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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
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alley off the Peking Road in the Settlement. yesterday morning, each shop or householder hailing from Ningpo prefecture was to furnish two men to assist the others who had already volunteered to hold the Joss House compound against the French. The following is our translation of two circulars issued by the Ningpo Guild on Saturday to their fellow
provincials
most hospitably cared for at the French Con- sulate General. Throughout the afternoon or- der was maintained though it
gh it was more than evident more trouble was in store.
It is asserted on reliable authority that Ning po men in the employ of foreigners have received orders to quit the service forthwith. In almost every case the order was obeyed, the few indi- viduals who refuted the demand being chastised and in some cases brutally assaulted. Some
'We are in receipt of a dispatch from Taotai thousands of natives have left the Concession stating that the French Municipal Council de- and yesterday afternoon any number of them sire to buy the compound of our Joss House for were to be seen carrying their furniture and the purpose of building schools and hospitals property in to the Hongkew district. As an ex- thereon; the Taotai, however, at a conference emplification of the truth of the old adage that with the French requested them to select some it is an ill wind that blows good to nobody the other piece of ground for their purpose and wheelbarrow coolies were having a good time. Al also wrote strongly twice opposing the French most every house in the Concession (that is ten- Council's intentions. The French Consul-Gen- anted by Chinese) was closed or closing and busi-eral, Bezaure, however, wrote to the Taotai de- ness was at a complete standstill. Only a few claring that he was determined to obtain our chow chow shops were open and whole streets Joss House compound, being willing to pay for had the shutters of the premises up.
its purchase and requesting that arrangements be made at once to that end. Last night (Fri- day) the French Conncil sent some policemen to our guild to give us notice to quit. As the matter is most urgent your presence is requested to-day at 10 o'clock in a house in Anjên alley (off Peking Road) to confer over this affair. Please do not be tardy!
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In view of the fact that yesterday afternoon 6 meeting in camerd was to be held of the Ningpo Guild, at which it was thought a pro. gramme might be drawn up or offensive mea- sures resolved upon, the French Consul-General communicated with our Municipal Council requesting assistance in case of need. Orders were at once issued for a call-out of the Volun- teers who assembled in considerable force on the Race Course at four o'clock. Drawing up near the Swimming Bath, the Commandant, Major Holliday, explained the situation and the men were ordered to be in readiness should their services be required at any time of the day or night. The alarm at night was to be the ringing of the fire bell and not the riot sum- mons. Arms were piled and the men remained on the ground some considerable time, eventu-have failed to reach some of our fellaw provin- ally returning to the town on the understanding that if duty called they would respond.
Up to midnight last night there was no recurrence of the morning's rioting, although every preparation had been made for coping with any disturbance that might arise. There were altogether on duty 150 men from the Marco Polo, 90 from the Eclaireur, 50 Police, and 110 Volunteers, in addition to a number of civilians ready to be called on at a moment's notice. The bridges over the Yangkingpang were held by fully armed Sikh police. The official return by the French of those killed is thirteen, but it is known that several of the wounded carried away by Chinese friends have succumbed. The natives, however, vouch- safed no information on this point.
It may be mentioned that twenty-nine suf- ferers from gunshot wounds were brought to the Shantung Road Hospital, one, who subse- quently died from a terrible wound in the throat, having been shot while looking on from his verandah.
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The second circular is as follows:- "As the French have to-day wantonly broken down the walls surrounding our cemetery, we hereby order all members of Ningpo prefecture in Shanghai, be they artisans, merchants, or members of other trades, to stop pro tem their business and avocations and assemble to confer over this action (of the French). A special cir- cular for the information of all concerned.
"Should it happen that these our circular
cials we pray that the headman and members of every trade and profession will transmit the within contents by word of mouth to the others."
A UNITED CIRCULAR FROM MEMBERS OF THE NINGPO COMMUNITY.
(16th July, 1898).
Kuang Hsü, 24th year, 5th moon, 28th day
From enquiries made it would appear that the firing by the French sailors did damage prin- cipally to innocent persons near by at the time, while few of the rioters got hurt at all. In one case an old woman, following the custom usual amongst native poor people at this time of the year, happened to be combing her hair on the pavement, ontside the door of her small tene-
ment, surrounded by her children, when a ballet struck her in the head killing her instanter. In another case a native burdened with a "skin" of drinking water, passing by at a distance from the firing, was hit and also killed.-N. C. Daily News.
THE PASIG" AT MACAO.
July 28, 1898.
SIAM AND FRANCE.
