January 4, 1909.] ·
THE SEIZURE OF THE
8.8. "TAI ON.
APPARENTLY DUE TO A MIS-TRANSLATION.'
Our Canton correspondent writes under the date of the 28th inst
I wired you this morning that the steamer Tar On was seized by the Chinese Authorities and taken to Canton. It appears that on the 8th of July last the s.s. Tai On, flying the British flag, collided with a junk carrying the Kin Wah Yuk Theatrical Troupe near Ang Ko-Tsui. The junk sank and eight persons were drowned. The proprietor of the theatrical troupe, who is also the owner of the junk, instituted an action against the owner of the steamer Tai On for the loss of eight lives and property. The Viceroy communicated with the British Consul, requesting that the case be tried according to Treaty Regulations. The British Consul replied that he was not avare of any British yessel bearing that name being registered at the Consulate. The Viceroy afterwards communicated with the Govornor of Hongkong to ascertain if the s.s. Tai On was a British-owned steamer. His Excellency the' Governor is said to have answered that the Tai On is not a British steamer and that he was unable to state what nationality the vessel belonged to. The Governor is further reported to have said that if the Tai On flying a British flag, she had no right to do so, as it would be a fraudulent act.
On receipt of the Governor's reply the Viceroy immediately instructed the Commissioner of Customs at Kongmoon to detain the Tai On on her arrival at the port. The Commissioner replied that he could not detain the vessel because she had taken out British papers at the British Consulate. This roused the ire of the Viceroy as the statements made by the Commissioner did not agree with the replies of the Governor of Hongkong and the British Consul.
On the 26th instant the Viceroy instructed Admiral Li Tsun to dispatch the gunboats Kong Tai and Kong Ching in charge of Colonel Lam Kwok Cheung and sub-Prefect Wong Yan Tong to proceed to Chu-tan-shan to seize the Tai Or. In the afternoon they sighted the steamer steaming up to them. The gunboats hoisted signals requesting the vessel to stop, but she took no notice of the signals and proceeded on her way. The two gunboats then gave chase and hoisted other signals indicating that, if she refused to stop, they would open fire on her. On seeing the latter signals the Tai On slowed down and dropped anchor. The two deputies boarded her and told the Captain that they were authorised by His Excellency Viceroy Chang to seize the vessel and take her to Canton. The Captain made no objection, steam launches were dispatched to the Tui On to convey all her passengers to their various distinations. The Tai On was then escorted to Canton by the two gunboats and arrived here yesterday morning.
Some sort of preliminary inquiry was held at the Admiral's Yamen in the afternoon in the presence of Admiral Li Tsun and a Deputy from the Viceroy Foreign Affairs Department. It is reported that the foreign officers of the steamer, when questioned by Admiral Li and the Viceroy's Deputy, stated that the steamer Tai On was not owned by foreign capitalists, but owned by Sunning people surnamed Yu, and that the compradore of the steamer bore the same
surname.
The above is a Chinese version, of the story. Later in the afternoon I interviewed Captain Lawrence of the steamer Tai On who said that the steamer left Hongkong at 7 p.m. on the 25th instant for Kongmoon, Kamchuk and Kau Kong. The Tai On arrived at Kongmoon on the 26th instant at about 6 a.m. and left that port for Kamchuk at 9.55. a.m. While passing Chu-Tau-Shan (Plover Island) at 1.55 a.m. the Tai On was stopped by two Chinese gun- boats named Kong Tai, and Kong Ching, Several Chinese officials and a body of sailors armed with revolvers boarded the steamer, One of the officials told Captain Lawrence that thd have been authorized by the Viceroy to seize the Tai On and take her to Canton. Captain Lawrence protested against this action and told the officials that the Tai On is a British steamer
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
and owned by British subjects. He asked the officials to state their reasons for seizing the vessel, but they refused to do so. The officials said that they had come to carry out orders given by the Viceroy and that both the had refused to recognised the Tai On as a British Consul and the Governor of Hongkong
several Chinese boats, and after the passengers British vessel. The officials then sent for bound for Kamchuk and Kow-Kong were discharged into the boats, the officials gave orders to the gunboats to escort the Tai On to Canton. The three vessels arrived at Whampoa at 9 p.m. on the 26th instant and left for Canton at day. break the following morning. None of the foreign officers and the Chinese crew have left the steamer. None of them went to the
Admiral's Yamen.
Judging from what Captain Lawrence told British owned vessel. However, there must be me it is quite clear that the s.s. Tai On is a
a loose brick somewhere to cause such confu- sion. It may be that the Viceroy gave the wrong the British Consul and the Governor of Hong. name of the steamer when communicating with kong. Another point which might give rise to some confusion in the matter is that the-man- darin translation of the two characters into English is Tai An. Naturally, if the dis patches bore the last mentioned translation of the two characters both the British Consul and the Governor of Hongkong were doubtless quite correct in replying that to their knowledge there was no British vessel bearing that name.
