The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-10-19

Os O
 oooocoooooocooooooooooooo0 The Imperial Chinese troops and the
 revolutionists have come to grips at Han
 kow. The battle as yet is ndecsive. The
 government at Pel1in claims great vic- tory, and the government troops hold tho trenches at Hankow, as well as the sta- tion where reinforcements are hourly ar
 irving.
 The rebels have fallen back on wu
 Chang which it is said they have succeed
 ed in strongly fortifying in the past few
 aays. The casualties on both sides in the
 engagement are reported to be large. The fighting at times was at the bayonet point.
 During the battle between the land ! forces the Chinese warships shelled the
 rebels position, but dispatches from Han kow indicate that the return fire from
 the forts was much more effective ard
 that at least two of the Imperial gum
 boats were badly damaged American warships have been ordered
 to Ranking, Shauhai and Tien Tsn. Tho Abarinda which is proceeded to Tien Tsin at % miles an hour is carrying a detach-
 ment to reinforce the American legation
 at Pekin. The capital is strongly guarded and there seems to be little danger of | disorders there.
 The Prince regent has yielded to the demands of Yuan Sh IIai it is said and will raise his own division of troops num- l bering 10000 to control the situation in
 Hupeh and Human. In addition the l;ew
 viceroy has been permitted to cash a per
 sonal grant of s2,00000O.
 1 Hankow, October 1S.-An indecisive bat
 te was fought today on the north bank
 of tho Hsn river, just west of this city. The revoiutionists temporarily drove the | imperial troops back from their position, 1 but in doing so they exhausted their rife l ammunition. and were compelled to retire on the base at Wu Chang. l The revolutionists with infantry and ar- tillery attacked the government troops, which were reinforced from the Chinese | warships in the river and supported by guns of the fleet.
 During the fighting the 1S foreign ves- l sels In the river landed joint force un- der command of Vice Admiral Sir Alfred l.. Winsloe, commander of the British eastern fleet, who because of his seniority
 has been given the direction of the men
 engaged in the protection of the foreign concessions.
 Red Cross Active The Red Cross near the camp. In charge 1 of Dr. Melville of the American mission. recoived and cared for the rebel wounded.
 About 2c0O revolutionists were pitted against an equal number of loyal soldiers
 and it was fair fight. Early reports
 that the rebels outnumbered the enemy 1 five to one were incorrect. Only part of
 the revolutionary army participated. and they are claiming tonight that they would have routed completely the soldiers from
 he north if their ammunition had held 1 cut.
 | This evening the imperial troops are waiting endorsements, while the revolu- | tionists are replenishing their supplies. A
 renewal of hostilities may take place soon l as it appears to be the plan of the rebel leaders to force the fighting before the imperial troops have been further | strengthened.
 l The latter had intended to delay an at | tack upon Nu Chang until ther numbers 1 were sufficient to make n victory prob ahlc. and it had been rumored that there would be no battle before next Saturday,. 1 The rebels who occupy Wu Chang, ] Hankow and Han Yang were alive to the governments purpose. and during last 1 right 2000 men crossed the Yang Tse
 Iliang from Wu Chang and at daybreak.
 they fell upon the imperial camp. They
 attacked with dash, and the government l il oops, taken somewhat at a disadvan- l tgae, responded loyally.
 1 The fighting was severe, but it is irnpoa-
 sirle to estimate the casualties, as cor I n1efat f.1 firing line, and those who witnessed tie
 hattie from the river were fired upon. l Men Landed l Al the first sound of firing Admiral Sah l Chen Ping, in command of the Chinese warships, ordered men landed to support 1 Gen. Chang Piso. The rebels had antici- 1 rated this move by the fleet and directed | a hot fire upon the warships and tho land- ing party from the Wu Chang bank ct | tie river.
 | Admiral Sah In turn ordered the war ships to fire upon the rebel field pieces 1 aud for a time shells fell thick among the
 rebel gunners. The warshp officers. | However. were seriously handicapped by
 tle danger to the foreign concessions in- voved in their fire.
 1 Two foreign newspaper correspondents | narrowly escaped with their lives. They ! had been cruising on the river in expec- | tation of the battle and their launch had
 reached a point near the imperial camp when hostilities began.
 Correspondents in Danger | Presently they found their little craft
 alongside Admiral Sah's flagship and be- l tween the fire of the two forces, FroIi | that spot the correspondents witnessed the | lighting until Admiral Sah, observing the danger of their position, ordered them
 out of the firing line The launch and crew withdrew and as they did so they were fired upon by men who had been l landed from the warships. Fortunately,
 comrades of their assallants interfered.
 tho shooting ceased and the corresponds
 cnte escaped unharmed.
 l The engagement continued for several l hours until the combined land and sliip / forces of the nperials were driven some crossed the river to Wu Chang. Shells distance back and the rebels. retiring res
 (CONTINuED ON FACE Ol