A SIAMESE OFFICIAL INSULTED
MEMBER OF THE FRENCH LEGATION}}
PRINCE DEVAWONGSE REQUESTS. THE FRENCH MINISTER TO EXPEL THE OFFENDER
THE FRENCH MINISTER REFUSES,
| Bangkok, 1st July official circles here on account of the alleged The greatest excitement reigns in Siamese conduct of M. Montmittonet, a member of the itself trifling, it has assumed enormous signifi. French Legation. Though the incident is în cance from the fact that Prince Devawongse, the Siamese Minister for Foreign Affairs, has made a point of it in his communications with the French Legation. On the other hand, the French Minister Plenipotentiary has treated these communications with disregard. The history of the affair is this ---
According to the Franco-Siamese convention of 1893, all Laotians in Siamese territory must be allowed, and even assisted, by the Siamese Government to cross to the left bank of the Mekong. The French claim these Laotians as subjects since, in former years, they were con- quered by the Siamese and driven from territory that is now French into Siam. There but the one which has caused the present dis are many colonies of them in that country; pute is situated in the Watana district, about half way between Bangkok and the Great Lake of Cambodia. Every April, when there is high water in the Mekong, large caravans of Lao.. officials for the land from which tians set out under the guidance of French exiled.
they were..
these
The Siamese say that they never, put any obstacle in their way; and they to people their own sparsely populated. assert that the French, who are anx
anxious
territories with
industrious folk, pay native agents to induce them by every form of misrepresentation to quit Siamese soil. This is probably true, but it must not be forgotten that, under the '93 treaty, the French can claim as subjects all these Lostians, and that they are within their rights in desiring to draft thêm year by year across the Mekong. This year, their emigration was superintended by a Mon sieur Montmittonet, a young attaché of the French Legation, whose career as a diplomatist is only beginning and who was previously in the Russian army. The representative of the Sin
mese Government was Mr. Robyns, a Belgian, and also a rather new hand. From the moment these two met a series of scenes began. The French say that the Siamese representative treated their deputy in an intolerably overbear- ing manner on all occasions. The Siamese say that M. Montmittonet :
(1) Horsewhipped & Siamese subject in the presence of Mr. Robyns.
(2) Refused to leave the house when ordered to do so.
(3) Assumed, without authority, judicial functions...
(4) Told the Laotians that they could leave
occasion and insisted on speaking to him through without getting Siamese passports,
(5) Came into Mr. Robyns's house on one
his interpreter. Mr. Robyns said that he was, willing to give M. Montmittonet any informa- tion in his power if he spoke directly to him but the latter remarked in a contemptuong> manner that Mr. Robyns must be well aware why he was treated so.
The Ningpo Joss House was established by the members of the Ningpo prefecture doing business in Shanghai in the reign of Kia Ching A Macao correspondent writes to the Shang- very nearly one hundred years ago. In 1874 hai Mercury under date July 7th-Looking the then French Consul-General tried to make out across the Bay last evening, I noticed a a road through the Joss House compound, steamer drop anchor off the ancient lighthouse. but this brought out an immense mob of Ning. Macao, sleepy old place, did not worry much the road. The united efforts of the then which turned out to be the British steamer Pasig posese who prevented the accomplishment of about it. This morning the mysterious vessel, Taotai Shen and the Shanghai magistrate, Yob, came into the port, and dropped right astern of after long conferences with the French Consul- the one Portuguese gunboat. An officer and a General, succeeded in obtaining from the latter party of men came off and interviewed Captain & proclamation in Chinese and French to the Ellis, who apparently satisfied them. Later effect that the Ningbo Joss House was to be Captain Ellis entered his ship inwards from recognised as the property of the Ningpo Swatow. He said he did not know where he guild for ever. Armed with this document the might go to next, probably Canton. The gen- Ningpo community here (by this term is meant eral impression here is that the Pasig, having all who hail from the prefecture of Ningpo) once been successfully rummaged for arms at olaim that the French have broken faith with Hongkongjis, here to take down ammunition | frighten them into going. them. Yesterday, all shops in the three foreign settlements owned by Ningposse, were called upon to go on strike and close their doors, but those north of the Yangkingpang, while supposed to obey this order of their guild, closed all but one of their doors, and did business as usnál. Some houses failing
to do this were visited by a company of Wingpoese who upon commencing to smash the furniture and goods of the recalcitrant shopmen
and supplies to the rebels. Captain Ellis, who is a fairly wide-awake American, having been caught once in Hongkong is apparently trying Macao where he may, perhaps, be more success- ful. There does not seem to be a shadow of a doubt but that the Pasig is here for other than ordinary mercantile purposes.
would not leave Siamese territory, he would (6) Boasted in public that if the Laotians
(7) Issued his commands to Siamese subjects, declaring, without authority, that they were under French protection.
(8) Repeatedly insulted the representative of the Siamese Government.
Prince Deyawongse addressed at least a dosen letters of complaint to the French Legation, but always received the same answer that until the report of M. Montmittonet was received no notice could be taken of any complaint against
The ships Woning and Sunfokin recently goon forced the latter to obey orders. In purchased from the Chinese Government by him. That gentleman has now returned and Mr. Marty are now being thoroughly over-handed in his report. At the same time, Prince hauled by Messrs. S. C. Farnham and Co., Limited, Shanghai. It is estimated that the repairs will cost from $80,000 to $40,000.
further obedience to orders resulting from a conference of the principal Ningpo gentry and merchants in Shanghai and a whole mob of their fellow provincials in a large house in an
Devawongse has requested the French Minister to dismiss him. But the French Minister Pre-1 fesses to have satisfied himself that M. Robyn