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soon with the sturdy Philippine native, and those who think differently bad better read what no less an authority than General Gordon says of his Philippine troops in the Taiping rebellion.
No decent or respectable Philippino will tolerate any social relations with the pagan
Chinese.
The only possible solution of the Philippine question is an independent Government, under American protection, and this is the policy I recommended General Aguinaldo and his com- patriots to accept, and which will no doubt be
carried out. Time will show.
RAILWAY AND MINING CONCES SIONS IN SHANSI.
The Peking corres, ondent of the N. C. Dailų News writes under date of the 29th May :-
Two most important contracts were signed at the Tsungli Yamên during the past week. Both were first reported by the Yamên to the Throne in separate memorials and afterwards approved by Imperial decree. The first of these
was a contract with the Russo-Chinese Bunk
for a railway one-hundred and forty miles long from Taiynanfu, the Capital of Shansi province, to Chengtingfu, in the province of Chihli, the first large city south of Paotingfu, on the trunk line known as the Lu-Han, now under con- struction. This contract also includes mining privileges along the route and the building of such branch roads as the working of mines may necessitate.
The second contract and by far the more im. portant is granted to M. Luzatti, agent of the Anglo-Italian syndicate, for working coal, iron, and petroleum throughout Central and Southern Shansi with privilege of building railways and outting canals to join trunk lines or navigable rivers. This contract is for a period of sixty years, during which the control is entirely vested in the Anglo-Italian syndicate.
As experts have long since pronounced Shansi the banner province of China for iron and coal it can readily be seen that this conces sion is by long odds the greatest industrial con- cession ever made by China.
Your correspondent has seen the contract bearing the seal of the Tsungli Yamên and can affirm beyond doubt that the result of the work- ings of this plan to a completion will be rastly beneficial to the Empire and certainly profitable to the syndicate. As more than six-tenths of the capital of this syndicate is represented by English firms of prominence, and the engineers and staff generally are to consist of Englishmen and Americans, it is certain that ability and energy will combine to make Shansi a great mining and manufacturing centre. The Kobe Chronicle of some time in October last bad a long article by a Russian traveller describing the wonderful mineral wealth of Southern and Central Shansi and urging that this should be developed under foreigik auspices. It seems that the Chinese have at last been brought to realise this and have entrusted the matter to Chevalier Duzatti's syndicate.
A telegram received in Peking the day before yesterday from A. W. Bash stated that the Carey-Washburn syndicate had signed con. tracts in Washington with the Chinese Minister, Wu Ting-fang, to construct three railways, viz., The Hankow-Canton, the Lu Han, and another. The first of the roads has doubtless been given to this syndicate, but there must be some mistake about the Lu-Han, as I understand on good authority that King Leopold himself telegraphed H.E. Li Hung- chang that the Belgians would build the Lu- Han and furnish the capital, if not required by Shêng Taotai to commence simultaneously from (both ends of the line. H.E. Shêng has been holding out for this, as he is very anxious that the road should be completed within three years. Bash, however, is coming out again, but in what capacity we are unable to say.
We (China Gazette) are given to understand that the Constable of the British Consulate. General at Seoul, who is charged with causing the death of a Korean, as previously reported, is not Mr. Wyers, but his successor, whose nazie is not known in the Consulate here. Mr. Wyers having left Seoul lately for home.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRES8, AND
RIOTING AT NINGP O.
+
8th June.
To-day, at noon, four or five thousand people came in from the country and one of their first acts was to attack the opium welyuan's office, which, according to native report, has been burnt down. All the shops have closed. The officials are reported to have taken fright, and can't be found! At time of writing the mob is going over to the East Suburbs, with the inten- tion of raiding the rice hongs. Most of the people have come from a village called Ning- kongdjiao where a riot took place a week ago, some 13 rice shops having been destroyed. Will send further news.
9th June.
The following is a brief account of the riot in the city on Wednesday afternoon.
About noon, some three thousand country intention of interviewing the magistrate about people arrived at the South Gate with the the imposition of a tax upon a Chinese drag. Their contention was, that with the present high price of rice, it was impossible to pay any additional taxes.
}
usual procedure of pressing men into this The mob represented eighteen temples, the service having been resorted to. If any man refused to make one of the band, then his own house would suffer. If any household could to subscribe 1,000 cash towards the expenses of not furnish a male representative, then it had the expedition!
The temper of the mob was manifested im- where they at once, proceeded to demolish a mediately on their arrival at the South Gate, small native custom-house; finally setting fire to the heap.
A more was then made towards the hsien's yamen. All the shops immediately closed their doors.
News of the rioters' approach had preceded them, with the result that a number of minor officials made themselves scarce.
splendidly, not in the least showing the "white The chief officials, however, met the danger feather."
