FORMOSA (ante); a Portuguese word meaning " formly," " beautiful," the Chinese name Tai-wan means "Great l'errace." F. is an island, lying off the coast of China, and is intersected by a range of volcanic mountains, running from n. to south. The western half only was formerly claimed by China, and in the native and Jesuit maps of the Chinese empire only that half was marked as Chinese territory, The eastern half, or aboriginal Formosa, was, from the 15th c., considered by the Japanese as part of their territory, as were the islands lying immediately adjacent. (See the works of Charle•oix and De Mania.) The Dutch occupied a point called Zeelandia, a fort and town, from 1634 to 1662; and for this privilege paid tribute to the Japanese rulers in Yedo. When the persecution broke out in Japan, large numbers of native converts fled to Formosa and dwelt with the Dutch. In 1662, Koku-sen-ya (" Coxinga" of the Jesuits), a Japa nese pagan half-breed; fitted out an expedition, attacked the Dutch forts, and slaugh tered the traders, the missionaries, their families, and many of the Japanese converts. In Mar., 1867, the American brig Borer was driven ashore on the Vele-rote rocks, off southern Formosa, and the captain, .his wife and crew were killed by the In June, 1867, corn. Bell having received instructions from Washington, sailed to Formosa with the IIa,rtford and Wyoming, landed a force of 181 men, and attacked the Botan savages. The Americans were driven off with loss; the Chinese disavowing all respon sibility over eastern Formosa. in 'Sept., 1867, gen. Le Gendre, U. S. consul at Amoy;
visited. Tokitok, the acknowledged head of the 18 savage tribes of the coast, and ob tained a promise that the lives of shipwrecked Americans and Europeans should be respected. In Dec., 1871, a large fishing vessel from the 3liyako group of islands lying e. of Formosa, was wrecked off the Botan territory; 54 of the crew were killed, and some, it was said, eaten by the Botans. The survivors who escaped reported the affair to the magistrates of Riu Kiu (Loo Choo), who begged the Japanese government for redress. June 8, 1874, the Japanese forces under general Saigo occupied a point at Laing Kioa bay, and for six months the 1300 troops remained in Formosa, making roads, and chastising the savages, the object of the Japanese being to reduce the country to order, survey the coast, and erect light-houses. The Peking government not relish ing the action of their neighbors, and stirred up by foreign intrigue, demanded the withdrawal of the troops and menaced hostilities; hut Okubo, mikado's Peking, remained firm in bis demand that China should reclaim and govern eastern, Formosa, and pay the expenses of the Japanese occupation. The Chinese. agreed, and paid' 700,000 taels, Dec. 1, and gen. Saigo and the troops disembarked on the 3d. The loss of the Japanese by disease and in battle was 700 men. Japan by this expedition to Formosa spent '$5,000,000 in the interests of civilization. The Chinese have since sittempted to occupy and rule the savages of e. Formosa, with what success remains to be seen.