THE CHINA MAIL.
HONGKONG, WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 1869.
KIDNAPPING IN TONQUIN.
WE have been placed in possession of some startling information regarding the kidnapping which goes on in the Tonquin Gulf. Our authority is derived from the statements of European eye-witnesses who speak the language of the locality, and have seen enough to satisfy them that the evils described to them by natives are not exaggerated. As will presently be seen, Hongkong has, if the reports be true, a vivid interest in making full enquiry into the facts, which are said to be as follows:
1. That within the last two years the number of Annamites kidnapped by the crews of piratical Lorchas from the South of China amounts to twenty thousand persons!
2. That within one of the missionary districts in the Tonquin territory, six hundred women have disappeared during the past year.
3. That our informants came to Back-hoi in company with a lorcha freighted with kidnapped Annamite girls, who were sold by the pirates at that and other Chinese ports. The captain of the pirate junk offered some of these girls to the master of the passenger junk, but they were refused.
4. That according to the missionaries laboring amongst the Annamites, hundreds of Annamite girls are sold to Chinese coolie-crimps, and exported by them to the United States and other parts of America. It is also alleged that many of the women carried by the Pacific Mail steamers are thus stolen from Annam. Others in great numbers are sent to various points on the China Coast for the purpose of prostitution—Macao and even Hongkong receiving some.
5. That the Chinese subordinate officials are aware of the practice, but are heavily bribed to connive at it.
Such are the statements, put in the simplest possible form. They demand immediate investigation. If, as asserted, vessels leaving Hongkong carry women thus kidnapped, a British port is being used as a depot for a traffic as nefarious as anything which has yet been dragged to light regarding the "emigration system." If, again, the Pacific Mail steamers or any other vessels carry passengers thus kidnapped and sold, they are in effect carrying slave cargoes, and the U.S. Consular authorities should make immediate enquiry. No half-measures will be sufficient; a practice so disgraceful (in which, of course, hitherto our own officials and the Mail Company can only have been unwitting agents) must be stamped out. Of course, we have no right under treaty to interfere with any kidnapping operations conducted by Chinese upon Annamites. But we are much mistaken in the spirit of our executive—and we may fairly add of the American officials and agents also—if they do not hold the claims of humanity and the actual evil inflicted upon our reputation in Chinese eyes as somewhat superior to the rendering of an inoperative document. We shall see!
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THE CHINA MAIL.
HONGKONG, WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 1869.
KIDNAPPING IN TONQUIN. WE have been placed in possession of some startling information regarding the kidnapping which goes on in the Tonquin Gulf. Our authority is derived from the statements of European eye-witnesses who speak the language of the locality, and have seen enough to satisfy them that the evils described to them by natives are not exaggerated. As will presently be seen, Hongkong has, if the reports be true, a vivid interest in making full en- quiry into the facts, which are said to be as follow-
1.-That within the last two years the number of Anuamites kidnapped by the crews of piratical Lorchas from the South of China amounts to twenty thou sand persons!
2. That within one of the missionary districts in the Tonquin territory, six hundred women have disappeared during the past year.
3.That our informants came to Back- hoi in company with a lorcha freighted with kidnapped Annamite girls, who were sold by the pirates at that and other Chinese ports. The captain of the pirate junk offered some of these girls to the master of the passenger junk, but they were refused.
*
4.--That according to the missionaries laboring amongst the Annamites, hun- dreds of Annamite girls are sold to Chi- nese coolie-crimps, and exported by them to the United States and other parts of America, It is also alleged that many. of the women carried by the Pacific Mail steamers are thus stolen from Ainam, Others in great numbers are sent to va- rious points on the China Coast for the purpose of prostitution-Macao and even Hongkong receiving some.
5.That the Chinese subordinate officials are aware of the practice, but are heavily bribed to connive at it.
Such are the statements, put in the simplest possible form. They demand immediate investigation. If, as asserted, vessels leaving Hongkong carry women thus kidnapped, a British port is being used as a depot for a traffic as nefarious as anything which has yet been dragged to light regarding the "emigration syg tem." If, again, the Pacific Mail steamers or any other vessels carry passengers thus kidnapped and sold, they are in effect carrying slave cargoes, and the U. S. Consular authorities should make im- mediate enquiry, No half-measures will be sufficient; a practice so disgraceful (in which of course hitherto our own officials and the Mail Company can only have been unwitting agents) must be stamped out. Of course we have no right under treaty to interfere with any kidnapping operations conducted by Chinese upon Annamites. But we are much mistaken in the spirit of our excutive--and we may fairly add of the American officials and agents also-if they do not hold the claims of humanity and the actual evil inflicted upon our reputation in Chinese eyes as somewhat superior to the render- ing of an inoperative document. shall see!
We
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