Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1911-10-31
REVOLT IN CHINA
STILL SERIOUS.
Imperialists Repulsed at WI Chang
Battle Now Raging. No Con-
fidence in Emperor'S
Promises.
REBELS RECAPTURE HANKOW
Government Negotiating With Rebels
For Cessation Of Hostilities on The
Basis of Promised Retorms-ReDels
Suspicious Of Officials.

recaptured Hankow Sunday after the
bloodiest battle since the revolution
broke out, according to native infor-
nation brought here today. Wire
less dispatches from foreign warships
in the Yangste river off the city re-
fer to the fighting today but it is not
clear whether they mean Sundays
engagement or that fighting has been
resumed. Since Friday, the rebel
death roll is placed at 1000; the i'm
perialist at 800. This does not in
clude the Hankow citizens slaughter
ed by the imperialists after the rebel
forces had retreated from there across
the river to Wu Chang.
AS previously suspected the rebel
defeat resulting in the loss of Han
kow was not serious. They were out
numbered, however and finding their
position difficult to hold, fell back
upon WI Chang, which has been
their headquarters since early in the
rebellion. Reinforced and resupplied
with ammunition there they resumed
the struggle Instead OF entrenching
themselves in Hankow the imperial
lists had been busy looting and burn
ing the city and butchering its in
habitants. Despite the furious fire
from the imperialists ashore and their
supporters on the gunboats in the
river, the rebels forced their way
across the stream and engaged their
enemy hand to hand.
The battle ragged for some time
along the river bank, which is des-
'cribed as Uttered with corpses. The
stream itself is thickly covered with
them, floating with the current to-
wards Shanghai. The struggle is
said to have been almost incredibly
furious, many Of the combatants not
only being killed but literally chopped
to bits. The imperialists. finally be-
ing driven from the city, are reported
as fleeing to the northward in disor-
der.
The greater part of the city is said
to be heap of blackened ruins.
Much uneasiness is felt for foreign
ers who may have neglected to take
refuge aboard the foreign warships
in time.
Late reports by wireless from the
foreign warships off Hankow make it
plain that, though the rebels have
driven the imperialists from the city
proper, the battle is still raging in the
outskirts. No quarter is shown on
either side, and 1t is believed the dead
will run into the thousands.
The rebels, is appears, drove the
imperial warships from their posi-
tion in the Yangtse between Hankow
and WI Chang by devastating fire
from the forts on the WI Chang side
which they held. The flotilla, COM
PEELED to drop down the river, out Of
range of the two cities, left the way
clear for the rebels to make their
crossing without suffering from the
raking fire which drove them from
Hankow on the day Of its recapture
by the imperial troops.
Hankow, Oct. 31.-Flghting has
been resumed between revolutionists;
and imperialists here. The imperial
troops tried to rush the rebels posi-
ton at WI Chang but were repulsed
with heavy slaughter. The battle is
still raging. One thousand rebels
and 900 imperialists have been killed
since Friday.
Shanghai, Oct. 31.-Yuan Shi kafs
emissaries are negotiating today with
the rebel leaders at WI Chang Tor a
cessation Of the rebellion upon the
basis of the reforms promised in the
edict issued yesterday by the Chinese
emperor at Pekin.
The rebels do not seem to want to
come to terms. They argue that they
are certain to win their fight in any
event and that they prefer a republic
to even strictly limited monarchy
Moreover, they doubt if the emperor's
promises will be fulfilled. The sack
ing and burning of HankoW with the
slaughter Of hundreds Of its inhaolt-
ants. Immediately following the city's
recapture, by the imperialists, and on
the very day that the imperial edict
was issued, are cited in support OF
the contention that the Manchus are
not to be trusted. Yuan Shi kafs
reply is that he Is now virtually die
tator of China, that he is about to