Rebels Defeated.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 103, 21 October 1911, Page 5

Rebels Defeated.

TWO THOUSAND KILLED. ROYALISTS TI'RX THE ENEMY'S POSITION. REBELS' COLLAPSE EXPECTED. 230,000 TROOPS UNDER ARMS. CONFLICT I NT. ACCOUNTS. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. Received 21, 1.3 a.m. London, October 20. The Telegraph's Shanghai correspondent states that the rebels at Hankow are reported to have been forced back, losing two thousand. It is rumored that an armistice has been arranged. Twenty thousand refugees have arrived. The Telegraph's Pekin correspondent reports that General Yin Chang, with eigbt battalions and six batteries, crossed ike Yangtse river and turned the rebels' position. The investment was complete. It is hoped tiiat bombardment will be •voided in order to save Hanyang arsenal, whfcli is valued at 30,000,000 taels. The rebels' collapse is possible at any minute. A quarter of a million troops are under arm* in China. REBELS ATTACK IMPERIALISTS. FOREIGN WARSHIPS BUST. Received 20, 11 p.m. Pekin, October 20.

Details of Wednesday's fight state that, hoping the proximity of the foreign concessions would protect them until reinforcements arrived, 1300 Imperialists encamped on the river and near the railway station, ten milometres from the Central Station at Hankow.

The Republicans attempted to surround them. A force of two thousand was sent across the Yangtsze river from Whiehang at night time. The force landed and crossed north-eastwards and reached the neighborhood of the camp at dawn. The attack immediately began.

The warships landed parties under cover of their guns, but otherwise they did not prominently participate, because the direct fire would have endangered their own troops, while the flank fire would, have involved the bombardment 6ver the foreign concessions, besides exposing the gunboats to the Wuchang batteries.

Ultimately the exhaustion of ammunition and the arrival of Imperial reinforcements decided the Republicans' retreat. Some re-entered the native city of Hankow, and other crossed to Wuchang. Subsequently the Republicans were reinforced from Wuchang, and firing was continued at the railway sta- : tion behind the French and Cicrmau concessions. ANOTHER ACCOUNT. SUCCESS OF THE REBELS. TWO CITIES CAPTURED. Received 21, 1 a.m. New York, October 20. The Chinese newspapers at San Francisco publish an announcement of the success of the rebels, capturing Chinggiangfu and also Kiangsi. HELPING THE REBELS. j THE CHUNCHUSES IN MANCHURIA. Received 21, 1 a.m. Constantinople, October 20. Reuler's St. Petersburg correspondent states that Japanese :-<>urces report the Chunchuses in Manchurip. have promised the insurgents to organise a revolution there. THE POSITION' EXPLAINED. ECONOMIC AND AXTI-MANCHU. Received 20, 10 p.m. London. October 20. Dr. Sommerville, of the London Mission at Wuchang, interviewed in London, declared that the outbreak at Szechuan was almost entirely economic, and due to ill-advised efforts of the Chinese to subscribe money for railway construction instead of applying for moneys for the proper purpose. The treasurers squandered the money subscribed in rubber speculations, precipitating acute distress and unrest.

The troubles at Hupeh, on the other hand, the Doctor continued, were purely revolutionary and anti-Manchu. Frenchmen prominently participated therein. In a club connected with the American Boone University at Wuchang was discovered an indiscreet photograph of a meeting of the club. This led to the execution of several Boone students.

Dr. Sommerville wa s surprised at Yuen-Shih-Kai's appointment, inasmuch as the rebellious forces at Wuchang were largely due to his creation and possibly to his power. ,\s a true Chinaman, he feels bound to make every sacrifice to save his family. •

The Doctor added that as Hanyang and the native city of Hankow were in the rebels' hands, the gunboats will probably be forced to bombard them from the north, and Boone University, the Wesleyan, the London, American and Swedish mis-ion hospitals would then be in the line of fire between the gunboats and the rebel camps. A MERE SKIRMISH. Bin ARMY FORHAXKOW. Pekin. October 20. Official accounts describe the fight at TTankow railway .-tation as a mere skirmish. The Imperial troops captured three rebels and a quantity of ammunition. ■;-■ : v -:

It is estimated that '21.000 Imperial troops ami 70 guns have been despatched to Hankow. The provincial authorities in Canton are importing large supplies of arms and ammunition. PROMISES FROM CABINET. Received 21, 1 a.m. Pekin, October 20. Yuan-shi-kai, in accepting the appointment, secured from the Throne a promise to open Parliament in lfilO, and the appointment of a purely Chinese Cabinet, with plenary power to make his own terms with the rebels, and full control of the entire Yangtsze Valley. FEELING OF COLONIAL CHINESE. SYMPATHY FOR THE REBELS. Received 20, 11 p.m. Sydney, October 20. Tong, editor of the Tung Wah Times, declares that a large proportion of Chinese residents in Australia are sympathisers with the leaders in the rebellion, and are extremely anxious for the overthrow of the Manchu Dynasty.