The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1908-03-12
EXPLANATION OF CAUSE
OF ALL THE TROUBLE

Toxic, March 1~1.-Chinese warships
seized a Japanese merchant steamer
the Tatsu Maru-in Chinese territorial
waters, Just outside Macao harbor, and
escorted her to Canton on the charge
that h was engaged In an attempt to
smuggle arms and ammunition into
China.
TIC add to the irritation inseparable
from such a course of action, the Chi
nese commander hauled down the
Japanese flag en- route and ran up the
Chinese dragon ensign in its stead.
The Japanese foreign office has de-
manded the immediate release Of the
Tatsu Maru and the punishment of the
officials responsible for her seizure.
Quite irrespective of the merits Of the
case, the Japanese minister maintains
the action of the Chinese authorities in
SELLING and hauling down the Japanese
flag was an insult to Japan.
The facts in the case. as nearly as
car be ascertained from both sides, ap-
pear to be these:
The Japanese contention Is that the
vessel left Kobe on January rs with "a
cases of rifles and 40 cases of ammunt-
ton consigned by the Ataka Shokai, OF
Osaka, to Kwong Yo & Co., Of Macao,
who are LICENSED by the Macao govern
ment to deal in arms. It is asserted
that the Ataka Shokai had obtained
the necessary permit from the Macoa
authorities with regard to the arms
and ammunition. and that the usual
customs and police formalitieS a been
complied with at Kobe.
The fact that the Tatsu Maru an
chored outside Macao harbor is ex.
planned by the statement that her draft
was too large to permit her to enter
the harbor in safety and that the in
tention Of the captain n the con-
signees was to have the cargo dis
charged into lighters. According to the
captains story the vessel was surround
ed by four Chinese %gunboats and was
shortly afterward boarded by the Chi
nese commander, who declared thai al
though the steamer was in possession
Of a certificate issued by the Portu-
guese authorities at Macao, the Chi
nese government was informed that she
was bound for Macao with a cargo or
1874 cases of arms and ammunition con-
signed to a Chinese firm, and that he
had been ordered by the taotai Of Can
ton to stop the discharge Of this cargo.
Later two customs officials n 20 blue
Jackets boarded the steamer. The in
cident created no small excitement
among the steamers passengers, some
a~pprehensions being entertained that
the Japanese warshipS in the harbor
might attempt a rescue, in which event
it Is deemed probable the Chinese gun
boats would have sent the Tatsu Maru
to the bottom without further Cere-
mony. 1t was to safeguard the vessel
against any attempt to escape that the
Chinese commander ran up the dragon
of China, thus technically placing the
vessel under arrest.
Further inquiry has elected the in
formation that the seizure of the Tatsu
Maru was brought about through a re-
port sent from Kobe or Osaka to the
Chinese authorities to the effect that
although the rifles and ammunition
were consigned to a firm in Macao,
they were really to be smuggled into
the hands Of insurgents in the interior
of China. Acting on this assurance the
Chinese authorities took immediate
steps to seize the steamer. 1t Is sur
missed that the information of the Chi
nese government may have come from
a Chinaman residing in Japan.