We extract the following items of news froma letter of the 6th inst., written by one in a position to vouch for the accuracy of what he states The recent communications from Formosa which appeared in various journals, doth in China and Japan, would appear to have profoundly stirred up, and oven astonished the Head-Governments in Tokio and Taipeh. They hold very strongly that, from the evidence in their possession, the accounts given of the so-called "atrocities" are, in every case, gross exaggerations, and in most pureinyention. Be this as it may, they seem to have lost no time in taking steps to investigate the matter, and also to puta stop to all irregularities, and, as far as possible, make what reparation they can for any that may have been committed, One of the chief accusations against. the local authorities, and that which was said to have given rise to much popular irritation and terror, was that innocent people were being constantly arrested on the bare assertion of any accuser, and with scarcely any trial condemned to death or other severe punishment. To obviate all possibility of Such occurring, a special judicial commission has been constituted, the members of which have been specially selected from the Supreme Court, and the Court of Final Appeal for Formosa, consisting of five members, is to go on circuit all over the Island, and every charge, against any Chinese is to be brought before it, and this without the intervention of any Court of First Instance, The fullest records are to be kept, and reports in every case will be forwarded to the Governor-General with such comments and recommendations as the Judges may think called for, and all points tending to extenuate the offence, or justifying gubornatorial intervention on the side of merey, are to be collated, and brought into prominence. All the Judges are said to be veterans on the Bench, and therefore not likely to allow outside' influences or pro-judices to disturb their sense of duty.
hey have already started for Changhua to hold their first Assize there, and as many of those accused of having participated directly or indirectly in the late Hoon-lim troubles as can be conveniently brought thither will be arraigned before the commission, but, if found necessary, the Judges will' go to all and any other parts of the district or island as may be It should be understood that, since the Ist of May last, the military could only take action on the direct request of the prefect or sub-prefect of the district, and in accord with the spirit, at least, of the regulation, the troops should on all occasions be accompanied by representatives of the civil office who, whenever possible, are expected to call on all the peaceable people to disperse, and, only after disregard of this order, do the military take charge. The following isa translation of the regulation which governs military intervention "Art. 12.—In the event of any Prefect, or Sub-Prefect in Formosa, or the Civil Officer administering the government of the Pescadores, being of opinion that such urgent emergency has arisen as calls for and justifies" military assistance, he may then' appeal to the Commanding Officer of the nearest military station for the required aid, and the said commandant will then proceed to take such steps as may be deemed necessary to comply with the requisition from the civil authorities."
Tt would thus seem that whatever mi tary action was taken in Mid-Formosa must have been done on the initiative of the then sub-prefect. As far as I can discover, this official was summarily dismissed from his office a week or two after ho had instituted the military expeditions. It is possible therefore that this' man has
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.