The Times publishes in its issue of Tuesday a terrible
account of the condition of Formosa since the Japanese occupation, contributed by a correspondent, who quotes from private letters. Over forty thousand of the native population have risen owing to the cruel conduct of the Japanese, who, according to the writer in the Times, have heaped every sort of insult and cruelty on the beads of the Chinese. The immediate cause of the rebellion was an attack made by the Japanese on certain villages in order to strike terror into the people, and especially into certain organised bands of marauders. In order to do this they killed men, women, and children, and made all they touched desert, the people who were not actually butchered flying to the hills. Since then. the insurgents have gained confidence, and have defeated the Japanese, who are not numerous, in several small engage- ments. We suppose the end will be a victory for the Japanese, who are very persistent, and Europe will then see what an Oriental conquest really means. Asiatics do not believe in half-measures, and when the conquered do not submit, assume that they desire to commit suicide, and satisfy them in that desire. It must be added, however, that the Tokio corre- spondent of the Times, in Thursday's issue, denies all this, as- the Chinese version of recent doings in Formosa. According to him the Japanese have been most successful in putting down brigandage in Formosa, and have been anything but, cruel in their general behaviour to the natives.
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