The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-07-05
Fierce Battles, in Which the
MOngolS Were Slaugh-
tered, as Usual.
KILLED BY THE HUNDREDS.
Further Details OF the Destruction
of Mission Property in
Chingtu.
Correspondence of the United Press.l

TOXIC, JAPAN, June 19.-Addltlonal de-
tails of the transfer of Formosa on June
and the subsequent battles of japanese
troops with Black Flags have been re-
| ceived. Upon reaching Zhui-fang the Jap
anese attacked from three sides. battery,
which had fired very busily and fruitlessly
on the preceding day, was quickly stormed,
and the Chinese. some 1900 in number,
were driven pell nell from the village.
Some 800 of them rallied, however, and
taking up position in dense wood, har-
raised the Japanese considerably. On the
whole, the pluck shown by the Chinese on
this occasion was exceptional. They left
40 dead on the field and lost 80 prisoners.
The casualties on the Japanese side were
killed and 16 wounded.
Kelung was attacked the next day.
This is an important place on the north
east coast, noted for it's coal mines, which
are worked under foreign direction. Ad
miral Courbet bombarded and occupied
Kelung in 1884, during the Franco-Chinese
estate of reprisals" The coal is consid-
cred to be of excellent quality, and the
scenery of this part of the island is grand
and beautiful. But the Typographical
features of Kelung render it exceedingly
difficult of assault from the land side. The
first of the two forts forming the chief de-
fences of the place was stormed without
great difficulty, but it was found impos-
sible to bring the second under the range
of artillery, and its capture could not be
effected until a small body of men man.
aged to climb the precipitous slope at the
rear and take the garrison by surprise.
The operations of assault commenced at 6
A. NJ, but not until in the evening had
the place fallen completely into Japanese
possession. Six thousand Chinese had
taken part in the defense; 100 japanese
in the attack. The former lost 300 men;
the latter killed and 90 wounded; dis
parity due in part to the superiority of the
Japanese arms, and to the fact that smok-
less powder was used by the assailants.
All through the war the Chinese have
shown complete decentralization after de-
feat. The record was not altered in For
mosa. From Kelung the japanese forces
struck across to Tamsui, on the northwest
coast. They found only disorder on their
route. AT Taipeh the retreating troops,
aided by mob, pilIaged and burned on a
wholesale scale, finally firing a powder
mill and magazine, killing hundred of
their countrymen and destroying property
valued at a million dollars. Meanwhile,
the Japanese were only ten miles away,
but could not get up in time to quell the
disturbance.
At Hobe, town on the coast, similar
scenes were enacted. Tang, President of
the new republic, had been reminded from
Picking that his family were in China and
=, I, ~ IL,
they would have to pay the penalty.
Thereupon he decided to fly, and his re-
treat gave the signal to multitude of the
republicans.
On June 6 the fugitives set out in boats
for the German steamer Arthur, lying off
Hobe. But the men left behind did not
relish this desertion. The opened fire on
the boats and the steamer from the forts
killing seven persons and wounding seven
teen. Then the German gunboat Iltis
took a hand in the game. A few we'll
directed shots from her guns laid thirteen
braves low in the forts and put an END to
the trouble. On the 9th of June the Japan
csc occupied Tamsui. They met with no
resistance.
Three thousand Chinese troops laid
down their arms, and were Immediately
sent off in Japanese and foreign ships to
Annoy, where they were liberated, and
where they lost no time in starting a dis
turbance that called for renewed action on
the part of the energetic Hits.
Thus the whole of Northern Formosa is
in Japanese possession, and the republic is
at an end But Liu, the ex-chief of the
Black Flags, remains to be dealt with in
the South, and may yet give much trouble.
In the early years OF foreign intercourse
with Japan numerous outrages were COM
mitted against the persons and properties
of foreigners, and the Japanese acquired
the reputation of beinga ferocious, bigoted
nation. But it is now known that many
of these deeds had a political motive; their
object was to embroil the Shogun's Gov
eminent with Western nations, and thus
contribute to its downfall. 1t was by the
Shotgun that the treaties had been made,
and upon his shoulders fell the RESPONSE
bility resulting from all violations of them
A majority of the Samurai that slashed
at unoffending foreigners, or set fire to le-
cations, were actuated, not by any senti-
ment of hatred against the alien, but by
the hope of weakening the Shogunate by
involving it in foreign complications. An
idea is gaining ground in the East that
some, at any rate, of the anti-foreign riots
in China are fomented by the enemies of
the Manchu dynasty. This theory derives
force from the latest instance of the kind.
1t is certainly remarkable coincidence
that just as China had succeeded in obtain
ing respite from her war with Japan, the
Government in Peking should find itself
confronted by new and serious trouble.
Never since the beginning of TO reign inter-
course with China has there been such
wholesale destruction of foreign property
as that consummated on May %, 80 and 81
by mob in Chengtu, the chief town of
Szechuan. 1t is estimated that the loss
sustained by the Roman Catholic Mission
alone is 100000 francs
Among the buildings destroyed are three
chapels more than $50 years old, mission
houses, schools, hospitals and orphanages.
Other mission bodies are said to have
suffered roportionately. French fathers,
representing the Missions Etrangeres,
have been in Chengtu since 1853, and their
propagandism has succeeded so far that in
Western Szechuan they have 10000 con-