Franco-Chinese Hostilities.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 85, 17 January 1885, Page 3

Franco-Chinese Hostilities.

Later news from China, via Australia, oxplains the information communicated by cable, that 12,000 troops are being despatched from France with instructions to clear Tonquin of Chinese, and then to direct their attention to the task of punishing China itself. The Chinese, although invariably beaten when they come to close quarters, are harassing the French very seriously The French blockade of Formosa is ineffective, Chinese junks running it successfully continually,and instead of lessening, the trouble is daily increasing. China is making fresh levies. At Tonquin conscripts are being raised by the authorities. Near the Great Wall of China, and in the vicinity of one in every three males is being called out, and 110,000 men have been enrolled between Pekin and Tientsin. The French force, which numbers only about 7,000 men, is quite inadequate for the work of subjugating Tonquin, and the approaching rainy season is fatal to Europeans. The Chinese fleet, which includes two cruisers built by Armstrong, and capable of steaming 16 knots, was preparing, at date of last advices, to attack the French fleet at Formosa, Report says it will be commanded by a German vice-admiral. It appears, therefore, that France has on hand a troublesome, apparently endless, costly, and fruitless undertaking. The despatch of reinforcements is meant-as a final effort to bring the war in Tonquin to an end.