troops in Ton
quin, under the command Of General Millot
and Brigadier- General Negrier, and Briere
/ de rlsle were at as many as twenty-fi five
different military posts, and that it seemed
impossible that all could have been annihil-
ated by the invading Chinese.
PARIS, Aug. 2S.--Admiral Courbet'S Of
fetal report of the bombardment Of Foo
Chow states that nine Chinese men-Of-war
and twelve junks were sunk and the krupp
battery commanding the arsenal sllenced
His loss was six killed and twenty seven
wounded.
PARIS, Aug 27.-After destroying the
forts Oh the Min River, Admiral Courbet
will probably join Admiral Lespes before
Kee- Lung, and concert with him with re-
gard to the occupation of that place. An
expedition from Tonquin into Yum Nan,
at the end of the wet season, is under
consideration, unless China accepts the
terms dictated by France. lie Figaro says
General Millot is to be recalled from Ton
qun, because he is held responsible
for the difficulties since the Tien- Tsin treaty
has been made. Tshen HI Kong Secretary
of the Chinese Embassy, will remain al his
post in Paris.
LONDON, Aug. CA Times dispatch
from Foo Chow, lated yesterday afternoon,
says: The French iron-cladS entered the
mouth of the river yesterday afternoon at
two o'clock. The white fort opened fire
with Krupp cannon while the ships were
three miles away After an hours engage
ment the French retired. The Chinese fire
was good"
No complications arising from Interior
ence with the commercial interests of Ger
many, England or any other power are
anticipated by the French foreign office,
and the privileges of neutral nations will be
respected as far as is consistent with the
tactics of France. There is not considered
to be any possibility of France consenting
to refer the matter to arbitration or to per-
Iir,ln of 10 in iS
thought she will now push the matter to
the end and dictate her own terms to China.
LONDON, Aug. ga Times Foo Chow
dispatch says: Admiral Courbet opened fire
at Foo Chow at two p. m. Saturday, and The
Chinese replied almost simultaneously. The
dockyard arsenal was fired Immediately,
but only with partial success. The eleven
vessels forming the Chinese fleet were
mostly light river and coast transports, and
were really tops. The French had seven
heavily-armed ships, namely: The Volta
Duguay-Trouin, Delavigne, Aspie, Nipere
Loup and Villars. Several Chi
nese gun-boats maintained bravely
deSultOry fire for about a
quarter of an hour, when the survivors of
then crews leaped overheard. The combat
practically finished in seven minutes. The
superior French artillery made the contest.
After disabling the Chinese vessels, there
was no fight--t was a massacre. This is
the opinion of every spectator. Two eight
een-ton gun boats of the Chinese fleet fought
well, one sinking near the English man-of-
war Champion, while the other, stationed
above some junks, made a good stand.
The French kept up the fire on the ar
senal, the neighboring buildings, the forts
barracks and villages until five O'Clock
in the afternoon, although resistance from
the batteries ceased al about three o'clock.
Some French and Chinese ships were en-
gagged in close proximity to the English
men Of war Nigilant and Champion. At
six o'clock yesterday evening three burning
gun-bOats fioated down the stream, one
carrying French colors. Numerous fire.
junks, blazing in dangerous manner, I'M
periled the English men-of-war, but were
Tended of. One English bark was saved
by the English men-of- war French tor
pedo boats exploded the sterns of the Yang
Woo transports and of the two sinking
gun-boats. The scenes on the river, as the
dead and wounded floated by, were terrible.
The English saved many wounded The
forts lower down have net yet been at
tackled The Times correspondent, the only
newspaper representative present, was on
board the Champion.
Foo Chow is the Capital OF the province of
Fo-kien, on the Min River, twenty-five miles
from it's mouth Its population IS estimated
at 500, 900. Ii Is surrounded 10y an amphl-
thcater of hills about twenty-four miles dis
,aIit and is nCoscd by a caStelatcd wall nine
or ten miles IN circumference, outside OF
which are suburbs as extensive as itself. The
whole is commanded by fortified hill 800
feet above the plain, and inside of the walls
is another height crowned by conspicuous
watch over. A long bridge erected on gran
its pillars here crosses the river, and is partly
covered with shops. The arsenal and ship
yard said to have been bombarded is twelve
miles from Foo Chow and is as near the city
as large vessels can approach, owing TO the
lou " ter in the river. The Importance of
its capture is in the fact that it is the only
plA.c IN China where war vessels can be
obi.t.
OTHER FOREIGN MATTERS.
LONDON, Aug. $50 far the total num-
Ia, no