CHINA'S CIVIL WAR.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1273, 31 October 1911, Page 5

CHINA'S CIVIL WAR.

A DISAFFECTED ARMY. TROOPS DEAIAND POLITICAL REFORMS. AFFRAY NEAR HANKAU. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyrlclit I (Rec. October 30, 0.15 a.m.) London, October 30. Tho Peking correspondent of "Tlio Times" reports that tho most disquieting news in connection with tho revolutionary movement is the refusal of the fortieth brigade of tho twentieth division at Lancliuu to proceed south. General Chang-Shao-Beng, tho commander of Ihe division, is in agreement with the men and is acting in concert with the National Assembly. Jle declines to t'iko the division to tho front unless tho Throno agrees to tlio following terms:— (1) The preparation of a Constitution after consultation with the Assembly. • (2) Tho exclusion from the Cabinet of members of tho Imperial family. (.3) Tho granting of an amnesty to all politicals like Kang-Yu-Wci. Tho correspondent adds that General Chang-Shao-Beng received his training in Japan. • The "Daily Mail's" Peking correspondent reports that Yuan-Shih-Kai asks for 120,000 moro soldiers. General Chang-Shao-Beng"s soldiers threaten Peking unless their demands aro accepted. . Admiral Sa-Chong-Ping has informed the Government that tho Navy will desert unless thero is a political chango. FIGHT NEAR HANKAU. THE OFFICIAL VERSION. (ltec. October 30, 10.30 p.m.) Peking, October 30. It is officially declared that six thousand rebels westward of Hankau offered little resistance to ten thousand Imperial troops, and abandoned their main position at Kilometre Ten, with all their guns i and camp equipment, retreating in an | utterly demoralised state, with several j hundreds wounded. Admiral Sa-Chcng-Ping has notified liis intention of bombarding Wuchang and Hanyang, and has requested tlio foreign shipping to withdraw out of range of the revolutionists' guns. MERELY A SKIRMISH. (ltec. October 30, 0.15 a.m.) Peking, October 30. A skirmish at Hankau, whero thirty unmounted guns were seized during a rainstorm, was paraded by the Government as tho fruits of a great victory, accompanied by much slaughter. THE CASUALTY LIST. Peking, October 29. Router's Agency reports that Chinese gunboats supported General Yin Chang's first army, which captured two of tho Republican positions and advanced to within 500 yards of the strong rebel entrenchments westward of tho Hankau racecourse. Operations were then temporarily suspended. Thirty Republican guns wero captured. The Imperialists had three officers and 37 men killed and 150 woundod, while the Republicans had fOO casualties, including the commander of tho artillery. Tho Republicans below Wuchang shelled tlio Imperialist gunboats. Tho Intler's firo was slow and inaccurate. Mutinies havo occurred at Nanking, in tho province of Kiang-su and TaiyuanFu, in tho province of Shan-si. REBELS IN POSSESSION. MANY CAPITAL CITIES TAKEN. (Rec. Octobcr 30, 10.35 p.m.) London, October 30. to tho Peking correspondents Yuan-Shih-Kai's supporters expect him to come to Peking to assume tho Premiership. The Republicans declare that they hold tho chief cities in the provinco of Hunan, to the south of Hupeh, and tho capitals of the provinces of Kwangsi, Iviangsi, and Ngan-Hwei, and hence control tho Yangtze. They claim that they also possess forty war junks at Hwang-Chau. The Imperial Treasury has sent a million taels to tjio Military Department of Szechuan, whoso new Viceroy has been ordered to enlist eight regiments. CANTON "RED REPUBLIC." PEKING APPEAL FOR FUNDS REFUSED. (Ifcc. October 30, 10.35 p.m.) Peking, Octobur 30. A Consular report declares that Canton is turning "Red Republic." Routers Canton correspondent pays Canton is practically independent, inasmuch as tho Viceroy, alleging that it is impossible to find tho money, has declined the Government's request for a large sum in the shape of a special military contribution. Tho gentry havo decided that Canton can care for itself, and should not troublo about the other provinces. Tho Manchu residents havo agreed to abide by the decisions of tho Cantonese. ... JAPANESE NEUTRALITY. CAUTION URGED. Tokio, October 30. The newspapers insist that any loan to China must oo niado jointly with tho great Powers, lest independent action should imperil tho Empire's integrity. SYMPATHY FOR THE REBELS. ATTITUDE OF WELLINGTON CHINESE. A Dominion reporter talked with several of the leading Chinese in this city yesterday, and endeavoured to get from them their opinions as to the revolution in China. Although they talked English tolerably well, they were not sufficiently masters of the language to express fully their opinion as to the new movement. The phrases of English they know are not of the sort applicable to politics. What thej r did succeed in conveying with admirable clearness, however, was their disgust with the Manchus and their nays uf government. They were all of opinion that the revolution had every prospect of success, and they all hoped that before many months the Manchus would no longer hold placo and power. The new Government, they believed, would when it arrived bo a good Government for the Chinese, and a vastly better Government for the foreigners in China than tho present one. The revolutionary party wero receiving fduds to carry oil their campaign from the millions of Chinese domiciled abroad, and, in possession as they were of some of the richest provinces of China, they could scarcely fail to succeed. As showing the real support which tho movement has had from Wellington it may be mentioned that ,11200 was collected in Wellington in two days without tho slightest effort for transmission to tho revolutionary party in China. The local papers are being eaperlv scanned for news by those who read English, who in turn havo to interpret the news to those not able lo read. The Chinese papers, which will give more detailed accounts of tho war, are being eagerly awaited.