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"Tu'an-lien," or local volunteers, rose against them, and, in one particular case, surrounded a band which took refuge in a "chai-tzu"—one of the walled refuges so common on the hilltops in Western China. Troops then appeared upon the scene, and, although the volunteers were anxious to attack and exterminate the band, the military officials counselled delay, with the result that next morning the troops, to the consternation of the volunteers, occupied the refuge—the band, through the connivance of the military officials, having escaped overnight. The volunteers were naturally very much incensed, and the result was that two of the military officers concerned were brought here and publicly executed, by command of the Viceroy. The theory of Boxer invulnerability was also rudely shaken by the death of one of the leaders, who was shot by the volunteers.
At an interview which I had with the Viceroy on the 7th instant, his Excellency assured me that there was no longer any disorder in the province, and that he had taken measures to prevent a recrudescence of the trouble. He had divided up each place into wards of ten families, with a superintending Headman, who is held responsible for the good behaviour of the other nine houses; and that it was his intention to remove all ineffective officials and replace them by men of energy and ability. He said that one of the great sources of disorder was the constant changing of officials, who, owing to their short tenure of office, were necessarily ignorant of what was taking place within their jurisdictions; and that it was his intention, as long as he remained in Szechuan, to keep his subordinates at their posts until they failed in their duty. His Excellency impressed me as being a man who is anxious to do his best for his province, and frankly told me that he is liked by the people but hated by the officials. He made the same remark in the presence of fifteen officials when I dined with him on the 14th instant.
During the interview, I took the opportunity of referring to the statements in the foreign press regarding impending trouble in Kansu and Shensi, but his Excellency ridiculed the idea, saying that they were idle rumours, that he knew Tung Fu-hsiang well, and that he had no fear of any trouble in that quarter. He seemed sincere, and advised me, when I heard any rumours of the sort, to come to him, and he would soon tell me whether they were true or false.
It may be an exaggeration to say that his Excellency is hated by all his subordinates, but he has undoubtedly very bitter foes in the French, who find in him a man whom they are unable to coerce. I understand that the French Mission have lodged a demand for an indemnity of 2,200,000 taels, of which 2,000,000 taels are for the destruction of Mission property and 200,000 taels are for the lives of 2,000 converts alleged to have been massacred last year. The French Bishop demands payment by the Viceroy, whereas the latter insists that it is a matter for the local authorities to investigate and settle. The French, as I understand the situation, declare that no investigation is necessary, as they have already done so themselves. This is a striking contrast to the American claim of 6,525 taels, which was promptly paid locally.
With part of the proceeds of their last indemnity of 3,000,000 taels, the French missionaries are building hospitals at their chief centres in Szechuan, and the French Colonial Office is supplying these hospitals with military doctors. French Sisters (five for each hospital) are to act as nurses. A French school for imparting Western learning to Chinese was opened at Chungking on the 13th instant. Some have already arrived.
When at Hsü-chou Fu, on my way up from Chungking, I made inquiries as to the alleged wholesale buying of land by the French missionaries at that place. It was stated some time ago in the press that this land which they had acquired was intended for the terminus of a railway from Yunnan into Szechuan; but the whole purchase amounts to only five plots of land (the most valuable costing merely 500 taels), situated at long intervals, for a distance of 22 li, to the west of the Nan-kuang River—a southern tributary of the Yang-tsze. The south bank of the Yang-tsze opposite Hsü-chou Fu (or "Sui Fu," as it is called locally) is the only available land suitable for building purposes in the neighbourhood of the city, and the plots were bought in anticipation of Hsu-chou Fu being made an open port by the Commercial Treaty of last year, and as a purely commercial speculation.
Four officers belonging to the French gun-boat "Olry," now at Chungking, are at present engaged on a survey of the Yang-tsze from Ichang to Hsü-chou Fu. They commenced at Wan Hsien towards the end of December, and two are working down and two up-river.
The Japanese are exceedingly active in Western China, and even in Thibet. Chungking, Hat-chou Fu, and Chengtu.
