The Sentinel=record., 1912-04-27
BATTLE ON
 IN MEXICO
FtERcEST BATTLE OF PRESENT REVOLUTION RAGING AT TE-
 PIC IN THE WEST.
Two Thousand Rebels, Calling Them seIvea Zapatistas, Defend Town in Bloody Encounter With
 Federal Troops.


 battle of the revolution on the west coast is now raging at Topic, where 2000 rebels, styling themselves Zapa. tistas, are engaged in a determined effort to take the town.
 There was heavy loss of life when the big Topic cathedral, crowded with refugees, was razed The statehouse was torn down and the residences of number of the wealthiest citizens were lootedsand demolished.
 The battle began at 10 o'clock yes terday morning and still was in pro- gress at G o'clock this morning.
 Some of the heaviest fighting oc- cured in Mexico street, near the Bola de Ora, where in short time the pavement became slippery with blood
 The rebels. who took this place on April r, still are in possession and are numerously if not well led There are 20 chiefs. but Vega is supreme.
 They have footed stores and ware houses and are now attacking pr; vate residences. Only two Ameri- cans are still here. There have been no trains on the Southern Pacific for II days, and although officials of the road are doing all in their power to rescue persons in danger, many of them are suffering for food, ordinar- fly brought by rail, and in some places there is lack of water.
 War Vessel to Mexico.
 Mexico City, April 26.-A British war vessel is on the way to Mexico on the west coast to afford refuge for subjects of Great Britain who may be in peril, or who may wish to leave the country on account of revolution ary disturbances.
 This information was secured from an authoritative source today. It is not believed that the coming of the vessel constituted any menace on the part of the British government, or has any other object than that stated.
 No information could be had at the legation, but it is known that the minister has been advised. It is said that another warship viii be sent to the gulf coast for alike purpose, in both cases the action being the result of an understanding between Euro pean powers with a probability that other nations having interests in Mex leo or citizens in any considerable humber will follow the example
 Persons arriving here from the isthmus of Tehauntepec today brought information of various bands of in- surrectos whose depredations along the line of the Pan-American railway have put that line practically out of commission.
 Federal troops are in control of the larger towns, but their efforts to re- build bridges and repair the railway are baked by the rebels who undo the work after them.
 A curious fact is the reported pres ence among the insurrectos of num- Der of Chinese After a fight at the town of Txhuatan, in eastern Oaxaca, in which a number of rebels were killed, the bodies Of two Chinese were among the dead.
 A battle occurred 10 days ago at Union Hidalgo, one of the principal towns on the Pan American railway A troop train was fired upon by the rebels.
 Train Is Ambushed.
 Mexico City, April 26-A Mexican Cuernavaca passenger train, carrying an escort of 30 rurales, run into al ambuscade of rebels today, near Trei Maria, 2S miles from the Morelos cap ital, and was forced to turn back aft CT nine of the guard had been killed warning was received at Tres Ma rias that there were Zapatistas in tn vicinity and nine rurales in charg of a lieutenant were called off to pro ceed on foot ahead of the train. Onl the lieutenant escaped. He suceeede' in reaching the train which was hun , riedly backed out of danger. leavin q the rurales where they had fallen Tn D coach containing the escort was hi several times, but ID one in the trai was injured. There were a numbe of passengers on board.