March 6, 1909.1
THE MURDER OF MR. BROOKE,
The Shanghai correspondant of the Kölnische Zeitung has furnished to the N.-C. Daily News the following account of the murder of Mr. J. W. Brooke last January by the Lolos :-
Mr. Brooke was travelling through Szechuan with the intention of penetrating into Tibet and Burma. He was accompanied by a Mr. Myers who had joined him from Tientsin. After a long tour in South-west Szechuan the two travellers arrived at Ningyuanfu where they intended to prepare for a journey towards Assam. The route has been often attempted before, but always in vain, the last traveller being the Duke of Orleans who died of fever in 1895. While praparations were being made at Ningyuanfu, Mr. Brooke suddenly left his companion in order, as he said, to take photographs in the neighbourhood. A few Chinese coolies only accompanied him together with a cook who acted as interpreter, and without saying a word to the missionaries or Chinese authorities he started off into the territory belonging to the independent Lolos. No doubt, if he had revealed his intention, an attempt would have been made to dissuade him, while the Chinese most probably would have prevented him from starting. It would be almost impossible to imagine a rasher under- taking than to start off in that manner without any preparations. Mr. Brooke's tragic end, it has to be admitted, was due to his own fault,
and no one beyond his actual murderers can bear the least responsibility. The Lolos are a wild, savage tribe, completely independent of the Chinese Government, and inhabiting the mountainous country of the Taliangshan between the Yangtze in the south and that river's tributary, the Tschientsiang in the
north-west. The Chinese have no influence on these savages and no soldier or official would dare to enter their territory. Only a few Chinese merchants with passports are permitted for commercial purposes to enter Lolo-land, as the Lolos are dependent on the Chinese for salt
and tobacco.
Moreover, for probably a century, a species of guerilla warfare has been carried on between the Chinese and Lolos, victory inclining now to one side now to another. At the present - moment a force, it is alleged of five thousand men, is operating under the order of the Viceroy Chao Erh-sên in Lolo territory with the object of raising an exceptionally heavy contribution and consequently feeling runs high in this district. How bitter the feeling is may be judged from this fearful cruelty perpetrated on both sides. From time to time the Lolos fall upon nighbouring Chinese villages and kill the inhabitants, with the exception of the younger and stronger people of both sexes, whom they employ for the most menial purposes, and house them like cattle. On the occasion of the recent capture of a village all the inhabitants were driven with whips over a field of thorns; those who stopped in the middle were killed and only those who reached the other side were carried off as being suitable for slaves. Needless to say, the Chinese indulge in equally abominable acts towards the Lolos taken prisoners. The mis- sionaries of Ningyuanfu, who witnessed the incident state, that on the occasion of a Chinese force taking the field a captured Lolo was tied to a stake and officers and men, one after another, ran their swords into him and finally dipped their banners, weapons, etc., into the blood of their victim.
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It has been possible to follow the journey of Mr. Brooke from Ningyuanfu for fourteen days.| The country consists of number of independent districts each under a chief. In order to pass through each district the traveller has to carry on negotiations with the chieftain, give him presents and occasionally leave hostages. Mr. Brooke received permission to continue bis jour- ney and his relations with the savages seem to have been very friendly. The only drawback was that the jealousy of the people caused them to keep a sharp look-out that no other tribe received more presents than they did, with the result that finally, when Brooke had reached the territory of the eighth or ninth chieftain, he found himself at the end of his resources. This chief was willing to give him a passage through the territory, if he would hand over his
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT,
197
rifle; but Brooke refused as he had only his re- COMBATTING RINDERPEST IN THE volver besides this rifle. On various pretexts he was detained until the suicident arose which led
his death. The chief, who was drunk at the time, entered his tent and seized his rifle and Brooke, unfortunately, struck him. A blow amongst the Lolos is an insult that can be wiped out only with blood and Brooke was only able to defend himself for a short while against He tried to make good his escape, but was overtaken and killed and the same fate overtook the whole of his Chinese following.
the chief's retinue.
Chinese authorities do not accept responsibility It has only to be added that although the for the incident, the Viceroy Chao Erh-sên is anxious to seize the opportunity to bring the Lolos to book. His application, however, for men and money has been refused and there is little chance of any action being taken until the Chinese are in a stronger position in Szechuan.
THE BOARD OF COMMUNICATIONS.
AN APPRECIATION OF THE NEW PRESIDENT.
That most important position, the Presidency of the Board of Posts and Communications is to be filled by H.E. Hsu Shih Ch'ong. Chinese Public Opinion congratulates the Government upon the selection of this official, and says:—
H.E. Hsu has been for several years in one of the most difficult situations which any Chinese official has ever had to occupy. In the Viceroy- alty of Manchuria he has had to deal with a country just recovering from the effects of a strenuous war. He has found there warring elements, both on the North and on the East. The country has been filled with an alion population, left behind by the belligerents and not by any means of the best class. With conspicuous ability H.E. Hsu has handled the difficult situation and with a diplomacy which does him great credit.
