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Updated: June 24, 2025


An enemy's battle-ships off the coast of Formosa! During all the spring rumors of trouble had been coming across the channel from the mainland. The affair had been settled but not in a way that pleased France. So, without even waiting to declare war, she sent a fleet to the China Sea and bombarded some of her enemy's ports.

It is generally believed to have been discovered in the year 1471, by a Portuguese navigator, who gave it the name of Ilha Formosa, or the Beautiful Isle, afterwards changed for that of its discoverer, which it now retains.

She must have the Beautiful Isle and have it at once. China was in no position to say no, so the Chinese envoy went on board a Japanese vessel and sailed toward Formosa. When in sight of its lovely mountains, without any ceremony he pointed to the land and said, "There it is, take it." And that was how Formosa became a province of Japan.

They rowed on every side with their chalop, to make discovery of some coast where they might find fresh water. Being far at sea, they could discern nothing, but the island of Formosa, at least they believed it so to be. They endeavoured to gain the shore; but in seven days time, notwithstanding all their attempts, they could not reach it.

On the contrary, one may represent true wit by the description which Aristaenetus makes of a fine woman: "When she is dressed she is beautiful: when she is undressed she is beautiful;" or, as Mercerus has translated it more emphatically, Induitur, formosa est: exuitur, ipsa forma est. Fifth Paper. Scribendi recte sapere est et principium, et fons. HOR., Ars Poet. 309.

Only desultory fighting ensued, but his operations were so far successful that the Chinese agreed to resort to the previous arrangement, and Mahomed Ali promised to restrain the Khojas. Fourteen years of peace and prosperity followed this new convention. Serious disorders also broke out in the islands of Formosa and Hainan.

George Mackay was not to be stopped by all the stones in north Formosa. This stone was never thrown, however, and at last the chapel was finished. Once more a preacher was ready to be its pastor.

Now Kai Bok-su was a man with great power and influence both in Formosa and in his far-off Canada, but he had no means of bringing that power to bear on the French. And indeed his own life was in as great danger as any one's. He wrote to the Christians comforting them and enthusing them with his own spirit.

The work of preaching to these people was carried on vigorously, and before many months had passed the Christians met together and declared they must build a chapel for the worship of the true God. So, close by the riverside, in a most picturesque spot, the walls of the second chapel of north Formosa began to rise. It was not without opposition of course.

S. Maria Formosa, one of the churches mentioned in the beautiful legend of Bishop Magnus to be built, you remember, where he saw a white cloud rest which still has a blue door-curtain, is chiefly famous for a picture by a great Venetian painter who is too little represented in the city Palma the elder. Palma loved beautiful, opulent women and rich colours, and even when he painted a saint, as he does here S. Barbara (whose jawbone we saw in the S. Rocco treasury) he could not much reduce his fine free fancy and therefore he made her more of a commanding queen than a Christian martyr. This church used to be visited every year by the Doge for a service in commemoration of the capture of the brides, of which we heard at S. Pietro in Castello. The campo, once a favourite centre for bull-fights and alfresco plays, has some fine palaces, notably those at No. 5250, the Malipiero, and No. 6125, the red Don

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