No. 264.
Hongkong.
296
C.0.
1 24562
Government House,
Hongkong, 26th. May, 1903.
Sir,
1903.
Joe
20835
With reference to my Despatch No. 245 of
the 8th. instant, I have the honour to inform you that further
information received from Mr. Clementi confirmed the statements
made in his letters, copies of which were enclosed with that
Despatch. A Public Meeting was held here on the 20th. instant,
of which I enclose a very condensed report. It will be seen
that at Kweiping a general Gaol delivery of all but minor
criminals had been effected by decapitation, and the starving
people were eating the bodies. Where they were so emaciated
that no flesh could be cut off, the body was opened and the
heart and liver taken out while the blood was drunk. Mr.
Clementi estimates the number of people needing relief in the
districts visited by him at about 319,000, his estimate being
formed from observation and from the statements of Officials
and Missionaries. He states that the Officials are doing every-
thing in their power, but the country is miserably poor and no
taxes are being collected. The Chinese Benevolent Societies
in Canton have subscribed One hundred thousand Taels, and the
United States Government has contributed Five thousand dollars
to a fund started by Mr. McWade the United States Consul in
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN, M.P.,
&C...
යල .
200**
Canton