The Wilmington daily Republican., 1895-05-06
FOREIGNERS IN DANGER
The Notorious Black Flags of
China Again Threatening.
JAPAN WILL YIELD TO THE POWERS
willing to Give Up All Claims to the
Island Of Formosa on the Payment of
Larger Indemnity-No Hope of Reform
in China.

~ OiNo Up hh 10 thu
Island Of Formosa on the Payment of a
Larger Indemnity-No Hope of Reform
In China.
LONDON, May 8.-The Times has dis
patch from Pekin saying the fact that the
emperor has ratified the treaty of peace
with Japan is known to only few Chi
nese. No edict in regard to the matter has
been issued. Prince Kung, president of
the Tsung Ii Yamen, urged the emperor
to ratify the treaty. Many Chinese would
have preferred that the Japanese reach
Pekin before tho peace conditions were
agreed to, as the Chinese government
would then have been compelled to in
itiate reforms whereas, under the present
circumstances, there Is small chance of
any reforms being made
A Hong Kong dispatch to The Times
states that the governor Of Formosa says
that Its cession to the japanese will pro-
duce rebellion. He declares that he has
lost all control of the soldiers and foreign
ers must save themselves. The leader of
the Black Flags has appealed to his men
to carry out his original orders to prevent
the Japanese from landing on the island.
Placards written by the literati have been
posted in conspicuous places and circu-
lated among thepeople, calling upon them
to resist the Japanese, and saying that II
the Island Is to be ceded to any nation they
prefer that 1t should be given to Great
Britain
The Black Flags are predatory, irregu
lar forces. They are not on China's pay,
though sometimes she has little author
ity over them. Warfare is their profess
sion. They depend upon 1t for bread, and
they raid and rob Chinese and others in
discriminatory. They have no law but the
commands Of their leaders. They are much
bolder and more warlike than the average
Chinanan, and have little fear of death.
The French were greatly troubled by them
in Tonquin.
1t Is said If the Chinese oan turn the
Black Flags upon any specially hated
enemy they consider 1t great stroke of
enterprise. 1t is also said that when the
French, during the Tonquin campaign,
sent an officer to Tiontsin to complain to
Viceroy Lii Hung Chang against the out
RACES of the Black Flags and to demand
that he secure their punishment, the vice.
roy said that he had no more control over
them than the French had; they wero
robber scamps, and China disayowed them.
China would be delighted If the French
caught them and beheaded them.
A dispatch from Paris says The Temps
ing that Japan has replied to the friendly
protest Of Russia, Germany and France.
Japan agrees to renounce possession of
the Liao-Tung peninsula, but says she will
retain Port Arthur. This compromise
leaves Intact all the dangers that the pow
ers wished to avoid. Fresh representations
have been made to Japan, and the negotia.
tions are actively proceeding Japan will
probably yield Port Arthur, though de-
manding to hold tho place temporarily,
which the powers will concede
A Berlin dispatch says that nothing has
occurred to diminish the hope of an amic-
able settlement Of the trouble In conneo-
tion with the Chinose-J Japanese peace
treaty, though 1t would be difficult to say
upon what basis it will be. 1t is probable
that the compensation to Japan for fore
going possession of the Liao Tung penin-
sula will be the payment by China of an
increased indemnity.