A CURIOUS PROCLAMATION.

Timaru Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 1775, 8 June 1895, Page 4

A CURIOUS PROCLAMATION.

Reuter's Agency (says the London Times m reference to the Chino-Japanese war) observes that the statement that the Hunan troops of Wu Ta Cheng fled at the first encounter with the Japanese at Ninchang gives especial point to a proclamation issued by the redoubtable General to the Japanese troops, when the latter were not within striking distance. The proclamation was as follows :— Special proclamation of Wu, Assistant Imperial ' Commissioner of Defence, an officer of the Premier Button, President of the Board of War, Vice-president of the Board of Cenors, and Governor of Hunan. Having perfected over iif ty battalions of Hunan troops at Shan hai-kuan for the last three months, and given my men thor-

PugTFcl rills i "and ai hied tlrem with magn-~ zinc rifles, I; am ino'W' reiidy to proceed, forth upon my way to meet the enemy, and it is. , certain .■ . that within Iv.o .inQiiths.decisiye'.bsjtt.ies will be.. fought i>~ut .hcnv , can yoiij Japanese. , ,exhausted by" disease and cold , ' stand lip' against my fresh tropes. Ypu Japanese have, young wives and ' children' ! at hom^ whp are weeping and longing Jor yonr safe return' ; r you are' b'uj „ith( c tools of, Qtari ; you have b;een] , Jcirced^ by coh^crlptjion to : .ma'kV youy bodies ireceptacles ; ::|or ' toilets. t W,hen you are; Vi(storiotis your 'generals get all the prdise' 'aiid' httnpifr '; \i £pu getf r defeated; they 6s6ape^ wfiile y^qu cpmnaon soldiers sdffer. lamj'llpweYer.jalsp '6i a chavi-j ; tabl e state 'of 'n)ind : K and 1 ■ cannot bear to see you goirig't6'' destruction before my-fresh battalionß"iiri;his severe cold through no fault of -your bwii. • Hence I hereby give you Japanese soldiers notice if you should be defeated > a!nd ' have' aip ■place-t.Q run away to, wherever you shptild seelmy signal (boards* bearing the w6rds v Surrender and» avoid death," you mdy at once j>resent yourselves to the officers m charge, who are. also delegated ,tq .the duty on account of their Tepirtati'oil ' for; charity and justice. You must then throw down your arms and prostrate yourselves into our encampments ahd : given two meals a day, and exactly the same treatmei}ta,s.pur,,o,wn. people- ,Y,p.u wjlji not! be put to hard labour, arid when peace is! restored yon- , ; -.\vill . : pe sent back in> steani^Sj f.p, ( y6iir homes to meet your wives.. and u^ns. s,pßce..m.qa:e.5 ,pßce..m.qa:e. .1 swear before Heaven, earth, and the gods that I will not jjp. ba£k on these. w.p r clSj: for by SQ.doingX snbuld-be injuring" my own future life. - Butifypu willi not ; barken; to my Vords let us try conclusions with; your best troops. Victoiy will rest with j the best men m these battl,es. , ;My ex- ] periehc'e of 'military matters for tiie past fifteen years makes me confident m the quality and ability of my troops.