Last year, a Mr. N. Narita succeeded in reaching Lhassa from the Indian side. He went disguised as a Chinese merchant and had only one Chinese companion. His presence was known to the Chinese Imperial Resident, or Amban, who, I am informed, received the traveller as a guest and was good enough to show him all over the city during his twenty days' stay in the capital. He was so unfortunate as to lose his camera, but was able to make drawings of all he required. He returned by way of India, and is now in Japan planning a second journey into Thibet.
Captain Idogawa, a Japanese Military Intelligence Officer, resident at Chungking, started with three other Japanese on the 2nd instant, with the intention of making a journey through Yunnan to Bhamo. He travels up the Yang-tsze and proposes to do the land part of the journey on foot, passing south through northern Yünnan to Yunnan Fu, and thence west by way of Tali Fu. He will return by a different route through Yunnan, and cross Kueichou on his way back to Chungking.
The Chinese Military Academy here, which is capable of accommodating 200 students, is completed, and Captain Matsura and two Japanese instructors are ready to commence work. The register is now open in the Academy for the enrolment of students for examination, and the 28th February has been fixed as the date of opening. The Viceroy will himself examine the candidates, and the qualifications called for are respectability, a fair education, a robust constitution, and suitable age. It is distinctly laid down that no opium smoker need present himself.
Mr. Tokimaru, the Japanese Consul at Chungking, recently paid a visit of about a month's duration to Chengtu, leaving in the last days of January. The main object of his visit was to try and induce the Viceroy to place the Arsenal here under Japanese management; but his Excellency refused, stating that, although he would have no objection to a Japanese foreman at a wage of about 100 dollars to 120 dollars a-month, the management must remain in Chinese hands.
A German Commercial Mission, although it repudiates that title, is at present here. It is composed of Dr. Betz, Acting German Consul at Ichang, who is also Acting Consul at Chungking; Dr. Delius, German Commercial Attaché, attached to the Shanghae Consulate; and Mr. Landgrav of the firm of Messrs. Carlowitz and Co. These gentlemen, with a train of seventy bearers and porters, and several Chinese assistants, left Ichang in the beginning of December last, and, travelling by the south bank of the Yang-tsze, arrived at Chungking on the last day of the year. They remained a week in Chungking, and left on the 7th January for Chengtu, travelling by way of Ho Chou and the prefectural cities of Shun-ching, Pao-ning, and Tung-ch'uan. They reached the provincial capital on the 30th ultimo, and are leaving for Kuan Hsien and Ya-chou Fu in a couple of days. From Ya-chou, they will descend the Ya and Tung Rivers and return to Ichang by the Min River and the Yang-tsze. They are making a careful study of the commerce and commercial conditions and possibilities of the country through which they pass, and are specially interested in the pushing of German aniline dyes, notably indigo, and in investigating the subject of Chinese medicines. They were present, like myself, at the dinner given by the Viceroy on the 14th instant, the only foreign guest being Dr. Legendre, who is attached to the French Mission Hospital. Dr. Betz has hinted to me that Germany will, in all probability, send a gun-boat to the Upper Yang-tsze during the present year.
It is reported here that things are not going smoothly with the Chinese in Thibet. There is said to be trouble on the frontier in the neighbourhood of Batang and Litang, and that the Chinese Assistant Resident is returning to China on account of the treatment he has been receiving at the hands of the Thibetans.
At the same time, missionaries report that, of late, there has been a tendency, hitherto unknown, on the part of Thibetans to become better acquainted with foreigners and their ways, and they hint that Russian intrigue may account for it; but, as yet, I have been unable to discover whether the rumoured Treaty with Russia in regard to Thibet has any foundation in fact.
Up to January of the present year, the French had three mining Concessions in Szechuan:—
1. For coal and iron in the districts and department of Kuan Hsien, Wei-yüan Hsien, Chien-wei Hsien, Chi-chiang Hsien, Pa Hsien, and Ho Chou.
2. For the five metals in the department and independent sub-Prefecture of Tien-ch'üan Chou and Mou-kung Ting.
3. The exclusive right to prospect for petroleum in the districts of Wan Hsien and Pa Hsien, or any other two districts throughout the whole of the Province of Szechuan, exclusive of Fu-shun Hsien, in which the great brine and petroleum wells of the province are situated.
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