CO882-(4-5) — Page 639

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 882

5 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

DEAR SIR,

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Li Long, June 6, 1899. THE British Governor wishes to hear what the Chinese Government is doing to protect our mission stations.

This evening four soldiers sent by the Sun On Mandarin came to our village with a letter to the Elders of Li Long to exhort them to keep their people in order, because he got the news from the Viceroy that there are rowdies in this region threatening the mission station. To-morrow they will return to the Mandarin to tell him that all is quiet in Li Long, and that all the people here are on friendly terms with us.

The Mandarin knows very well that it was rumoured last week that the gathered rowdies in Pan Tin would endanger our place.

The Mandarin of Tung Kun will certainly also send some soldiers to the headmen of that place after he has heard that the people there are quieted by the news they got from us, that your soldiers will not come to their village.

The danger has now passed for the present in this region. The stupid people in Pan Tin spread now the news that they have taken the resolution not to go to Sham Chun to drive the Indians away. You know that the Chinese are always anxious to.

save their face."

66

With kindest regards,

Enclosure 5 in No. 215.

Yours, &c.,

M. SCHAUB

Camp Sheung Po, June 6, 1899.

To the General Officer Commanding, China and Hong Kong,

I ENCLOSE for Your Excellency's information copies of some letters received by me from Mr. Schaub, a missionary in the Li Long District, also a proclamation in Chinese and rough translation of it by Mr. Schaub. Perhaps it would be well to have the proclamation again translated by an educated Chinaman.

Within the last few days I have visited several of the Elders and gentry of the neighbourhood in their temples, endeavouring to ascertain from them the feelings of the people. They all declare that they themselves and the people are quite happy under British rule. To-day I visited Sham Chun, having sent a messenger yesterday to acquaint the Elders of my intention to come to their city. I was received with great honour, fireworks were sent off and a large number of the gentry assembled in the temple to welcome me. All stated that they were glad to be British subjects, that the people are grateful for the treatment accorded to them by us; that all goods purchased, labour, &c., have been paid for, and that they have no complaints to make about our administration. They promised that should any disturbance arise at or near this district they will inform me of it at once. That now absolute peace prevails.

I mention these matters to show that the rumours about rising in this and the neighbouring district of En Long are most unlikely to be realized. "I for one do not believe that any rising of anything approaching a serious nature will take place.

Undoubtedly some evil disposed people did try to stir up the populace north of our boundary, but this was done by them when under the impression that British troops would invade their territory; this fear no longer exists, and consequently the attempt has failed.

The rioters will have to be settled with somehow and the ringleaders will be taught a salutary lesson, not to be again "hoist with their own petard.'

I see that Mr. Schaub states that the missionaries expect help from the British Government whenever they may be in real danger; I had not heard that such a promise had been made, and should be glad to be furnished with instructions in case Mr. Schauh

would write to me."

Perhaps some measures might be taken to suppress the inflammatory zeal of this graduate.

THE O'GORMAN, Lieutenant-Colonel,

Commanding Frontier Field Force.

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ment is taking that our mission stations and the Christians in the hinterland of the new territory should not come in danger. The Governor is now very anxious to hear what is going on in our neighbourhood.

The other day I wrote what I heard from Mr. Maus, since he has seen you. Last Friday one of our missionaries, Mr. Kutter, went to Pan Tin to see the headmen there. In a large village (sic) outside the village, he had an interview with two of them. They told him what they heard is from a man in Sham Chun that your soldiers would come to punish them. They say that man let them know, if they would pay him $10,000, he would arrange it that your troops would not come to Pan Tin. Like Mr. Maus, Mr. Kutter also assured them that Pan Tin has nothing to fear from you. These two men told Mr. Kutter that they should like to come to your camp, to get the assurance from you, that they had nothing to fear in Pan Tin. Mr. Kutter promised them to accom- pany them, if they should really be in earnest to see you. What is going on in the in- terior of the large village Mr. Kutter could not see. But after all the rich men there are now anxious to disband the gathered rowdies. Happily the rain set in after a long time of dryness. That was the best to frustrate the plans of the rowdies.

A headman of Li-Long (a heathen) went also to Pan Tin last Thursday, but he was not allowed to see one of the leaders there. This man went to Pan Tin, because all the villagers there were in fear the rowdies would come to destroy Li Long.

It was rumoured that the rowdies in Pan Tin would build their fortifications in Li Long, and would come to drive us away and to use our station as their camp. Even last Thurs day some hundred Puntis were still working on the fortifications on the hills behind Li Long, but they did not cross the boundary line. By this I conclude that the people in Pan Tin were really in a panic and that there is nothing to be feared for the next time.

As a rumour we have it, that the members of the rich and populous clan Tang in the City of Tung Kun, &c., are behind the scenes, that soldiers and weapons are coming up from there. But I give this only as a rumour, we have no certain proofs.

Last Saturday a messenger came from one of our out-stations, 15 miles to the north from here (Tshyang Khai) to bring us the news, that the various market places in that region had also a gathering to discuss their plans.

The Christians were also frightened by the people there, but we at once wrote to the headman of that place, who is on friendly terms with us, to beg him to keep the people there in order.

By this I send you a copy of a pamphlet (with a rough translation) which was put up in a market place near Thonglak. We can trace the origin of this inflammatory pamphlet. The drift of it is the same as the speeches of the graduate (Chinese characters), by which he instigated the people there to kill the Christians. Happily the Christians there are on good terms with the headmen of the place. These are always calling this stupid graduate to order. But he is a very furious man, who goes everywhere to stir up the people. Last week the headmen of the market Thonglak told the Christians they had better to leave, because they can't protect them longer. This graduate (Chinese characters) in (Chinese characters) should cer- tainly be called to order by the Chinese Government. In ordinary times there is not much to be feared by the issue of such stupid pamphlets. But in this troublous time such stupid pamphlets, foul productions of the literati, are very dangerous.

I shall always inform you about all what is going on in the Hinterland. All our missionaries are very thankful that the British Government will render us help when- ever we should be in real danger. As soon as this should be the case, I would write to But I hope that it will not come to that. I always exhort the people not to believe all the wild rumours and to help to spread them like a wild fire. But the rout in Taipo, &c., two months ago taught me not lightly to disbelieve various rumours. Before the rout there I heard a good deal of all what the Chinese were planning, but I would not believe it. By this time I know that there is something to be wisely searched out if possible when such rumours are afloat.

you.

With kindest regards,

}

Yours, &c.,

M. SCHAUB.

DEAR SIR,

Li Long, June 5, 1899. THIS morning I got a letter from one of our missionaries in Hong Kong, who was oalled to see the Governor of Hong Kong, who told him what care the British Govern-