Raid on Chungking by Kueichow Troops: Foreigners' Privilege The ''Cooperative Bugle" of Chungking of July 24, gives some further views of the recent fighting round the gateway of Szechuan, some of which read quaintly.
On the evening of Friday the 13th, it says, the Yang Sen troops on the east side of the river hurriedly withdrew. A sudden raid was made by. Kueichow troops under Djou, which occupied the territory thus vacated. Whether they imagined they could take the city is uncertain: possibly attempts were made to cross during the night, but unsuccessfully. All boat traffic across the river absolutely ceased from the 14th to the 22nd. People whose cooks had gone to the city had to make shift without a cook, With the courtesy and consideration which many of us do not sufficiently appreciate, the opposing commanders sanctioned an arrangement whereby the S. O. C. motor-launch Meisiang could cross, with foreigners only, and this worked smoothly from Wednesday on: running from the U. S. S. Palos on the east bank to the Monocacy moored above the Taipingmen.
Stalemate seemed to be the position generally: there was intermittent firing every day, most of it quite wanton and irresponsible, endangering civilians (including foreigners) more than soldiers. Sometimes the firing increased in intensity, with machine-guns and small cannon. A more furious bombardment from the city side took place on Saturday afternoon, during which a few sampané endeavoured to cross. A general evacuation and withdrawal of the Kueichow invaders took place on Saturday night (21st) and on Sunday afternoon: large numbers of soldiers from the city steamed over, and followed after the retreating army. The Kueichow soldiers seem to have behaved themselves quite well on the whole: much less oppression of coolies than usual.
Yhe Mint was exploited fully: the consequent great influx of copper coins dislocated the exchange east of the river: while on the city side the prices of rice showed a tendency to soar. As steamers had been fired on, the Monocacy escorted the Alice Dollar a few miles on Saturday morning: fired on below the Pagoda from the Kiangpei_ side, the Monocacy replied vigorously. All is quiet again in Chungking now.
Chinese Commanders and the French Flag Ichang, July 98.
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Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.