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Kolao Hui had nothing to do with the riots, murders, and outrages of 1891, which were proved to have been caused by the emis saries of men of official standing, who were all along perfectly well known to the higher officials, being in many cases on intimate terms with them. Before long, however though not unfortunately until the purpose of the Chinese Government had been only too well served in bluffing the Foreign Representa tives at Peking and founding thereon an excuse for refusing reparation for the mis- sionary outrages the real originators of the crusade against the missionaries were re- vealed, thanks chiefly to the energetic investi. gations of Dr. GRIFFITH JOHN. The Kolao Hui may have been actively at work conspir. ing against the Imperial Government, but they certainly were not interested or involved in the efforts made to terrorise and evict the Christian Missions from Central China.
March 14, 1895,
Dear Charles-I herewith send you dozen good soldiers and whenever Caranji's opium go over please size it and also other Parsees, so we must do some duty to-day, be quick the steamer I think is in.
I would call myself on you on account too much water. I am waiting at the pea nut eaters house if you do make a seizure come right to me. I also send with you and so you know that you got a good man one of my chair coolies and my servant, take ben with you. Don't whatever use your revolver, take care not hurt any body.
Chop Chop Have some spunk to-day and also ben Monday. Your sincerely,
(Signed) W. T. CHAN.
It was in obedience to this note that the first seizure was made. The second seizure, like the first, was made in broad daylight, while the opium was being taken from the Custom House to Mr. FUTTAKIA's hong. The petitioner's statements are fully con- firmied by the affidavits of two foreigners who were in the lekin service at the time and by the statements of several Chinese who were concerned in the matter. There is nothing in the circumstances which could raise the slightest suspicion
of any attempt to
smuggle.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
embarrass the authorities while there was a the squeeze or perpetrate the confiscation foreign foe at the gates. The latter, though while the goods are in Chinese hands, so as chivalric and patriotic, is not the course to avoid trouble with foreigners. In 1885, generally affected by discontented parties in however, they made direct onslaughts on the state, and it is more likely that the foreign property. One of the principal lekin Kolao Hui have maintained a policy of in-officers at that time was a certain CHEN WEI activity because they were convinced that TING or CHAN JUI LI, who appears to have the time was not ripe for any overt action. been a scoundrel of the first water. This Either they have not been sufficiently pre-man sent to one of the foreign runners the pared or they have judged that the autho- following remarkable note:- rities were not sufficiently weakened. They have been waiting events apparently, and now that there seem some chances of peace being concluded through the efforts of the Viceroy LI HUNG-CHANG, they are beginning to prove somewhat more restive. Only very lately it has come to our knowledge that there is grave uneasiness felt in Canton in consequence of a conspiracy known to be proceeding there, of which the secret societies are regarded as the fomentors and So much had been made of the alleged movers. It appears, also, that in Kiangsu plots and the widespread ramifications of a demonstration on the part of the Kolao the Kolao Hui during the period of the anti-Hui and Pehlien Chiao is expected at an missionary riots and massacres, that it was early date, and preparations have been made not unnaturally believed much more would by the provincial authorities to meet and be heard of this formidable society during check any incipient rising that may be in con. the war.
