No. 1.
Sir H. Parkes to Earl Granville.-(Received November 18.)
(No. 196.) My Lord,
Peking, September 30, 1884. I HAVE the honour to inclose a copy of a despatch from Mr. Consul Hance reporting on the disturbed state of affairs which prevailed at Canton as soon as the recent hostile action of the French in the Min River became known there.
A Proclamation issued by the high authorities, inveighing bitterly against the French and offering rewards for the slaughter of French officers or soldiers, worked the people up to a state of great excitement, which subsequently, however, was fortunately calmed by the publication of two other Proclamations put forth at the instance of Mr. Hance, and in which the people were informed that all the French had left Canton, and specially enjoined that the subjects of no other nation should be molested.
I beg to inclose copies of these Proclamations.
It is satisfactory also to notice the measures taken by the Viceroy for the protection of chapels and missionary establishments, which Mr. Hance hopes will prove effective.
The arrival of several French ships of war at Hong Kong after the operations in the Min River not unnaturally occasioned a renewal of apprehension on the part of the Local Government, who took steps for the closing of the Canton River; but the judicious representations made to them by Mr. Hance iuduced them to suspend the execution of this measure, which would have had the effect of stopping the trade of the port.
I beg to commend Mr. Hance's proceedings to your Lordship's favourable
notice.
I have, &c. (Signed)
HARRY S. PARKES.
Sir,
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
Acting Consul Hance to Sir H. Parkes.
Canton, September 8, 1884. SINCE my last Report of the 22nd ultimo there has been a very considerable amount of excitement here. On the 24th August the Governor-General wrote to inform me that the French had commenced hostilities at Foochow, and they alone were responsible for damage done to the property of neutrals. The same despatch was sent to the French Consul, but in his case it wound up by requesting him and all his countrymen to quit the province. There seemed to be some doubt in the mind of the French Consul as to the necessity of his leaving; but there was a general feeling among the community here that the presence of Frenchmen in the Settlement might be a source of danger, and I pointed out to him that after the notice he had received from the Governor-General, he would be no longer in a position to protect the interests of his countrymen. He left for Hong Kong on the 29th ultimo, intrusting his archives to my charge. On the 30th great excitement was caused by the posting of a printed Proclamation (translation inclosed), offering rewards for killing French soldiers, On this, the remaining Frenchmen here, including two priests and three employés in the Customs, left at once, and the following morning I addressed a note to the Governor-General, informing him of what was a fact, namely, that the Proclamation had stirred up a very strong anti-foreign feeling in the neighbourhood of the Settle- ment, and pointing out that the common people were not capable of distinguishing between different European nations; that there were now no Frenchmen left in Canton, and that the issue of a second Proclamation notifying the latter fact was
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