I cannot help thinking it a little unfortunate, for appearance’ sake at
least, that citizens of the first Government in the great family of nations,
just now trying to teach China international rights and obligations, should
be about the only foreigners implicated, and especially that so many of
them, until quite recently, held responsible positions in our civil and
“military service, and particularly that one of them
is now a lieutenant-commander in our Navy.
I assured them that it had always been the pride of the United States to
maintain a scrupulously impartial neutrality in difficulties between other
nations in which they had no concern, and that, when apprised of any
unlawful conduct on the part of either their officers or citizens in China,
it would inquire into the matter and do justice; but as yet I had no certain
information that Americans were taking any part in the transaction, other
than that of innocent observers; that I had been over to Formosa to see for
myself what was going on, but the weather was so stormy I was obliged to
return without landing; and, until I received the Taotai’s letter on the
subject, a day or two ago, I was not aware that China claimed the savage
territory at all, and had been so informed by a high officer in their
service; that, besides all this, it had frequently been stated in newspapers
that the Japanese had gone to Formosa with the express consent of the
government at Peking. They both claimed to have authority from Peking to
declare the latter report untrue.
The character and sources of the information I have received about this
affair, until within the last four or five days, has not seemed to justify
me in taking any official notice of it; and, judging from what I know of the
history of Formosa and its savage inhabitants, I was disposed to believe
that China had given permission to the Japanese to go there and punish the
savages, and really supposed she would be glad of it, if they had to be
punished at all. But after what developed in the conversation yesterday, I
concluded this morning to telegraph to the legation for instructions as to
the course to pursue toward Americans implicated, and did so.
[Inclosure.—Newspaper
extracts.]
THE WAR IN FORMOSA.
Japanese Camp, Langkiaou, May 21,
1874.
[From The Daily Press, Hongkong,
June 2, 1874.]
(From our special
correspondent.)
Langkiaou, where the Japanese are encamped, is a small plain, one or two
square miles in extent and surrounded by hills, on the west coast of
Formosa, about ten miles [Page 316] from
the South Cape, and forty miles from Takow. There are a few Chinese
villages in it. Communication with the north is generally by junk, as
the path through the hills is not safe from attack.
The Japanese have lately been busily occupied in changing the position of
their camp. The old one was on an open level, plain, that answered
capitally till the rain began to fall, when the unfortunate soldiers
found themselves sleeping literally in water. The new camp is on a line
of sand-hills nearer the shore, and less regular, but far more healthy
and comfortable. In spite of the work and the rain, a few small parties
have managed to get away into the bush to try their breech-loaders on
the savages. Two or three men have thus fallen on both sides. On one
occasion such a large party of savages jumped out upon six Japanese that
they had to run, leaving one of their number on the ground. His head now
decorates some savage hut. Let us hope that it will be the only trophy
of the kind that the savages will gain in the war. The tribe against
whom proceedings are carried on are supposed to be the actual murderers
of the Lewchewans, and are called the Bawtan, or the “peony”
savages.
There are two American officers here, Commodore Casseli and Colonel
Wasson. Sach, at least, is the rank which they bear while serving the
Japanese. They seem to have had hitherto, in an unofficial way, the
general direction of the expedition; and, unless they belie their
reputation, they will do good service in the war. These two gentlemen
the other day went, unattended by an escort, to a neighboring savage
village to see the chief. It had been agreed that they should meet in
the open country; but, the savages not appearing, the officers went on
to the village. This was an act requiring more nerve and real courage
than some dashing exploit on the battle-field. A peaceable arrangement
was made, which included all the villages south of Langkiaou except one,
which is to be punished for some act of hostility.
This morning early the later sleepers among us were awakened by a
salute of several guns. This announced the arrival of General Saigo,
the commander-in-chief of the expedition. He came in the Delta,
which also brought 1,200 troops. A Japanese gunboat came in at the
same time, and an hour or two afterward the Shaftesbury, with 600
soldiers, raising the number to about 2,500. Three thousand are
expected in all. The Delta is said to have been bought standing,
with her fittings and stores, and apparently officers as well, for
they are all on board, though a new captain commands her. A fine
Chinese corvette, the Yang Woo, and a small gunboat, have also come
in, bringing three Chinese mandarins from Taiwanfoo to visit the
Japanese commander-in-chief. With the four Japanese vessels and Her
Majesty’s steamship Hornet, which have been here for some days,
there are, therefore, ten steamers anchored together in the bay.
A small party of troops bivouacked last night in the mountains, about
four miles away. Early this afternoon two men were seen coming in
wounded. At the same time about one hundred men hurried off to take
part in the fighting. They were in irregular detachments, apparently
without any officers. They went along at a half run as eager and
delighted as possible. Many of them were carrying their two-handed
swords as well as rifles. The swords are awkward enough for
scrambling through the bush; but the Japanese cannot bear to leave
them behind, hoping that some time or other they may come up with
the savages. If they do there will be fearful work. It is a common
sight to see men employing their leisure moments in sharpening and
re-sharpening their sabers or sword-bayonets. They think
breech-loaders are excellent weapons for fighting at a distance, but
they have a most blood-thirsty longing for hand-to-hand work.
We hear this morning that the result of yesterday’s fight was fifteen
savages and six Japanese killed on the spot. A visit to the hospital
showed ten wounded men there, one, and perhaps two, mortally hurt.
The Japanese brought in all their men who were killed, and cut off
and carried back the heads of the savages, which, however, were
immediately buried. One of the savages killed was a chief, and in
his pouch was found a quantity of percussion-caps; but he was
fighting with a matchlock. The work was severe. The savages
generally waited under cover, rising up suddenly and firing first,
and then running away to take up a fresh position. In one place a
slight stockade was erected across a ravine, and a stand was made
there. The Japanese are extremely brave. The only fault to be found
with them is that they are too regardless of their own lives,
preferring to rush in rather than to adopt the savage tactics, and
make the most of the cover.
The Chinese inhabitants are both delighted and astonished at this
slaughtering of their enemies. They are on excellent terms with the
Japanese, who, with equal justice and wisdom, pay well for
everything they want. The Chinese do not well understand the big
copper coins, but thoroughly appreciate the new silver currency.
The Chinese mandarins came on shore to-day, at noon, to see the
commander-in-chief. They were received by a guard of honor of two
hundred soldiers. The visit was very [Page 317] short. It is not known what passed. The
mandarins were not of sufficiently high rank for the Japanese to be
willing to discuss any thing of importance with them; and probably
not much took place “beyond an interchange of compliments.
We are having a sample of Formosa weather. In the morning, though the
sea was quiet, still there was a surf which rendered care necessary
in landing. This afternoon, in an incredibly short space of time,
such a sea has got up that the two small gunboats are rolling almost
gunwales under, and communication between the shore and the ships is
a matter of real difficulty. Cloudy weather, with a mixture of
drizzling rain and heavy down-pour, render fever and ague a too
probable contingency.
The Japanese commanders do not want to have any more fighting for two
or three days, fearing to frighten the enemy away. They wish to wait
till they can attack from several quarters at once, and so have a
chance of preventing the escape of the savages.
The Nepaul sails to-night for Nagasaki.
