Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-10

dowager. and had ii not been for the
prompt acton OF the governor OF Anhui II
would have involved China in a civil war
that might have been equal to the TAPPING
rebellion, in which twenty millions were
killed and whole provinces were ruined. 1t
would have probably caused the killing
or many of our missionaries, and would
have put China far back on it's march
OF ctvilization-if indeed, II had not re-
suited in the breaking ND OF the empire
and its division among the foreign pow
ers. This rebellion was planned BY
large secret society that had sworn to
drive out the Manchus soon as the
great empress dowager died. The society
had persuaded two OF the modern bat
taiions to start the rebellion. They were
TO seize the city OF Anking. and then
two regiments of infantry were to join
them. At the same time they thought
the whole province of twelve millions
would come to their support and that
the revolution would be extended to all
parts OF the country. This rebellion
actually started. but Ii was prevented by
Inc energy, courage and resourcefulness
OF the governor of Anhui. protese Of
Yuan Shin Kai who was at Ankng nj
the time. He had learned OF the plot
and prepared for It,
Anking is walled city. and the gates
are closed at nightfal. The mutlneers
had caused fires to break out in their bar
racks, expecting that the fire companies
of the city would be sent out to extin-
guish them and that they could rush
through the gates. thus opened, and take
the town There was vast deal o: am
munltion in the armory, and this would
have sufficed for the start Of the rebel
lion.
The governor had given special orders.
however, that the gates he kept closed
and when the fire appeared he was obeyed
The mutineers rushed up to the wall and
tried to get in. but the governor took Off
his official robes, assumed command or
the 600 troops inside the city and kept
back the rioters. At the same time he
sent kilograms up and down the river.
and by morning the Chinese gunboats be-
gan to arrive. At the order Of the gov
ernor they fired on the barracks of the
mutineers and drove them to the hills. At
the same time the governor opened the
gates and ordered the two regiments of
infantry to follow the mutineers and at
tack them. They refused. and some OF
their number deserted, increasing the
force Of the rebels to over 1000. The next
day the governor attacked this band and
dispersed 1t. He then called UP the regi-
ments of infantry and told them that they
had disobeyed orders. but that they would
not be punished II they would stack their
arms and make no further trouble. They
did SO. and having gotten possession Of
the arms, he discharged them from the
ranks, beating President Roosevelts ex-
plot at Brownsville by two battalions-
In the meanwhile the troops were NOV
ing toward Anking. The governor had
notified the army by telegraph. and with
in thirty-six hours there were five col
umns Of soldiers marching upon the city
from different sections Of the country.
The result was that all thought of rebel
lion at once disappeared and the people
accepted the new emperor and the pres
ent administration as fixed and unchange-
able / understand that there Will be
no further trouble, and that peace Is now
fixed in every part of the empire.
FRANK G. CARPENTER