The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-14
BLACK FLAGS FURIOUS.
Fierce Battles With Insurgents
at Two of Their Best
StrongholdS.
MANY HELD OUT TO THE DEATH.
Much Difficulty in ConQuerlng the
Men Who Refused to Yield
to the Mikado.

=. VICTORIA, B. c., Aug. 13-The steam
ship Empress of Japan arrived tonight,
bringing the following news from the
Orient:
.. There is a rumor that Count Inouye will
Become Foreign Minister in place of Wis
count Mutsu. In Formosa, the Japanese
are said to have experienced a severe re-
verse, and. they evidently are there meet
fng with much stronger opposition than
they have previously encountered in
China.
The country has been visited by severe
storms, in one of which a train carrying
nearly 400 invalid soldiers was derailed.
Fortunately, the number killed was COM
paratively small These storms have in
undated portion of the country, and this
and unreasonable weather is causing some
fears as TO the rice crop.
The new English Minister, Sir E. NJ.
Satow, K.CM.G., arrived July %. He was
received by the British residents and pre-
sented with a numerously signed address
of welcome.
Cholera still spreads slowly, although it
has not as yet made any very alarming
Tavages. In imports there is very little
doing, but there is steady business both
in silk and tea.
Among many proofs of stubborn cour-
age shown by insurgents of Formosa, per-
haps the most remarkable was the con-
duct of a small body-about 200 strong
who had their headquarters at a place
called Anping Chen, a short distance to
the southeast OF Thong Lik, between Tai
Peh and Sin Chuh. Connection between
the two last places being frequently threat
cred by determined bands of insurgents,
Major Miki was ordered to seek out their
stronghold and extirpate them. AS re-
suit of reconnoissences made by him was
discovered the enemy's stronghold. 1t
consisted OF two strongly built brick
houses, surrounded on ali sides by thick
groves OF bamboos at Anping Chen. The
major attacked this position on the 2Sth
ulU., but the enemy defended themselves
so well, firing through holes in the walls
OF the houses, that the japanese officer, in
view of the waste of life that must be
caused by storming. the stronghold, de-
eided to retreat and bring artillery to bear
on the houses.
The attack was repeated on the I'd inst.
The outer works, consisting of circle of
bamboo fences with thick backing of fire.
proof bricks, were taken without much
difficulty, but the insurgents in the houses
kept up well-aimed fire throughout the
whole day, notwith standing that several
holes were blown open in the wall. The
japanese troops, careless of the enemy's
deadly fire, approached the houses, but it
would evidently have been madness to at
tempt an. entry through the holes in the
walls so long as the defenders were able to
pour a rain of bullets on all the approaches.
Once more the Japanese retreated, not,
however, until one of the gates had been
blown up, killing four of the insurgents
posted in the vicinity. The next day the
japanese again marched against the
stronghold, when they found it entirely
deserted by Its doughty defenders. The
houses contained a large number of
corpses. The japanese loss was IL killed
and % wounded.
Another small body of insurgents were
stationed at a place a short distance from
Sin Chuh. A company of troops, with two
mountain guns, were sent to attack the
post on the 4th inst. The enemy fired from
houses in the village, which consequently
had to be burned down. On the insurgents
retreating into their barracks, plunging
fire was poured upon them from neigh
boring elevation, with the result that sew
enteen were shot down and the rest took
to flight,
With the reduction of these two places
communications between Sin Chuh and
Tai Peh were completely secured against
interruption. by insurgents.
Governor-General Visceunt Kabayama is
reported to have sent a note to Lii Yung
Flu, advising him to surrender. The fol-
lowing from Governor-General Viscount
Kabayama, under date Tai Peh. $50 A. NJ,
July -1S, was received at general headquart-
ers at P. NJ. on the same day:
."The condition of the enemy at All Ping
and in this vicinity is not known with
certainty. According to one report the
weather being very bad no new movements
are being made by the Black Flags, who
are engaged in Strengthening their de-
fenses. According to- another report the
custom-house at All Ping has been re-
opened under the management OF the
rebels. The man-of-war that visited the
coast off All Pang reports that the flags OF
England and Germany were noticed flying
in the foreign settlement, probably over
COuSuIdteS VI lHe IespeCIlNe poWSlo, 1A"'
British man-of-war was seen lying at
anchor near land, and that, according
to information obtained from Chinese
junk men, the force of the enemy at
All Ping is not so large as before.
There is another rumor that the enemy in
the vicinity of All Ping has advanced as
far as CHA Hal. 1t is also said that in the
.enemv's force which attacked Shanchoh
on the 10th inst. Chinese regulars mixed
with native volunteers, and their number
was greater than expected, having been
some 2000 Considered from this circum-
stance it is believed that portion of the
enemy at Tainan and its vicinity may
have advanced northward. At present
great difficulty is experienced in obtaining
Information of the movements of the
enemyat All Ping and neighborhood.
E: Another telegram from the governor
general, dated Taipeh, 40 P. NJ, on the