Enclosure 1.
27th May, 1886.
THE BABY SCARE. The disquieting rumour afloat yesterday has been in some measure dispelled, although there is still a stupid feeling of uneasiness abroad and but few of the scholars have returned to the schools. The rumour was not altogether a sudden outburst. On the day before yesterday there were ugly stories going about a big immolation, which had grown bigger and bigger until they assumed alarming proportions yesterday afternoon. The cause of the putting abroad of such an altogether incredible report it is very difficult to ascertain. There can be no doubt, however, that the excited condition of the minds of the native population arising from the dearth of water was the cause of the alarming rapidity with which the absurd news spread. For weeks the poor people have been grumbling for want of water, being unable to give the extortionate price that was demanded. That this was at the bottom of the matter there is little doubt, for the most wide-spread rumour was that the great sacrifice of the innocents was to be made by the contractor of the Taitam water scheme, who not being able, so the story ran, to complete his scheme within the time stipulated by Government was, according to an old Chinese usage, to propitiate the adverse fates by consecrating his work with the blood of a large number of children. There can be no doubt, however, that the disquieted state of the people's mind found its active expression from other causes which some are more difficult to ascertain. Some think that the Tez-fahead centre's followers had spread the rumour as an act of revenge for the banishment of their chief, and perhaps they may have added a good deal of fuel to the fire. Others lay the blame at the door of the Triad and such like secret societies, and from the fact that the only attempt at open disturbance was made in a centre honeycombed by these societies it cannot be doubted that they had worked up the excitement. But with the natives the most widely diffused belief is that the little spark that led to the combustion was the actual observation of some policemen taking a half dozen young rogues in charge to reprimand them for some offence—a thing which occurs every other day, but which in the fevered state of the people's mind led to the idea that these youngsters were captured by the police for the purpose of handing them over to the contractor of the Taitam water works. This statement, however, is denied by the police.
The rapidity with which the news spread in the schools was astonishing. In the morning it had only reached the Central School, but ere noon it had spread to the most western point and mothers were to be seen dragging their children away to prevent them from falling into the clutches of the awful Moloch into which the Government of the Colony had been raised in their eyes.
Dr Eitel, who had been apprised of the excitement by a school-master, visited the schools in the afternoon and found them nearly deserted. Outside the buildings he found a crowd gathered discussing in an animated manner the dreadful design of the barbarous English Government. On every occasion he went into the centre of the crowd and told them it was all nonsense; and most of the people apparently believed him, for the crowds generally dispersed. One of the crowds contained about 200 or 300 men, and as he approached it he heard cries of 'ta' (kill). He did not know who was meant and made enquiries, finding out that he was the person they wished to take their vengeance on. This crowd, however, also dispersed, but as he went along the lane the people from their houses reflected the cry of 'ta.' A Sikh constable, who was near, chased some of the stragglers. Dr Eitel, thinking he might do more harm than good, counselled him to leave them alone, and again reassured them that their fears were groundless.
At another part of the city, Queen's Road West, a mob had gathered, and seemed at one time likely to cause some trouble to the authorities. Earlier in the day an attack had been made on an Indian Constable, who was endeavouring to collect fines from two convicted prisoners, and he had to take refuge in a shop and was rather badly wounded in the head by stones thrown by a crowd of coolies. Later on, another Indian Constable had had occasion while parading his beat to take the numbers of certain houses; and what should the stupid people think but that he was bent on carrying off the children in these houses. Accordingly a crowd began to collect and the shopkeepers in the neighbourhood becoming alarmed shut up their shops. News was sent to the Police Office and two strong detachments of police were sent off to the spot. On arriving, however, the Police found they had nothing to do, for the crowd at once quietly dispersed.
East and West apparently the rumour had travelled with equal speed, and the next demonstration was at Sau-ki-wan. Here it assumed far more alarming proportions than at any other point. News was brought that two launches were coming to carry off their children and great consternation prevailed. From the junks in the harbour volleys were fired as an intimation that the men were determined to defend their children to the last, and then there was a big exodus to the neighbouring mainland. In the evening things had assumed such an alarming appearance that a proclamation had to be sent out; finally the police managed to pacify the mob, and all is now comparatively quiet.
In Yau-ma-ti also there was great commotion, the children there being sent to Kowloon city, for protection. In fact over every point where the British power extends this extraordinary report seems to have spread, and what is worse to have been believed. It is the mothers, it is said, who are raising all the commotion and who have got into hysterics about their children.
An example was made of two of the spreaders of the false news at the Police Court this morning. Wan Assi and Chan Afo, fishmongers, were charged with inciting to riot. The evidence against them was given by a lukong, who said that at 1 p.m. he was in the Hang Fa Lau eating house where 40 or 50 men were having tea. The two accused were sitting at a table by themselves. They said to the people in the house, 'The Government is going to arrest 108 boys and 108 girls to sacrifice to the water works and the tramway.' The lukong told the first accused to say no such nonsense. He then retorted that he saw it with his own eyes. Thirty were arrested on Tuesday and five this morning. The lukong then asked the second defendant if he had seen it, and he said he had been told of the matter. The first defendant was fined $5 with the option of one month's hard labour and six hours in the stocks, the second defendant $10 with the option of two weeks' hard labour and three hours in the stocks. Mr Mitchell-Innes said it was painful to think that after the English Government had been doing good to the place for 40 years they should be believed to be more barbarous than any nation on earth. The oldest man in Hongkong could not remember anything of this sort having been done. He did not know what their object was in spreading the false news, but he warned them to be careful in future.
Page 371
}
Enclosure 1.
27th May, 1886.
that was
A.
