THE REVOLT IN CHINA.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXVI, Issue 13520, 31 October 1911, Page 5

THE REVOLT IN CHINA.

THE FIGHTING NEAR HANKOW. Rebels Demoralised. Press Association.—Telegraph.—Copyrigni. PEKIN, October 30. It is officially declared that 6000 rebels, westward of Hankow, offered little resistance to 10,000 Imperialists, all abandoned their main position with all guns and camp equipment. They retreated, utterly demoralised. Several hundreds were wounded. THE REBELS’ INTENTIONS. PEKIN, October 80. Admiral Sah Chang Ping notified his intention to bombard Wuchang and Hanyang. He has requested foreign shipping to withdraw out of range of the revolutionists! guns. THE PREMIERSHIP. What the Republicans Claim. PEKIN,' October 30./ According 'to Pekin correspondents Yuan Shih Kai’s supporters expect liim to come to Pekin to assume the Premiership. The Republicans declare that they hold the chief cities in the Hunan province and the capitals of Kwingsi, Kiarigsi, and Amsui. This gives them control of the Yangtse. They also possess' 40 war junks at Hwang Chan. The Imperial Treasury sent a million taels to the military department at Szechuan, whose new Viceroy has been ordered to enlist eight regiments. CANTON A RED REPUBLIC. LONDON, October 30. , A Consular report declares that Canton is turning a red republic. ; Reuter’s Canton correspondent says that Canton is practically independent, inasmuch as the viceroy, alleging that it is impossible to find the money, declined the Government’s request for a large sum in the shape of a special military contribution. The gentry have decided that Canton must care for itself an'd not trouble about other provinces. The Manchu residents have agreed to abide by the decision of the Cantonese. DISQUIETING NEWS. LONDON, October 30. The Times Pekin correspondent reports most disquieting news in the refusal of the fortieth brigade of the twentieth division at Hankow to proceed south. General Ching Shao Bing, commander of the division, is in agreement with the men, and, acting in concert with the National Assembly, declines to take the division to the front unless the Throne prepares a constitution only after consideration with the Assembly. Secondly, he demands the exclusion from the Cabinet of members of the Imperial family; and thirdly, an amnesty to all political rebels like Kangyuwei. The correspondent adds that Ching Shao Bing received training in Japan. ;• “A GREAT VICTORY.” PEKIN, October 30. • As the result of the skirmish at Hankow, where thirty unmounted grins were seized during a rainstorm, the guns were paraded by the Government as the fruits of a groat victory accompanied by much slaughter. PEKIN THREATENED. LONDON, October 30. The Daily Mail Pekin correspondent reports that Yuan Shih Kai asks for 120,000 more soldiers. Ching Shao Bing’s soldiers are at Lanchau, not Hankow, and threaten Pekin unless the demands are accepted. Admiral Sah Chen Ping has informed the Government that the navy will desert unless a political change is made. LOANS TO CHINA. TOKIO, October 30. Newspapers insist that any loan to China must be made jointly with the great Powers lest: independent action imperil the Empire’s integrity. THE IMPERIAL VICTORY. A One-Sided Fight. Rebels Merely an Armed Rabble. Received October 31. 8.35 a.m. LONDON, October 30. Reuter confirms the Imperial victory at Hankow, and states that the troops are in possession. The fighting is one-sided, the insurgents being merely au armed rabble. EDICT BY THE THRONE . Apology for Past Neglect. PEKIN, October 30. An edict which has been issued by the Throne apologises for past neglect, grants a Constitution Cabinet, excluding Manchu nobles, and pardons the rebels. AN ALL-DAY BATTLE. A Great Slaughter of Rebels.. Received October 31, 9.20 a.m, PEKIN, October 30. The battle at Hankow lasted all day. The rebels abandoned a position commanding the bridges, wherejipon the Imperialists crossed at dawn and attacked 5000 rebels, who were entrenched a kilometre from the town.' The Imperialists had ten guns, and poured in a severe shrapnel fire, while Admiral Sah’s fleet shelled the reljels from the rear, causing great slaughter. The rebels withdrew in good order, and later returned reinforced, but a raking shrapnel fire compelled them to finally retire. The Rev. Kepler, an American missionary, while watching the fight from the Japanese concession, was wounded by a stray bullet. IMPERIALISTS BURNING HANKOW. Received October 31, 1.20 p.m. , SHANGHAI, October 30. The Imperialists arc burning Hankow

THE GOVERNMENT ALARMED. Rebels and tjie Railway. Received October 31, 10.5 a.m. ; PEKIN, October 30. The Government has been thrown into a state of consternation because the rebels at Taiyferifu are holding a portion of the Pekin-Hankou Railway, thus cutting off Imperialist, communications, Manchu officials are preparing for flight. The troops are preparing to defend Pekin, THE ADMIRAL OF THE NAVY. The /Chinese look upon Admiral Sah (Sa Chen jPing), who is now at the front, as the hope of reform and reorganisation. No official, according to the best-informed of the"Chinese, is better equipped for this responsible duty. He is a native of Foochoo, and he received his first education ■in the naval school of that port. He completed his training in the British ■'Navy. After a course of study at Greenwich Naval College, he did actual service in the British Navy. Having entered the Chinese navy as a junior, he. through his marked devotion to duty and ability, rose step by step to the highest command. He commanded the cruiser Tiehyuen at the battle of . the Yalu, and upon the death of Admiral Yeh he was advanced to the vacancy. He was appointed to the command of the Pie-yang, or northern, squadron, in 1903, and a couple of years later he was made Admiral of Kwangtung; and in 1906 he became Commander-in-Chief of the land and sea forces. The land command was withdrawn in January, 1908. and he was left free to concentrate his attention to the navy, which was his pet arm of the service.