At a lavish ceremony the formation of the new Republic was announced today. To great jubilation from a supportive public the Republic heralds a great age of wealth and independence for the industrious peoples of this happy island. Our new President: Tang Jinsong spoke eloquently of the opportunities available to us as a fresh new nation. His well chosen wise words filled the hall with poetic visions of a proud free future for our fresh nation, ripe with hope and optimism and without an enemy in the World.
LOCAL GUIDES FOR RENT
• New to the country?
• Lacking reliable maps?
Fear not, your local guides are here. Contact our manager: Wi Go Far and we can supply all your needs!
On an overcast night across the long sandy beaches of northern Formosa fishermen were awoken from their restful contemplation to see a flotilla of naval vessels drifting offshore. Throughout the night lighters brought Japanese forces onto the beach and by morning light a sizeable force had secured a beach-head and established blockades on all nearby roads. Through out the ensuing several days more and more men and material was ferried to the coast and under the watchful guns of a strong fleet the foreigners established a strong position only 5 miles from the bustling port of Ke Lang.
GREAT POWERS CRY FOWL - May 1895
The peace treaty signed between Japan and China is raising eyebrows around the World. The Treaty of Shimonoseki concluded the Sino Japanese War by China relinquishing control of Korea and handing Formosa and Liaodong Peninsula to Japan. Russia, France and Germany are concerned that the transfer of ownership of Port Arthur on the Liaodong Peninsula advances Japanese power to a dangerous extent in the Region. Delegations have been sent to the Japanese Government to press for a fundamental renegotiation of the treaty.
On the evening of the 3 June the Qing commander of the garrison at Ke Lang sent a courier to the Japanese forces encamped nearby. He offered the complete surrender of the important City in exchange for the opportunity for the troops to leave and be returned to mainland China. The City was handed to Japanese forces the next day and one of the strongest and well armed fortresses of the new Republic fell to the invader without a shot being fired. Local people watched the entry of the Japanese with sullen faces, their disappointment being harder to take as fires raged through storehouses along the harbourside where both foreign and local businesses operated. However, foreign traders within the City greeted the Japanese with some relief as they quickly quelled fires and peacefully took possession of the City.
HAKKA MILITIA SUPPORT PATROLS IN NORTHERN FORMOSA - June 1895
Hakka militia took to the streets to support the restoration and maintenance of law and order in Northern Formosa after a recent outbreak of looting. Well armed forces were to be seen on the streets in Tai Pak and Tam Sui. Local leader Xi Fan asserted that no foreign invaders or brigand looters would get this far into the country without paying a heavy price for their impudence.
US FORCES PROTECT INTERESTS IN TAM SUI - June 1895
As unrest broke out in Tam Sui fires were lit in warehouse areas of the City. Mobs brought disorder and the strong locally based trader community from the United States, Russia and the UK feared for their lives and property. The US gunboat “Monocacy” currently visiting the harbour placed a small party of marines ashore who secured US and other foreign owned warehouses and assisted local people extinguishing the flames in nearby properties.
Posters reproduced below as seen on hoardings around Ke Lang, having been pasted up in the night before Japanese forces entered the City:
No comments:
New comments are not allowed.