The ss. Tui On we learned, on inquiry at the Harbour Office on Dec. 28th, is a British steamer owned by the Tai On 8.8. Company. She is trading between Hongkong and Kong- moon on the West River, and on her last trip to Kongmoon, it is reported that she collided with a Chinese theatrical junk and sank it. As a result of the collision thirteen people were drowned, and their relatives and the rescued junk people claimed $4,000 as compensation from the owners of the steamer. The owners declined to entertain this amount, but offered to pay $1,000. This was not deemed sufficient by the claimants and the result has been the seizure of the Tai On by two Chinese gunboats. At the time of the arrest of the steamer she had not her register on board, it being the custom, we un- derstand, for her to leave it at her first port of call and obtain it on her return trip to Hong- kong. The absence of the register would no doubt lead Chinese officials to the conclusion that the vessel was not British. The Tai On is commanded by Captain Lawrence and carries European officers. The Tai On has been released, the Chinese Authorities having satisfied themselves that she is a British steamer.
THE BOYCOTT OF THE S.S." FATSHAN."
STIRRING UP ANTI-FOREIGN FEELING..
Our Canton correspondent writes :---- The local papers say that the Portuguese Consul, in a communication to the Viceroy, states that the case will be tried at the Portuguese Consulate, and requests His Excellency to delegate deputies who understand English and French to attend at the onsulate on the day of the trial to watch the proceedings.. The Consul further requests the Viceroy to prohibit the Self-Government Association and the Local Press from continuing to discuss the matter and adds that if further meetings on the subject are held or opinions published prejudicial to the trial of the accused, it will be impossible to regard the evidence for the prosecution without suspicion."
His Excellency the Viceroy is said to have replied as follows: Hitherto in all interna tional cases of this kind both foreign and Chinese Authorities have always relied on, and recognised, the evidence of Chinese un- dertakers. In Tientsin, Hankow and elsewhere there are official records of similar cases. The Magistrate's undertakers examined the corpse and it is proved that there were wounds. The accused surrendered himself and appeared so promptly that surely he must have kicked the man. If he did not do so why should he appear to answer the charge ?" The Viceroy asks the
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Portuguese Consul to fix an early date for the trial so that the grievance may be redressed.
On Christmas Day the Self-Government Association had an excited meeting regarding. the Fatshan incident. There was, as usual, very large attendance. Many hostile speeches were made by the speakers-Tam Sui Po, Chan
Lai Chor Choi, &c. They decided to boycott all Yu Shing, Kwan Cho Tin, Lam Chỉ Cheong, goods bearing Butterfield and Swire's chop and also all their steamers. Passengers from the steamer Fatshan "will be branded so as to be recognised by all." It was also suggested that a good hiding" be given to those travelling by that vessel. The members of the Association say that they are upholding China's dignity, whatever action the Government might take. One of the speakers quoted the Hongkong Hotel murder case in his speech and said that the there was no direct evidence to prove that murderer was sentenced to death, although
the prisoner did kill the woman. The British Consul, the Viceroy's Deputy and the Nam Hoi to carry out their duties properly. Magistrate were all denounced as being`unable
The local press have agreed to suppress the publication of all hostile speeches so as to avoid giving excuse to the foreign consuls for re- meetings. According to the Police regulations questing the Viceroy to prohibit these mass enforced sometime ago no meetings can be held without the consent of the police authorities. It is therefore evident that the responsibility rests with the officials, and the decisions reached a the meeting are therefore open to the inference that they have the tacit approval of the officials.
རྩྭ་
Public feeling in this matter has been groW- ing stronger and stronger every day and has practically eclipsed the Japanese boycott agita- tion. Meetings are being held by many Kaifonga and great animation prevails at every meeting place. Placards are posted and the public feel- ing kept at boiling point.
Telegrams are being sent-abroad to start a boycott proper against Messrs. Butterfield and Swire.
A
One again hears of the uncivilized expression Sat Fan Kwai (" Kill European devils") when walking in the City. What the outcome of all this will be, if things are allowed to go on, nobody knows, but it is clear that the Chi-thi-Wui are determined to push matters to a crisis. At this time of the year, trouble may be expected. The rowdy and the needy are always ready to join any movement calculated to bring disorder so that they can gather something in the fray. If this anti-foreign element is allowed to publicly brag much longer as it is doing now I fear the officials will find it quite a nasty affair to deal with. They are using the Fatshan incident as a platform for the display of the false motto China for the Chinese only and at any cost," but in reality the main object of the cunning leading members is to make money under cover of justice and fairplay by 'robbing their own countrymen in getting them to subscribe funds to keep the ball rolling in matters of this description.
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There has never been in recent years such a recrudescence of anti-foreign feeling as that prevailing just now.
The long-expected crisis was reached on New Year's Day. Placards had done their work and by 11 a.m. crowds were gathering in the neigh- bourhood of the Canton-Macao Steamboa Company's Wharf.
At the last meeting held on the 31st Decem- her, presided over by Kong Sew Chown, the anti-foreign agitator of Ho Nam who has prominently identified himself with the whole movement since its inception, many hostile speeches were made, and it was decided to take
firm action"
against these who dared to patronize the Fatshan.
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The Police officers, who attended every one of these meetings, never interfered.
The crowds gradually increased and by 1:30 p.m. the mob became riotous and started to pelt stones at the passengers who were going on. board.
Captain Lloyd found it prudent to
the wharf and made for the miles
the stream near the British gunboats. Meanwhile the British Consul was communi- ated with and a company of bluejackets