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Not the least of his troubles have arisen over the Chientao question. This may be designated a deliberate attempt on the part of ill-informed Japanese officials to grab a portion of China's territory. The valley of Chientao is a splendid stretch of fertile rolling plain through which passes a broad river. Trouble has also been common with the Russians on the borders of Hei Lung Kiang and in reference to the navigation of the Sungari and Amur Rivers.
In the matter of railway he has a huge field before him, at present but partially exploited, and one which is of the greatest interest to China. We have already written at length upon the necessity of building roads in the Empire and we have suggested that criminals should be employed upon this work. There is more than a possibility that traffic may, in the near future, be conveyed by modern vehicles which do not require the metal roads which are at present a necessity of the railways. Leaving out the possibilities of motor traction
the country would greatly benefit by the construction of good roadways.
PHILIPPINES.
On the recommendation of Commissioner Worcester, Secretary of the Interior, the Philippines Commission has denied the request of the Municipal Council of Tarlac for the passage of an Act authorising the grant of a prize for the discovery of a remedy or preventa- tive for rinderpest in the Philippines.
In his report on the request Commissioner Worcester gives an explanation for his recom- mendation as follows:-
"Successful efforts to cure such diseases as- rinderpest have heretofore invariably been made along the lines of developing a serum having high immunizing or
ourative power. To
the securing of such a serum for the use of combatting rinderpest, some of the world's greatest bacteriologists like Dr. Koch of Germany, have given long and patient atten. tion and a serum possessed of high immunizing and high curative value is now in comparatively common use in countries suffering from this disease.
the matter of the discovery of a proper cure and "The question in these islands is not so much
a preventative as it is a matter of the use of the curative and preventative serum already dis- covered. To the end that its use may be generalized here, I have brought about a radical increase in the facilities for the prepar
ation of the serum and have asked for a large increase in the veterinarian force.
It is believed the money spent along these lines will be of far more use to the public than money offered for a prize, in order to excite- interest in a matter to which a number of the world's greatest investigators have devoted and are still devoting much time and attention.
"So far as these islands are concerned the
insular government has been fortunate in secur- ing, for the present, the services of Dr. Martini, who was for many years Dr. Koch's assistant, world to carry on such work. An effort will be and one of the most competent men in the
made to retain his services for at least one year from July 1, 19 09.”
THE BRITISH FLAG AT SEA.
A BHANGHAI CASE BEFORE THE PRIVY
COUNCIL.
In the Board of Posts and Communications H.E. Hsu has also a very difficult post to fill. It is to be trusted that he will not follow in the footsteps of his predecessor in the matter of corrupt practices. He has a splendid opportun-consisting of Lords Macnaghten, Atkinson, and The judicial Committee of the Privy Council, ity to remodel a service which is of the utmost importance to the Empire. The matter Collins, and Sir Arthur Wilson, heard last of the Post Office is one in which he can show interested in the steamship Maori King from a
month an appeal by the owners and parties. his worth by leaving bribery severely alone.
pronounced that the vessel, which had been decree of the Supreme Court at Shanghai which seized and detained on a claim by Sir Pelham L. Warren, British Consul-General at Shanghai, certain provisions of the Merchant Shipping was subject to forfeiture to his Majesty under Acts, 1894 and 1906. The facts, shortly, appeared to be that the vessel had been purchas- ed by a Russian firm, by whom all the shares in Dow, a British subject, who only registered the the vessel had been nominally transferred to one
vessel as a British vessel, and she sailed from Vladivostock to Gusymas, in Mexico, flying the British fing, with 921 Chinese coolies and 217 Russians on board. During the voyage distur bances arose among the Chinese owing, as they by false pretences. The learned judge found that alleged, to the fact that they had been got on board
"the British flag was used to cover the trans- portation of kidnapped coolies without sanitary or other precautions in circumstances of great hardship, if not illegality," and he ordered the forfeiture of the vessel. The defendants then lodged this petition, and the only question was whether on the defence pleaded the learned forfeiture of the ship, and if he had such dis- judge had discretion to refuse to decree the
cretion whether it ought not to have been in favour of the plaintiff. Sir Robert Finlay, exercised in favour of the defendants instead of
K.C., Mr. Scratton, K.C., and Mr. H. Cowell appeared in support of the shipowners' petition; and the Attorney-General, the Solicitor-General, and Mr. S. A. T. Rowlatt were for the Crown Their Lordships reserved judgment.
Undoubtedly H. E. Hsu has a grand field before him in which to exercise that energy and administrative ability which he has so ably displayed in Manchuria.
THE ABSCONDING BANK SHROFF.
At the Mixed Court in Shanghai, on the 26th ult., Yang Kwei-lang alias Pah Sang was charged with absconding from Hongkong with money being the property of the Hongkong a large sum of money on June 3, 1905, the and Shanghai Banking Corporation.
Det. Sub-Inspector Vaughan told the Court that he arrested the accused in a house in Woosung Road that morning.
It was stated that the amount of money which was alleged to have been stolen was $52,200.
The Court remanded the accused in custody until Monday,