THE BABY SCARE. The disquietening rumour afloat yesterday has been in some measure dispelled, although there is still a stupid feeling of uneasiness abroad and but few of the scholars have returned to the schools, The rumour was not altogether a sudden outburst. On the day before yesterday there were ugly stories going about a big immolation, which had grown bigger and bigger until they assumed alarming propor- tions yesterday afternoon. The cause of the putting abroad of such an altogether incredible report it is very difficult to as certain. There can be no doubt, however, that the excited condition of the minda of the native population arising from the dearth of water was the cause of the alarming rapidity with which the absurd news spread. For weeks the poor people have been grumbling for want of water, being unable to give, the to them extor tionate pric that were demanded. That this was at the bottom of the matter there is little doubt, for the most wide-spread. rumour was that the great sacrifice of the innocents was to be made by the contractor of the Taitam water scheme, who not being able, so the story ran-to complete his scheme within the time stipulated by Go- vernment was, according to an old Chinese usage, to propitiate the adverse fatos by consecrating his work with the blood of a large number of children. There can be no doubt, however, that the disquietened state of the people's mind found its active expression from other causes which Some are more difficult to ascertain. think that the Tez-fahead centre's followers had spread the rumon as an act of revenge for the banishment of their chief, and perhaps they may have added a good deal of fuel to the fire. Others lay the blame at the door of the Triad and such like secret societies, and from the fact that the only attempt at open disturbance was made in a centre honey- combed by these suoieties it cannot be doubted that they had worked up the ex- citement. But with the natives the most widely diffused bolief is that the little spark that led to the combustion was the actual observation of some policemen taking a half dozen young rognes in charge to re- primand them for some offence-a thing which occurs every other day, but which in the fovered state of the people's mind led to the idea that these youngsters were captured by the police for the purpose of handing them over to the contracter of the Taitam water works. This statement, how- ever, is denied by the police.
The rapidity with which the news spread in the schools was astonishing. In the morning it had only reach- ed the Central School, but are noon it had spread to the most western point and mothers were to be seen dragging their children away to prevent them from falling into the clutches of the awful Moloch intö which the Government of the Colony had been raised in their eyes.
Dr Eitel, who had been apprised of the excitement by a school-master, visited the schools in the afternoon and found them nearly deserted. Outside the buildings he found a crowd gathered discussing in an animated manner the dreadful design of the barbarous English Government. On every occasion he went into the centre of the crowd and told them it was all nonsense; and most of the people apparently believed him, for the crowds generally dispersed. One of the crowds contained about 200 or 800 men, and as he approached it he heard cries of 'ta' (kill). He did not know who was meant and made enquiries, finding out that he was the person they wished to take
their
...
C. O.
12283
their vengeance on. This crowd, however, also dispersed, but as he went alouer the lane the people from their houses refeclioed the cry of 'ta.' A Sikh constable, tho was near, chased some of the atragglers, IE DE 10 JUL 86 Eitel thinking he might do more harm than good counselled him to leave them alone, and again reassured them that their fears were groundless.
At another part of the city, Queen's Road West, a mob had gathered, and seemed at one time likely to cause some trouble to the authorities. Earlier in the day an attack had been made on an Indian Constable, who was endeavouring to collect fines from two convictod prisoners, and he had to take refuge in a shop and was rather badly wounded in the head by stones thrown by a crowd of coolies. Later on,
Constable another Indian had had occasion while parading his beat to take the numbers of certain houses; and what should the stupid people think but that he was bent on carrying off the children in these houses. Accordingly a crowd be- gan to collect and the shopkeepers in the neighbourhood becoming alarmed shut up their shops. Newa was sent to the Police Office and two strong detachments of police were sent off to the spot. On arriving, however, the Police found they had nothing to do, for the crowd at once quietly dis- persed.
East and West apparently the rumour had travelled with equal speed, and the next demonstration was at Sau-ki-wan, Here it assumed far more alarming propor- tions than at any other point. News was brought that two launches were coming to carry off their children and great conster- nation prevailed. From the junks in the harbour volleys were fired ag
an intimation that the men were determin- ed to defend their children to the last, and then there was a big exodus to the neigh- bouring mainland. In the evening things had assumed such an alarming appearance that a proclamation had to be sent out; finally the police managed to pacify the mob, and all is now comparatively quiet.
In Yau-ma-ti also there was great com- motion, the children there being sent to Kowloon city, for protection. In fact over every point where the British power extends this extraordinary report seems to have spread, and what is worse to have been believed. It is the mothers it is said who are raising all the commotion and who have got into hysterics about their children.
he
were
An example was made of two of the sprea- ders of the false news at the Police Court this morning, Wan Assi and Chan Afo, fishmongers, were charged with inciting to riot. The evidence against them was! given by a lakong, who said that at 1 p.m. Was in the Haug Fa Lau eat- ing house where 40 or 50 men having tea, The two accused were sitting at a table by themselves. They sail to the people in the house, 'The Government is going to arrest 108 boys and 108 girls to sa- crifice to the water works and the tramway.' The lokong told first accused to say no such nonsense. He then retorted that he saw it with his own eyes. Thirty were arrested on Tuesday and five this morning. The lukong then asked the second defen- dant if he had seen it, and he said he bad been told of the matter. The first defendant was fined $0 with the option of one month's hard labour and six hours in the stocks, the second defendant $10 with the option of two weeks' hard la- bour and three hours in the stocks. Mr Mitchell-Innes said it was painful to think that after the English Government had been doing good to the place for 40 years they should be believed to be more barbarous than any nation on earth. The oldest man in Hongkong could not remember anything of this sort having been done. He did not know what their object was in spreading the false news, but he warned them to be careful in future.
371
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.