New-York tribune., 1885-01-28
and the amount involved not large even tho nc"
ruling were sustained.
THE FRENCH IN FORMOSA.
TALK WITH ADMIRAL COURBET

,,, sprcru CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRIBUNE.l
KrJryG. Formosa, Dec. 2O.-It does not yet
appear that the French have exered the shg'oS' oi
inauence on the Chinese in f0rmosa, thoueh U. ia''
an, orunity has been offered at this place. Inoush o
bav was fol meryflled with native Doats uso W
svorm about every incoming vessel, IL is no" hiecSs'
except for the French ships swinging sieny az tner
onchors the little captive lighthouse tender reno
which lies near tine east shore, lew weather-"orh
steam launches which ply between the shlps anu .'o
no and an English merchant vessel. the Dora Tuliy
which has entered on suferance for repairs Inc 's
Of Kelung which lies at the head or the Day anu "N
formerly had a population Of between 3o'ooo ANA
,o 600 "a rearlv deserted The common people, VINO
little about the home Government so hat tey can
re,n and trade at leisure, nave learned from the
long and wearsome way OF carrying on the war W ,
the French bitterly those engaged III ac'"'i o
ties 1t is the interference with business anu lno I
sonal loss that ageravate than the war tscf ma"
the French at first struck blows prompt anu 'errpio
o,ouob IN inspre respect and aear the work OF con-
ciatins the islanders would have been much easier
Now they will take the island with much greater waste
of men and money. The conquest VIII DO ioo' W ioo
while the reconciliation of the people and the
Of trade will present difficulties far beyond the power OF
computation
n The French ships at present here are the Bayard
admiral Courbets flagship. the Gassonniere ana the
vpere the last lying just inside the entrance 10 he o
harbor Being commonly used as dispatch-ooa' sue rs
the one omnipresent vessel OF the squadron Making
every few days. or weeks circular voyage that ncndes
Kelung Tam-Sui, Matsou Ta-wan-foo' IaRao Hung
Kong and Saigon. Hong Kong is more OF rendezvous
for the squadron than Kelung. there being rarely less
than three French ships there for coal or repairs.
found Admiral Courbet his little cabin under the
poop preserving the dignity ana grace OF MS onacer
as effectively az possible after these long months OF
neglect by the home Government Soldiers OF sailors Vi
his nosition have rarely occupied more contracted
ouarters The room absolutely destitute OF orna-
ment and even Of c0nvenicntand comtortaoie chairs
and upholstery. 1t was bare without nea1hess spaio
without having soderly suggestion, unless there eh
ceped the huge gun of unknown length that with us
carriage occupying large part Of the cabn thrust 's
threatening muzze Just OF the rear port On one
side near the ceiling there single shelf ike those
sometimes seen In a NewEngland farmhouse, contain
ing few books The Admiral was seated ~ one corner
of tho cabin at a small and primitive desk In chsr 10
which the ideas OF comfort and luxury were alike ior-
egn presumably nditing an appeal to the nome "o'eih
ment for reinforcemcnts; possibly request 10 DC
reeyed from his hanklcss and by no means honorape
task OF bockadDg Formosa. which rnzOr says nc con-
templates sending TO NJ Ferry.
The interview, on the part OF the Admiral, was
Negative rather than Affirmative, and comprised a
denial Of accuracy OF all reports hitherto
published OF the battle FooChow one ort of that
affair had especially excited his attention, and this was
the pamphlet published by two American officers eye
witnesses OF the cones He confessed that the tale as
told by these gentlemen had a foundation In fact
meaning doubtless that the fight actually occurred-bnt
would not admit OF OF the details
The only reliable version OF the anuihilaon OF the Foo
CHOW squadron was he ayerred that already enDalmed
In his reports 10 the French Government, In whose
archives might he read and pOnderei by those To
the breyity OF life WAS unnpotant IN regard 10
the blockade the Admiral gave me to understand tt nc
entertained the most punctOus notions To allow a.
neutral 10 land the island. even at helng winch is
occupied by the French wodd be utterly 10 shttcr the
blockade While to permit foreigner 20 rcruain few
days OF mis- ships would be- to sive the nava rules
and regulations of Ftancc compound fracture beyond
the powers of surgical repair As 10 the effectiveness Si
the blockade he declined an opinion ,.
The reticence Admiral Courbet is not initiated by his
officers by those OF high rank nave seen then
at various places and heard them the candid
EXPRESSIONS scarcely surpassed in contempt by the
language English avail officers IN Inc Orien ana sup
nose eIsewhee use in regard Gladstone They speak
Of it as shameful that the Government has not sent
them reinforcement4 and sneer at Tue pontdcai game @
soldiers and hor military and naval prestige Ia tHe s
acknowledge, might have been done months ago In ING
meantime her ships ae cruising usees,y hiohs tno
rating constantly, with cOmpensatlng advantage 40
life can imagined more dsngneable than thht rd y
Tonquin or about Fomosa. With the exception OF the
Foo-Chow. Keung ana Tam sui incidents. po,iti,ey
existence for the past eight months II has been actual
sagnation with only the bi-nnnthly mails 70 eniven H.
or 10 make IL gloomer by rend ring the distance from
home aud the bari aiOus isolation more apparent.
Ksluug When the Frercn Dunbarcd 1t they destroyed
the forts and batteries, only part ol whlch tley
have repaired and are occupying. They have added
others etner on the bay Tue ncghboring hc.ntS,
10 two OF which they have gwen the haiDespF WIZARD
and tiaissOnnlere. In these they have placed small
garrsOns and with the OF their scanty forces have
advanced three miles on Tue Tam 'ul r0al ana
established "a slender line OF OupOsts which may iosbiy
nod half miles Tree from incur,ios 0f tho
Chinese They really hold no ground but what they
stand on The heights they occuTy are commanded by
higher elevations held by the Chinese having only hight
artillery, derive special advantage IRON thc
superority OF the positions The FreDcn are actually
seged within their own forts and entrenchments The
Chinese fight resOlut1y under cover. No DAY passes
without its skiIInishes. they being generally the
aggressors Tho so1nd OF artillery Is heard all day at
Kelung and not nrequently Al Tam sui. The coveted
coal mines lie the SOUTHEAST, entirely beyond the
French lines their only consolation being 100000
tons which the Chinese had collected the bay for
before the place taken and which they failed To
DESTROY Tho supncness II the French has embOdcnei
the Chinese, who often attempt some daring aud uneG
pected act. Only two three nights sin they VEN
tured within the lines and dsinerred and decaplt1tef
two bodies get the reward offered 10y Lin Ming Cnuan.
IL appears from this that the Chinese authorities dare not
adhere promise TO tho British Consul at Tan Sui
permit the renewal OF the atrocities OF which tue
addened soldiers guilty after the repulre AT Tam
luin the situation Is much the same, though
on "A larger scale. The French hemmrd In aud
subject TO frequent attacks which they usually repulse
with loss to the enemy hut which are stu painfully
harassng. The losses numerically unitnpoftant To
the Chinese and their renfOrcements are constantly
arriving while those long expected by the French are
slow III appearing Oh the scene.