On arrival of the mob at the hsien's yamen, they found the magistrate awaiting them, and ready to listen to their complaints. He pleaded with them to disperse, and he would do his best to lighten the burdens they complained of. Unfortunately, a number of the rowdy element of Ningpo city had joined with the country people, and they did their best to egg on their country cousins. In an altercation with some of them, one of the soldiers cut the hand of one of thepeople with his sword.
of demolishing the contents of the yamen com- At once a big shout wont up. and the work menced. Everything that was smashable was broken. The hsien was forced to retreat, not, however, before he had been treated with great indignity; his heard and queue being pulled, and one of his shoulders bitten.
stripped him of his uniform, and even shoes and Seizing a small military officer, the crowd stockings, and demanded that he should lead then to the house of Dzing Kyi.de, a literary M.A., who is supposed by the people to be the cause of a lot of their oppressions. The wan was forced to guide the rioters, who began calling out that ouly the head of the abore named M.A. would satisfy them. Fortunately, Mr. Dzing had had warning, and decamped before the arrival of the people.
They made a total ruin of his house, even smashing the tiles on the roof. Their next more was to the Taotai's yamen. Here was a guard of from thirty to forty" Greenheads," the did best drilled troops in Ningpo. The Taotai
all iu his power
to conciliate the people, and made them promises that all extra taxation should be abolished, and that the price of rice should be reduced. The crowd, however, would not believe his promises, and pressing on, they got as far as the third inner court of his yamen.
[June 18, 1898. and he ordered the "Greenheads" to load their rifles with blank cartridge and fire. This had the effect of making most of the people retreat, but seeing no one hurt, a number retaliated by throwing stones. The soldiers were ordered to fix bayonets and charge. This they did, and the Taotai won the day. A number of the rioters were wounded, whilst nearly twenty were arrested. The rest made their way out of the city with the threat that they would return with firearms and revenge themselves.
The guard then presented an immovable front, whilst several written promises were po-ted up, granting all the people asked for. They demanded that the Taotai should prove his sincerity by opening the official granaries at once. As this was not grauted, they com- menced making a violent demonstration, smash- ing one or two of the yamen doors. At this the patience of the Taotni became exhausted,'
The Taotai at once made all preparations. All the ladies in his yamen were sent to safe places, and additional soldiers and a lot of am munition were added for the defence of the yamen.
8
The night has passed quietly, however, and reinforcements arrived in the person of the General commanding the forces in Chêkiang, who arrived most opportunely from Wenchow old soldier proved his military ardour by at with his suite in the gunboat Chaowu. The once ordering 1,000 soldiers up from Chinghai, and this morning he has put out a brief but terse proclamation, in which he says that if the
people act as rebels, then he will treat them as three principal yamêns are now guarded by rebels, and have no mercy upon them. The
days, that several thousand men from the soldiers, for report has been current for a few Fenghua district are coming to the city either General awaiting them, their reception will to-day or to-morrow. With such a Taotai and
undoubtedly be a very warm one, if they attempt to break the peace.
The man who yesterday saved the city Taotai Wu.-N. C. Daily News correspondent.
THE "AMAKAPOORA.”
Shanghai, 10th June. Nothing appears to have been done in refer- ence to the stranding of this steamer at the South East Promontory, which took place some weeks ago. The captain and second there we believe they remain. The ship is hard engineer elected to stand by the wreck and
and fast on the rocks, but no offers of assist- ance, so far us we know, have been accepted.
The others of the officers aud crew are in
Shanghai, but they have up to the present received no money. The ship's articles were signed in San Francisco and she loaded railway timber at a Pacific coast port for Tientsin. Arriving at Yokohama part cargo was sold and the Amarapoora was on her way to Tientsin with the balance when she went ashore. It appears to be time enough now when some- thing definite should be forthcoming; either the abandonment of the ship or the commence- inquiry going to be made into the stranding of ment of salvage operations. Further, is any the ship ?-Mercury.
THE PRICE OF THE SHASHI RIOT.
Bills are beginning to be presented to the Chinese Government for the liabilities con- tracted by certain Chinese subjects on the oo- casion of the recent little excitement at Shashi. The Japanese claim has been the first to be sent in, and the particulars of the demand have been communicated by telegram to Chang Chih-tung, with the request that he will inform the Tsung- li yamen of his views on the subject.
The Japanese are reported to demand that. (a) An Imperial decree be issued ordering the property in China and forbidding rioting in officials and people to respect foreign life and
future.
(b) That the actual rioters and the native officials, who failed to preserve order, and who therefore must be held responsible for the out- break, be rigourously punished.
damage done to Japanese property during the (c) That Tls. 105,00 be at once paid for
riot.
(d) That the regulations referring to the Japanese Settlement at Shashi be revised in order to make them agree with those relating to the Japanese Settlement at Hangohow.
establish separate Japanese Settlements at (e) That Japan be granted the right to Yochow in Hunan, Santu (Sansha Bay) and
Foochow.
What Chang Chih-tung thinks of the claims. has not yet been ascertained. To us they seem very moderate indeed.—China Gazette,