796
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suggest that either Taotai's deeds be issued for these lots, in which case Bowern will be very careful in future land transactions, and will not use the name of Pao T'ai Chi any more, as it seems to give rise to misunderstanding, or that the Chinese authorities take back the land, refunding to Bowern all out-of-pocket expenses for land which he still holds in his own name, and refunding the sale price to those foreigners to whom he has transferred lots,
"But in a very good letter, in which, I am bound to confess he has the best of the argument, the Taotai adheres to his original demand, and matters are at present at a deadlock."
Bankow.
In the course of investigations into troubles which arose in December last between the China Inland Mission and the Roman Catholic Mission at Tang Hsien in Honan, it has been brought to light that the latter mission has a body of armed men whose uniform badges describe them as "Volunteers of the Roman Catholic Church at Liu Pin Chiao." His Majesty's Consul-General addressed a despatch to the Governor calling attention to the serious danger of such missionary guards, but he has received no reply. It is asserted that the local Brigadier asked the mission to keep this body of men as a protection. The native priest, however, told an English missionary, in the presence of the Prefect, that these men had all become Roman Catholics on their dismissal by the Police Bureau, in whose employment they had been, in consequence of certain disturbances with the native Protestant converts.
Further evidence as to the lack of brotherly love existing between adherents of the various Christian missions is to be found in the Report of an English missionary, who, on visiting P'u-ch'i, saw a mob of Roman Catholic converts engaged in hanging up an American convert by his thumbs. The American and Roman Catholic missions in that city have only been able to settle serious troubles, which arose between them lately, thanks to the mediation of the Taotai. This Magistrate, however, confesses himself unable to keep the peace between the various missionary sects.
Pakhoi.
On the 15th March this year a slight disturbance broke out in the Kaochou district east of Pakhoi. Three hundred troops were hurriedly dispatched; with their arrival the rebels went quietly back to their fields, and all is now reported safe. In Pakhoi itself there is nothing to show the unsettled state of the surrounding districts. There are about 200 soldiers there. A number of these have been told off as a guard to the foreign community; they are distributed in mat-sheds round the foreign houses. They do not, however, inspire much confidence; little better than a ragged crowd of undisciplined coolies, it is not at all certain that they could be relied upon in an emergency. The Vice-Consul for France, M. Guibert, has been endeavouring for some time past to secure that a Chinese war-vessel shall be permanently stationed there. The Viceroy has so far yielded to his representations as to promise that a gun-boat shall visit the port twice a-month, and that in the event of a serious outbreak it shall remain close at hand until quiet has been restored. As things are at present there would seem to be no necessity for any more elaborate precautions.
Vessels arriving at Pakhoi are from time to time boarded by the local Deputy for Foreign Affairs and his detectives to search for rebels. In the case of British vessels a letter is sent, on the steamer's arrival in port, to the captain from His Majesty's Consulate, instructing him to give the Deputy every assistance in his search. He is at the same time warned that in the event of the Chinese authorities wishing to arrest any one he must at once communicate with the Consulate, and must not allow the person to be taken out of the ship before the Consul or his representative has inquired into the matter, and satisfied himself that the accused is implicated in a criminal offence and is a fit subject to be given up. So far no arrests have been made on British ships.
According to reports received from His Majesty's Consulate, the French are leaving no stone unturned to increase their influence in the south-west provinces. They are not, however, popular with the Chinese, and a wholesome dread of everything French is, Mr. Harding states, a noticeable feature of the local mind. Rumours are abroad that the Tonkin authorities, to ingratiate themselves with the Chinese Government, and in exchange for certain Railway Concessions in South China, have secretly agreed to surrender to the Chinese authorities all political refugees in Tonkin and Annam. These rumours are, however, emphatically denied by the French papers, which explain that, while so-called Chinese reformers will be kept under surveillance, they will not, if deported, be sent back to China. It is a significant fact, however, that recently a Chinese prisoner—believed to be a revolutionist—was sent from Haiphong to Pakhoi to be handed over to the Chinese authorities. The prisoner arrived in charge of an Annamite soldier, but succeeded in effecting his escape shortly after landing.
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The French claim a right, based on the Kuangchow Wan Agreement of 1898, to participate in the building of any railway at Pakhoi. In the present state of Chinese feeling the suggestion of French co-operation is in itself quite enough to give the death-blow to any Chinese ambitions in this respect. It is equally certain that, without the assistance of foreign capital and foreign engineers, it is impossible to hope, at any rate for the present, to see a purely Chinese scheme of railway development come to fruition in these parts. It has also to be remembered that the existence of a railway at Pakhoi would bring the latter once more into competition with the neighbouring French port of Haiphong for the trade of the Yunnan market. This is now practically a dead letter as far as Pakhoi is concerned.
Yunnan tin was at one time a most valuable article of export. Now it does not appear in the returns at all, and Yunnan produce finds its way more cheaply and expeditiously to the sea via the French railway to Haiphong, even in spite of the heavy incidence of taxation to which it is subjected en route by the French Customs officials. Participation, therefore, is the least quid pro quo the French will take for the diminution which the building of the railway at Pakhoi would probably cause in the Haiphong trade returns. In view, however, of the strong aversion of the Chinese to French—or in fact any foreign—assistance, it does not seem possible that a Franco-Chinese railway can become an accomplished fact.
There is a French Government school in Pakhoi founded by the Tonkin Administration. The Director, M. Obl, told Mr. Harding that when he arrived here a little over a year ago, there were only nineteen scholars. He now claims over 100, This is probably an exaggerated figure, but there would seem to be no doubt that the school derives a considerable amount of popularity with the Chinese from the fact that instruction is entirely secular. Prospects of employment in minor posts under the Tonkin Administration are also held out to the most successful pupils.
That gun-running exists on the Tonkinese border is proved by recent notices in the French press, which, besides giving many rumours of seizures, reports the actual capture of a Greek who was smuggling revolvers and ammunition. During the past quarter also several junks have been detained by the Pakhoi Customs for clandestinely landing arms.
Piracies continue to occur in Pakhoi waters with regular precision. Sometimes it is a junk, at others a village which is looted. Little or nothing is being done by the authorities to check it, their attention being wholly occupied with the greater question of the rebellion.
Wuhu.
Anhui Railway.-Chou Hsueh Hsi, a son of Chou Fu, the late Viceroy of Canton, has been elected President of the Anhui Railway Company, and his appointment has been confirmed by the Throne.
During the past three months work on the line, so far as can be learnt, has been suspended, but there are signs that the filling-in and bunding of the Company's lot in the General Foreign Settlement, on which is to be situated the river terminus of the line to Kuang-te-chou, are to be undertaken at an early date.
Inclosure 2 in No. 1.
Extracts from the Chinese Press.
THE following extracts from the native press are of interest :-
"New German Railway in Shantung.-The German-Chinese Company at present developing coal mines in Yi Hsien have decided to construct a line for the transport of their coal from the mines to T'ai Erh Chuang. A contract for the construction of the line and the supply of rolling-stock has been made with Arnold Karberg and Carlowitz and Co., the cost being estimated at 1,600,000 marks. German engineers are to be engaged."
"Measures adopted against River Pirates in Kiangsu and Chekiang.-The Provincial Treasurer Jui has organized a force to patrol the lakes and canals of Chekiang and
[1819 -3]
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