CO129-211 - Governor Sir Bowen - 1883 [8-9] — Page 488

people there were hurriedly gotting their books or valuables off to the steamer, A little later on he saw the ag on the British Consu. late lowered, and then that of the German Con- sulate; the French flag next followed suit, the American Consul's flag remaining flying for some time after, until Messrs. Russell & Co.'s premises were attacked. At about one o'clock the German Consul sent for assistance on board the ships, as the Chinese Mandarin was unable to get through the crowd, so that they might effect a junction with the Mandarin from Shameen side. A force was organised which met the Chinese troops at the bridge, having effected the junction under the cover of the smoke of the burning buildings. The mob was then cleared i off, and the place remained quiet, guarded by the Chinese troops and the residents. The corpss of the drowned Chinsman remained on board the Hankow until about five o'clock in the evening, when the Mandarin caused it to be taken ashore in a small sampan.

Mr. D. W. Sohwemann, of Messrs. Siemssen & Co., was present during the greater of part of the trouble ashore, and be has kindly supplied us with the following narrative:-On Monday morning at about 7.30, I was about leaving our house to go on board the Hankow for Hongkong when a Chinaman cams and told our manager that "another killing affair" had happened, a man having been thrown overboard from the Hankow by a Portuguese watchman. I went on board at once to escape any disturbance which the Chinaman seemed to anticipate. As I got pear the wharf I found a great crowd assembled, but they were quiet, and did not interfere with me excepting that one man threw a stone which did not hurt me, Mr. Hermann, of Messrs. Gaupp & Co., also came on board a little later with a friend with equal safety. His friend had to go ashore again, but then the crowd had become so threatening that he could not venture upon the wharf, so got on board a Customs boat on the other side of the steamer. The crowd commenced throwing mis- siles, and the steamer was got away from the wharf, and swung round on her oable, so as to get her head round to proceed down the back reach. In doing so an anchor was lost, and I was told that a number of men in large boats had made an attempt to board the after part of the boat, but were driven back, but this I did not see as I was on the fore part with the captain. Captain Ogston behaved with remarkable coolness throughout this dis. turbance, and I could not bat admire the calm way he soted. An order had been received from the British Consul that the boat was to remain until the body had been taken by the Chinese authorities, and WO woot up the river to Shameen, aud auchored so olose to the shore as to be within hail of the German Consulate. The Viceroy sent on board for the body at five o'clock, and it was removal in a small boat, whilst the watchman charged with his death was made a prisoner on board the boat, and remained so until I left. I was informed that after the Chinese fired the wharf, they went

in a body to the Custom House with the intention of storming it, but as they found a number of Customs officers well armed and realy to receive them, they changed their i minds, and rushed on to Shamoen.—Mr. Schwe. manu here went on to speak of what occurred in the first part of the attack on Shamasu, bat we will not give that part of the narrative as we have it more fally from a gentleman who was present, as will be seen by the next report. We

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will deal with what this gentleman saw himself. He said-Some ladies were taking their usnal morning walk on the Bund when the crowd roshed on to Shameen, and they at once got into a boat and came on board the Hankow, followed soon afterwards by a number of other ladies sud children, who had left their homas hurriedly, many only partly dressed, as some had been in bed when the alarm was viven, and one lady informed me that she hastily got out of bed on being told of the attack, threw on a garment or two, and snatching up her obild, ran to the steamer. She said she was parsaed by some Chinese armed with long knives and bamboos, and narrowly escape them. As there was a large number of Chinese passengers ou board the Baw- kow, it was deemed safer to send the ladies and children on board the Ningpo, which was lying there, and this was done. Most of the male residents of the Shamsen also wont on board the Ningpo, and up to ten o'clock bat for Eu- ropeans were ashore. After that time Mr. Builor, of the English Consulato, intimated that there were some rifles at the Consulate he was ready to serve out, and he sent on board the steamer for more, and just at that time I saw Mr. Schruyter, the shipping clerk of our Canton branch, being conveyed on boar 1 the Ningpo. I could see he was wounded. Jast after this the German Consul sant for the Germans on board the steamers to assist him, and requesta? them to bring rifles with them if possible. This I eonid aột do, but I went directly, and when I got ashore I was in- formed that our Consal and other gentlemen had made up their minds to combine together to drive the crowd over the bridge, as the Chinese refused to do more than guard the bridge and had told them that if they could do so they might drive the crowd unt of Shamaan by force. Most of those remaining on the island were Germans who had no families to look after, and they had a clear retreat open to them, if they needed it, to the steamers. The German Corsal counselled them not to ute their rifles on the crowd, as in such s

case he said he should not be able to protect them afterwards. The meu who now remained replied that they would be able to protect themselves now that they had rifles in their hands, and to defend their houses aud property. The Consul then said that since they were ready to do this, he would adopt a different course, and

as they were ready to fight, he would take all the responsibility on himself, and would assemble all he could together to endeavour to drive back the mob. At that time Herr Von Pastau, who is a lieutenant of the German Army Reserve, took the command of the men collected, about ten of whom wore arm. ed with Solder rifles and muzzle loaders, and about ten more with swords, which were got from the English Consulate. With this force we sallied forth to make the attack, but before we could reach the crowd, they cleared of and got away across the creek, some shots being fired among them, and when we got to the burning houses, there were no Chinese but one or two caught about the place. We just arrived in time to prevent the crowd from setting Messrs. Bus. sell & Co.'s premises on fire. They had sack. ed the place, and we caught a

mau under the verandah with a piece of burning material in bie hand. Three dead bodies of Chinese were found left behind, and I am told that many wounded were carried off by the mob. Our Consul sent several applications to the