Omaha daily bee., 1911-10-21
Meager Information Arom Hankow
Indicates Decisive Defeat of
the Imperial Army,
GOES TO SEVEN.MuE CREEK
Army Forced Backward and War.
ships Retreat Down River,
MANY RUM0RS ARE AFL0AT
One Says Rebels Hold Railroad Tun-
mel North of Hankow.
ARMY IN Yum NAN AFFECTED
Troops that Have Not been Paid
Refuse to March AEninst the
InsurEcnts-VicerO Forth
flies His NRmen,
GOES TO sEvEN.MnE CREEK
MANY RUMoRs ARE AFLoA'
ARMY IN Yum NAN AFFECTED
BULLETIN.


! SHANGHAI, oct. 9.-Tonights adviccs
from IIankow state that tho defeated i'm
perial troops are now entrenched on
! Seven-Mile creek.
one Chinese gunboat was sunk in the
river by Its crew, who deserted to the
rebels. Admiral Sab Chen Ping took the
other warships of the fleet down the
river, as he could not trust their crews.
! HANKOW oct 1s-CDelayed in Trans
mission.)-A two days battle between the
government forces from the north and
the rovolutonists ended in victory for
the latter. The rebels forced the inn
perlal troops to retreat to point ten
miles north OF Hankow. The loyalists
gunboats dropped several miles down the
river.
| HANKOw, China, oct 2O--CBy Wire
less TO Kiu ltlang, 2:45 y. m.-Relayed by
! Telegram TO Shanghai. p. m.)--Gov-
ernment troops retreated to Seven-NIile
crock. beyond Hankow fluvial. Revolu-
tionists claim great victory. Chinese
warships retreated down the river out of
sight OF the settlement. which is quiet.
When the fighting ceased Wednesday
evening the revolutionists took up a
strong position. Reinforcements arrived
during the night and early this morning
! Thursday a force fully 5000 strong
commenced an advance on the imperial
encampment.
The advance was conducted cautiously.
On the march the rebels burned hundreds
of huts, fearing ambush.
! The loyalst infantry made a faint show
| of resistance, while the shots from the
imperial warships failed to dislodge
rebel field gun which had been made the
special objetc of attack.
| When the rebel scouts reached the Inn
perial camp they found it deserted and
the main body entered, waving banners
and shouting in jubilatlon.
The loyalist evacuation was so hurried
that they left many tents and six car
loads OF baggage and ammunition.
The rebel army is now entrenched in
camp three miles from Hankow. The
loyalsts have halted seven miles farther
north where they are awaiting rein
| forcements.
Rebels Victorious.
PEKING, Oct. 2O.-Fears which had
prevailed here since yesterday were con-
firnled tonight by the Associated Press
dispatch from Hankow which stated that
the rebels were winning.
The message, the first to reach the capt.
tai with news OF the situation at Hankow
since telegraphic communication with the
south was interrupted at z o'clock
"Wednesday night was sent from Hankow
| early yesterday morning. IL was carried
by a messenger to the nearest open wire
and received here this evening Up TO
G o'clock tonight the government and the
foreign legations were in the dark as to
Developments in the south The Off
cials claimed that General Yin Tchang
had completed the organization of his
forces and was rapidly pushing forward
his troops, meanwhile contenting him
self with reporting military details with
out furnishing definite news of Wednes-
days fight.
1t was explained that the concentration
of the two imperial divisions had been
completed last night at Kwangshua on
the Peking g. Hankow railroad seventy
miles north Of Hankow. II was under
stood that General Yin Tchang. the com
mander-in-chief, had reached Kwang-
shua
Official assurances also were given that
although the situation had been grave
recently the outlook was now much
improved and the ultimate triumph OF
the government was certain. a runor
was current that the rebels had cut in
behind the imperial troops and captured
Siaokan, thirty miles north of Hankow.
Another report was that the rebels
held the railway tunnel at Sin Yang
Chow. I'm the southern part of Honan
province and about 100 miles north of
Hankow.
Attempts to establish wireless COM
munication between tho capital and Han
kow have thus far been frultless.
Consular dispatches from Yum Nan re-
port persistent rumors Of disaffection
among the imperial soldiers Both the
modern troops and the local regiments
threaten to mutiny because they have
not been paid and refuse 10 march
against the rebels in Sze-Chuan. The
viceroy Is said to have withdrawn the
ammunition from the troops and to have
fortified his yamen.
The French consul at Yuan Nan re-
ceived a letter signed War Minister of
the Revolutionists." recommending that
foreigners leave tho country while yet
there was time. In consequence the mis-
sonarles have been warned by couriers
and are preparing to leave.
A Mohammedan rebellion Is reported
} imminent in Kan Su. the scene of the
Mohammedan revolt OF 1SJs-75.
The belief is strong here that a serious
defeat Of the government forces. as seems
probable from tonights dispatches from
Hankow, would have such an effect on
the country generally that II would fall
; ripe into the hands Of the revolutionists
The legations today sent strong joint
protest to the government against the
prohibition Of cipher dispatches. which
] Is completely dislocating trade and
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