The inhabitants of Wuchow were awakened from their slumbers this morning at 3.20 by the sound of rifle firing which broke out near the military headquarters in. the northern part o! the city. Almost simultaneously there arose from the Fu River muffled cries of alarm as boatmen in their floating homes cut leose from their moorings and made for places of safety.
The firing was almost continuous and now and! then a quick-firer sputtered its notes of terror. The shooting soon spread to other parts of the city and ere long searchlights were playing on the hilly and along the river front, while the shrieks and coughs of the gun-boat sirens added terror to the scene.
Soon the city's electric lights began to diminish as householders and shop-keepers alike disconnected their bulbs and darkened their premises, not knowing what was taking place or where the trouble would end.
As daylight dawned the fighting began to, be more sporadic and gunboats and messenger launches sped here and there with communicativhs; and official despatches. The hills surround ing the city were crowned with flags while the forms of waiting companies silhouetted against the brightening sky. The forts too showed activity, though ne guns were fired from them. It was about 7.30 when the last gun was fired and after waiting in suspense for a long time little sampans began to stir again, and people who had fled to the hills for safety began slowly to retrace their steps.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.