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2. Chengtu.
Disturbance on Szechuan-Kansu Border.On the 31st March His Majesty's Acting Consul-General reported that there had been frequent rumours during the previous three months of disturbances on the borders of the province. Official confirmation of these rumours beyond the stereotyped statement that "local brigades are creating trouble" was hard to obtain, but it was certain that the movement of secret society men, who were taking advantage of the growing discontent engendered by the indiscriminate levy of the new railroad tax, was causing the provincial authorities some anxiety.
3. Hangchow.
Scarcity of Rice.-His Majesty's Consul reported on the 1st April that this was occasioning the authorities some anxiety. The price was steadily increasing, and the local Magistrates had been obliged to issue warnings to the public not to create disturbances. To cope with the matter the Governor has ordered the appropriation of 300,000 taels from public funds for the purchase of rice, and officials have been sent to various parts of China and also to Annam to obtain a supply. The Treasury being empty the above sum has been borrowed from the Chekiang Provincial Railway Company, and an Agreement for the loan has been sealed by the Governor and Provincial Treasurer. Two riots, attributable to the scarcity of rice, have already occurred, but neither were very serious.
Local Exchequer.--The poverty of this is said to be very alarming. The revenue of the province is 9,000,000 taels a-year, but former Governors and Treasurers have made full use of their positions to enrich themselves, bequeathing an empty Treasury to their successors.
4. Hankow.
Rise in Cost of Rice.-A negative newspaper announced on the 1st April that “the spring rains have prevented supplies coming into town, and caused a scarcity of which
This has led to great distress. the dealers have taken advantage to form a corner.
German Professors.-"The Viceroy of Nanking," says a native newspaper of the 28th March, "is extremely friendly to the Germans. Since his transfer to Nanking he has taken mostly German advice. He now proposes to dismiss the foreign professors at the Kin Ling College en bloc and engage Germans instead. He has already telegraphed to the German Minister in Peking, and asked him to find them for him."
5. Ichang.
The advent of the China New Year (13th February) was marked as usual by increased lawlessness, and several robberies, accompanied by incendiarism, occurred in the neighbourhood, but nothing had come to the notice of His Majesty's Consul to indicate the existence of serious disorder or unrest. The troubles at Ping Hsiang, and reports that some of the leaders in that rising had taken refuge here, caused some uneasiness in official circles. Proclamations were posted offering rewards of 1,000 dollars and downwards for certain suspected revolutionaries, and the General thought it expedient to remove the ammunition from the camps to his yamên.
6. Ningpo.
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3. Oppressive taxation, especially the taxes on houses, wine, land, pigs, opium, cattle, and a rumoured impending poll tax :
4. Foreign customs collection, as represented by the Imperial Maritime Customs.
Haiméu Outbreak.-The question of the punishment of the ringleaders in the out- break of last autumn is still unsettled, owing to the refusal of the Roman Catholic Bishop to surrender them, except on the understanding that their punishment is to be deportation only and not imprisonment, as required by the Chinese authorities. It is reported that as neither party can come to an agreement in the matter, the entire case has now been referred to Peking for discussion between the French Minister and the Wai-wu Pu. were burnt, and a Chinese official who was sent by the Governor to investigate reported In January two Roman Catholic chapels in the neighbourhood of Taichow in a secret Memorial that the two chapels had been set on fire by the Catholics themselves.
Outbreak in Yamén.-On the 2nd February the prisoners in the Magistrate's yamên, numbering 80 odd, made a desperate effort to escape. time prisoners are given more liberty than usual, that their chains are removed, and that they receive better food. Taking advantage of this liberty, the prisoners made It seems that about New Year's arrangements for a general break out, which was nearly successful. They managed to get out of two courts, after killing the warder in charge of each, before the alarm was given. At the gateway of the last court, however, they were met by armed soldiers led by the Magistrate, who at once shot down several, after which the remainder surrendered, The ringleaders have been executed. escape, they would probably have fired the city.
Had the prisoners succeeded in their effort to
7. Tien-tsin.
Mr. Wills' Disappearance (see Sir J. Jordan's No. 467 of the 13th November, 1900)-On the 11th January a long despatch reached His Majesty's Consul-General from the Taot'ai, inclosing a report of all the evidence obtained at the trial of the boat- men. Subsequently all Mr. Wills' effects were sent to the Consulate, as well as his letters, among which was one found on the last pages of his diary, which proves conclu- sively the fact of suicide.
Labourers for Newchwang and Manchuria.--With the coming of spring and the pening of the Peiho comes the usual exodus of Chinese labourers and artisans. Every ear men from South Chihli and Shantung go over to Manchuria to find work during he summer months as labourers, masons, carpenters, bricklayers, &c. This spring, wing to the cessation of hostilities and the returning feeling of personal security in hose parts, and also, no doubt, owing to the increased demand for skilled and unskilled bour in the laying of railway lines, rebuilding of houses, and the opening up of new dustries, the number of labourers going to Manchuria is quite unprecedented.
It was
Taku Bar (see Sir J. Jordan's despatch No. 467 of the 13th November, 1906).- Bee the Peibo reopened, the cutting made by Mr. Fergusson during the autumn of U has been almost exclusively used by the steamers resorting to Tien-tsin. and on examination that this channel, far from having silted up during the winter nths had deepened slightly, and after the guiding marks had been replaced was as ay for use as when navigation ceased in November 1906. channel with a fair prospect of success, but in spite of this the Shipping Companies Fien-tsin still look on this new scheme with doubt, and do not at all seem inclined to This would seem to stamp entirely to its efficacy. The scheme so far has a modicum of success, but whether, the channel is widened and is constantly being used by the shipping of the port, n be maintained at a depth sufficient to allow ships to pass with such a draught as is
the 28th March) has now been suppressed, and the native pastor who had been captured hipping Companies do not wish to take the risk without the additional safeguard of The rising in the Hsiang Shan district (see Sir J. Jordan's despatch No. 152 afpatible with the subsequent navigation of the river is a matter of such doubt that by the brigands has effected his escape. The Magistrate expressed a wish to settle allwerful dredger. Another complication has now appeared in the person of the
claims for losses at once, and handed over a sum of 480 dollars in full settlement of all losses and claims, which amount was accepted, and the matter is now closed. The
prime mover in the rising was a military graduate, who is suspected of being the header should be in the hands of the Chinese Government, and that to allow the
of a Secret Society, whose aim is to involve the local authorities in difficulties. He is
still at large. The grievances of the brigands appear to be the following :--
1. Hatred of Catholics and their methods;
2. Scarcity and dearness of rice;
y of Chibli, who does not wish to allow the British Municipal Council to furnish oney for the purchase of such a dredger, as his Excellency thinks that the care of Municipal Council to provide the money, as suggested, would injure Chinese e. The purchase of a large dredger is therefore in abeyance for a while.