FIGHT AT HANKAU.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1264, 20 October 1911, Page 5

FIGHT AT HANKAU.

TROOPS CAPTURE THE STATION. DIVIDED VIEWS AS TO REBELSPROSPECTS. SZECHUAN REVOLT SPREADS. By TeloEraph—Press Association— Conyrleut (lice. October 19, 9.50 p.m.) Peking, October 19. Anti-Manchu demonstrators, during tho celebration of Hie birthday of Confucius in somo disaffected districts in the south, compelled tho lowering of the Imperial Hags. Competent authorities believe that tho rebels' recent inactivity has jeopardised their chances of success. The rebels complain of tho bad leadership of Li-Huan-Hung, who was coerced into leading them. The newspaper correspondents, on the other hand, emphasise tho fact that tho rebels, in retreating on Wuchang, wero not pursued or harassed. The fighting was of au indecisive character at Hankau Kailway Station. Throughout the afternoon tho position was sharply contested, and was continually changing hands, until the Imperial troops finally got possession. Advices from Shanghai state that tho commander of the corps at Kiu-Kiang, a treaty port on tho Yangtze, about halfway between Hankau and Nanking, joined tho revolutionaries, who later captured Kiu-Kiang, and tho fort opposite. Several towns in Szehuan province, in the west, are in the hands of tho rebels. It is not clear whether tho movement there is connected with the Hankau revolt. The missionaries in north-west Honan are preparing to leave. GERMAN CRUISER AT NANKING. THE EECENT STREET-FIGHTING. (Kec October 19, 8.30 p.m.) Berlin, October 19. It is officially stated that the German cruiser Gnoiscnau (11,120 tons) will remain at Nanking, as tho river is falling, but Vice-Admiral Vonkrosigk will proceod to Hankau aboard the gunboat litis. The newspapers state that tho Germans engaged in the recent fight with tho mob at Hankau acted after consultation with tho other foreign commanders, and solely for the protection of the Germans endangered. FIGHTING AT HANKAU. IMPERIAL TROOPS ENGAGE REBELS. RAILWAY STATION CAPTURED.

Peking, October 18. The Imperial troops captured the Hankau Station. . , fieinforcoments aro rapidly detraining there. The casualties of the Revolutionaries totalled 300. The Imperial troops lost fewer men. Two thousand Imperial troops, supported by a cruiser, aro engaging two thousand rebels near Hankau. Foreign warships are landing men. Admiral Sa-Cheng-Ping ordered the Chinese cruisers to land their men and join two thousand Imperial troops under General Chang-Kao. The rebels, observing the movement, gave battle, the cruisers indulging in some desultory shellinß. The rebels drove tho Imperial troops back until their ammunition became exhausted, when they retired on Wuchang. On tho previous night the rebels tried to capture General Chang-Kao's camp. An unconfirmed telegram from Shanghai states that tho rebels have captured Nanking. ATTITUDE OF THE POWERS. BERLIN VIEW. London, October 18. "The Times" reports that the Berlin somi-official press maintains that activity by the Powers in China must be confined rigidly to tho protection of their respective subjects and their trade. BRITISH ADMIRAL IN COMMAND. Peking, October 18. Reax-Admiral Sir Alfred Winsloo, British Commander-in-Chief on tho China station, is in command of the foreign naval forces at Hankau. CONGREGATIONAL CONGRESS. « . "NE TEMERE" DECREE DISCUSSED. By Teleeraph—Press Association—Oonyristtt Sydney, October 19. The Congregational Union has protested against tho "Ne Tcinero" decree regarding mixed marriages, and has urged tho Government to take steps to vindicate the supreme authority of the law. Speakers condemned the idea of legalising tho totalisator, as giving to gambling a status not at present possessed.