The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-07-13
THE FIGHTING IN FORMOsA.
PiHGge and Murder Mark the Departure
of the Chinese.

PiHdge and Murder Mark the departure
of the Chinese.
TOXIC, JAPAN, June 29.-The resistance
offered by the Chinese in Formosa to Jap
anese occupation has been perfectly con-
sistent with the record of their compatriots
in Manchuria and Shantung. Great things
were expected from an army animated, as
the defenders of Formosa should have
been, by a genuine sentiment of patriot
ism. All the other Chinese forces had gone
TO pieces because they were a mere ra5ble
of needy loafers, caring nothing for coun-
try and everything for coin. But in For
mosa a republic had been established, and
its troops would surely fight for country
and freedom.
The japanese programme was to divide
the task of pacifying the island between
the two brigades of the Division of Guards
constituting the force of occupation. The
north part of the island was to be taken
first. and after its subjugation by the first
brigade the second brigade was to follow
from Port Arthur and direct its attack
against Taiwan and Takao in the south.
Little difficulty attended the performance
of the duty assigned to the first brigade.
Landing on the northeast coast, it marched
first against Kelung, and thence via Tai
peh to Tamsui and Banka on the north
west. The japanese. 1000 strong, divided
into two columns at point about IL miles
from the place. and advanced from the
north and east.
As for the Chinese troops, they garri-
soned the forts, with the exception of a
body of Cantonese, who encamped outside
the town commanding the southwark ap-
proaches. Not one of the forts offered any
resistance worthy of the name. The
Japanese marched in, singing their ma
tional anthem, anG the Chinese ran out as
if the very sound of the song was unen-
durable. Had the japanese advanced in a
more leisurely manner, it is probable that
not shot need have been fired, for the
Cinnamon were making preparations to
decamp when their assailants surprised
them.
The garrison's hottest half hour was
when the crowd of fugitives streamed past
the Cantonese eneampment, escaping
southwark; for the Kwantung men opened
fire on the runaways and compelled many
OF them to retrace their steps, leaving
about fifty dead or dying on the ground.
1t was altogether the worst parody of
fighting witnessed during the war. A
dozen killed and twice as many wounded
represented the japanese loss, and the
casualties on the Chinese side aggregated
about 500. An accidental explosion of
dynamite cost the japanese more lives
than did the bullets of their foes, and the
cause of their greatest suffering was that
they had to march in.heavy cloth uniforms
throughout the sweltering heat of June
day in Formosa.
As usual the surgeons and nurses of the
japanese Red Cross Hospital were ready
to discharge their errand of mercy even
before the fighting had ceased. With un-
bounded surprise the Chinese found that
absolutely no distinction was made be-
tween the wounded of either side in these
charitable ministrations.
On the 9Th of June Just two days after
the capture of Kelung, the President
of the Formosan Republic, bid fare
well to that ephemeral affair and alb
seconded to rejoin his family in China. He
covered his flight by the usual infallib}e
expedient, a shower of silver. Fifty tbons.
and dollars distributed among his BODY
guard purchased these gentlemen's con-
nlvance, and at l A. NJ. the President and
Ex-Governor was non-inventus. His ex-
ample was speedily followed by all the |
other high officials of the republic.
Very soon it became known that these
magnates had departed, leaving their fel-
IoW-republlcans to shift for themselves.
Immediately the latter rose to the occa-
sion. They invaded the Presidents yamen.
looted the treasury smashed everything
not worth carrying away and set fire to
the buildings. These things happened at
1alpeh, the chief town of Northern For
mosa. some seventeen miles by rail from
helung, which the Japanese had captured
on the Sd of June. A days reflection had
sufnced to convince the republicans that
their case was hopeless and at 3 A. NJ. on
the 9th burning yamen and a turbulent
mob constituted the sole remnants of an
administrative structure that was to have
oened all assaults. The looting of the
arsenal followed, and presently streams of
Chlnamen were to be seen CARVING mar
GELS OF dollars, bars of lead, TIN. conner or
brass, Gatllng guns, rifles, packets of car
trldges, field pieces, chairs, tables. pieces
of machinery, and so forth. A brand.
new Gatling gun could be purchased for
from So to $40, and a Winchester
carbine for 81. The streets
were strewn with dollars which had
been dropped by the looters in their mad
haste, Tor If the yelling mob detected fugi-
tive laden with silver plunder, they made
nothing OF kicking him into insensibiIity
or death to get at his booty. In this way
100 tons OF copper ingots, several hundreds
OF thousands of dollars, twenty tons of tin.