Their power is believed to be templation. The Provincial Commander-in- great on account of their numbers, and it is Chief is reported to have recently ordered possible that, given a leader of equal energy the whole gunboat flotilla of Lower Kiangsu, and daring, they might be dangerous. The numbering some 360 boats, to assemble at Kolao Hui, which title means the Sect of various points in the inland rivers and the Elder Brother, originated in Nanking creeks, so as to be ready to afford each some thirty-five years ago and was formed other assistance and support when needed. by members of the late TSENG KWO-TAN'S Volunteer organisations are likewise being army. Most of the troops in the provinces pushed on vigorously in the interior, where of Hunan, Hupeh, Honan, and Anhwei there is no fear of a foreign invasion, and it belong to it, and its muster roll is known to is evident that some local rising is anticipated. be a long one. Like most Chinese secret But though there may be alarm and, if the societies, it was avowedly started with the war goes on, possibly local outbreaks, we do object of securing mutual help and protection not believe there is any danger of a large to its members, but its real raison d'être is and organised rebellion. Weak as the Im- to create an association against foreign perial Government have shown themselves usurpers, including the Manchu dynasty. to be vis-à-vis their progressive neighbour, It was rumoured years ago that the great they are still powerful as compared with any TSENG gave the society his approval and rebel organisation on Chinese soil. The secret · encouragement. The members for Kolao Hui or any other revolutionary body the most part represent the ancient and would be greatly handicapped in any active most conservative race of Han, and they measures for the overthrow of the dynasty regard the peoples of the more distant pro-
or Government by the want of a seat of vinces, both north and south, with more or government, a port through which supplies less distrust and coolness. The society could by drawn, and a navy of sufficient includes a large number of idle and dis- pretensions to dispute the control of the solute characters, ripe for any mischief, coast with the Chinese men-of-war. Unless but there is no doubt a great many
therefore they have in their ranks both of the members are animated by a strong naval and military officers of standing and desire to replace the existing dynasty hy a influence, any attempt to raise the standard pure-blooded Chinese Emperor. The agents of revolution could only result in their early of the Kolao Hui are usually disguised as and complete discomfiture. itinerant pedlars or doctors, and they travel from place to place conveying intelligence from one district officer to another and help. ing to keep alight the enthusiasm of the members. They have their code of secret signals, the knowledge of which is jealously confined to the members, though some few have leaked out. The Society have on several occasions given active trouble to the Government, and have still more frequently been a source of secret anxiety. At heart they are all more or less anti-foreign, and the attempt of the Chinese Government to trail a red herring over the scent in regard to the Yangtze Valley outrages was success- ful because of the theory then started by some foreigners that the outrages had been set on foot by the Kolao Hui with the deli- berate design of involving the Chinese Government in a foreign war.
Contrary, however, to all expectation the Society and kindred associations have re- mained quiescent during the past eight months. They may have simply been lying perdu ready to avail themselves of any favourable opportunity to strike a blow against the Government, or they may have been animated by a genuine desire not to
AN OUTRAGE BY LEKIN OFFICIALS
AT CANTON.
The successive Consuls at Canton appear to have done what they could to secure redress for Mr. FUTTAKIA, but without success. The particulars of the case baving Leen forwarded to the Legation at Peking by the Consul, Mr. FUTTAKIA addressed a petition to Sir JOHN WALSHAM, the then Minister, in June, 1887, and another in June, 1889. True to his reputation, the late Minister, vonchsafed no acknowledgment of either of these documents and the in- dignation inspired by the injustice and dishonesty of the Chinese Lekin Authorities is almost equalled by that caused by the supineness of a British Minister whose duty it was to protect the interests of his nationals but who systematically neglected the duty Fortunately for British interests in China, Sir JOHN WALSHAM has been transferred to another appointment. After the change of Ministers took place, Mr. FUTTAKIA again petitioned the Legation, and in the petition he has now forwarded to the Secretary of State he acknowledges the consideration and attention his case bas received from Mr. O'CONOR. So far, however, no redress has been secured. On receiving the petition Mr. O'CONOR wrote: "I regret to inform you I do not think any useful purpose would be served by reviving the discussion of this question. In 1886 Sir JOHN WALSHAM came to the conclusion that he could no
"and in view of this decisiou and of the longer press for satisfaction of your claim,
length of time which has since elapsed I "cannot undertake to re-open the case.' This looked unpromising, but on the matter being further represented the Minister re- cognised the claim as one deserving of con- sideration. Mr. FUTTAKIA pointed out that he had never been informed by Sir Jos WALSHAM that he had arrived at any con- clusion or of the grounds on which the con- clusion bad been arrived at, and that in the absence of such information he had been deprived of the opportunity of representing the facts to the Secretary of State. Now, as to the conclusion alleged to have been arrived at by Sir JOHN WALSHam, clearly if arrived at all it must have been on an insufficient inquiry into the case, for he must have accepted the ex parte statements of the
G+
"
44
It is impossible to read without a sense of indignation the petition of Mr. DADABHOY" SORABJEE FUTTAKIA, which will be found in" another column. occasions in the year 1885 Mr. FUTTAKIA It appears that on two
was subjected by the Lekin Authorities at Canton to illegal seizures of opium which was at the time being conveyed from the Custom House, after payment of duty, to his own hong. The seizures were, in fact, no- thing better than barefaced robbery, for lekin is not leviable on goods owned by foreigners and the seizures in question were made within the settled area of exemption. To prevent any confusion in the mind of the reader it may be as well to state that the affair occurred before the provisions of the Opium Convention came into force, and as regards opium such a proceeding would now be impossible, but in respect of other goods the Lekin Authorities are not infrequently still guilty of action as arbitrary and unjust as that from which Mr. FUTTAKIA suffered, though they generally try to make