Pescadores Campaign (1885) - Significance of The Campaign

Significance of The Campaign

The news of the French capture of the Pescadores initially caused little stir in Paris, as the headlines in early April 1885 were monopolised by the so-called 'Tonkin affair' (the collapse of Jules Ferry's government on 30 March 1885 in the wake of the retreat from Lang Son).

Courbet's victory also came too late to affect the conclusion of preliminaries of peace between France and China on 4 April 1885, but it may have helped to prevent the peace agreement from being sabotaged by hardline elements in China and by the Chinese army commanders fighting the French in northern Vietnam (Tonkin). The Kwangsi Army commanders Wang Te-pang (王德榜) and Feng Tzu-ts'ai (馮子材), whose forces had recently won a notable victory in the battle of Bang Bo (24 March 1885) and reoccupied Lang Son, received the order to cease fire with consternation. The regional mandarins Pao Ch'ao (鮑超), Ts'en Yu-ying (岑毓英) and P'eng Yu-lin (彭玉麟), who were directing the war effort against the French in southern China, urged the Ch'ing court to continue the struggle against France. The court replied firmly on 10 April 1885 that it was necessary to make peace immediately because the loss of the Pescadores placed the whole of Taiwan in jeopardy:

The Kwangsi Army has recovered Lang Son, but the French now occupy P'eng-hu. If Generals Feng and Wang do not cease military operations now, after saving China's military honour, the overall situation in China will once again worsen. It is very dangerous to send an army deep into a strange country, and nothing is certain in warfare. Even if we are successful, Vietnam does not belong to us. But Taiwan is a part of China. If money and reinforcements fail to get through to Taiwan, we will lose it and never get it back. It will then be difficult both to fight on and to make peace, so why should we consider it? Why should we not end the war now, after having won a victory?

This communication silenced the protests from the hardliners, and ensured that the peace with France held.