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prevented this disturbance from assuming serious proportions. The strike of the Ching Te Chen potters developed with a series of clan fights, resulting in serious loss of life. Three-fifths of the workers are said to have been concerned. The potters have now returned to work.
Ningpo.
On the 12th November His Majesty's Consul reported that fighting had occurred at Hou Hai Men, between Catholic and Protestant converts, which resulted in several casualties. No foreigners were injured. The trouble arose concerning the right to collect water chestnuts grown in a public pond, and seems to have been finally settled by the officials prohibiting the cultivation of chestnuts, and handing over the pond to the care of the gentry. The action of the officials throughout appears to have been satisfactory.
This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government]
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
O
38147 [March 23.]
SECTION
CRIS 29 OCT 07,
[9439]
No. 1.
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received March 23.)
(No. 74.) Sir,
Peking, February 6, 1907. I HAVE the honour to forward to you herewith a summary of events which have occurred in China since the date of my despatch No. 507 of last year, and concerning which no separate despatches have been furnished.
I have, &c. (Signed)
J. N. JORDAN.
Inclosure in No. 1.
Monthly Summary of Events in China.
Chiếng tu.
Hankow-Szechuan Railway.The accounts for the period the 18th September to the 17th October balance at K'u P'ing 1,706,081 t. 3 m. 6 c., the most important item on the receipts side being 80,000 taels, shares subscribed at Chungking, and on the expenditure side, 80,000 taels advance to the Iohang sub-office to meet expenditure attendant on commencement of work. The balance carried forward is 1,620,993 t. 14 m. The accounts for the following month, the 18th October to the 15th November, balance at 1,677,442 t. 1 m. 1 c. The balance carried forward is 1,606,352 t. 7 m, 1 c. U rest in Szechuan.-Anti-foreign and anti-dynastic placards were posted in December in the country districts of the province, but the Viceroy seems to have taken precautions for the prevention of trouble. As far as His Majesty's Acting Consul- General can ascertain, there are no signs of a general anti-foreign movement. The authorities seem to be carefully watching the situation, and Mr. Goffe thinks there is no ground for alarm as to the safety of foreigners.
About the middle of October Mr. Goffe was informed that there were Boxers in one district, and that troops had been sent from Chungking to suppress them. On inquiry it appeared to have been a false alarm, and that there had merely been some local disturbances in connection with the collection of the house and wine taxes. Foreigners in the province are too apt to ascribe any local disturbance to Boxers, a belief in which they are encouraged by the officials, who find this a convenient method of concealing the open hostility of the people to the prosent heavy taxation.
Dispatch of Students to Paris.-The Bureau of Foreign Affairs have dispatched four students from the French school to Paris with the object of studying the manu- facture of silk, natural science, mining, and law. The students are to remain in France for four years, and will each be allowed a sum of 400 taels (571.) annually. They left Chiêngtu towards the end of October, and are expected to reach Paris before 1907.
Foochow.
Foochow and its neighbourhood remained quiet during the quarter ended the 31st December, chiefly thanks to the successful crops.
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