CO129-265 - Public Offices & Others - 1894 — Page 227

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all were warned against going to Hong Kong as the foreigners were throwing people's furniture out of the windows; if the foreigners burnt Tai-ping-shan in Hong Kong the Cantonese would without fail burn the foreign Consulates and Hongs at Canton &c &c. Here is an example literally translated. "Lately the Foreign- ers in Hong Kong have gone mad - particularly they are cutting up men's bodies, removing the liver, testicles and pupils of the eyes. Un no account go to Hong Kong. These who don't believe this make a great mistake". These placards were issued in hun- dreds making in different terms the same charges. The popular mind was much disturbed, the situation became decidedly dangerous and on the 25th of May Her Majesty's Consul had to apply to his Excellency the Viceroy to issue a Proclamation to pacify the public mind. To this request the Viceroy at once acceded, a Proclamation was issued in which it was

stated that it had been decided by the Governor of Hong Kong to move the Chinese patients from the Hospi- tal hulk liygeia, the great cause of offence, to the Native Hospital on shore. Orders were given to arrest the disseminators of rumours and placards and to tear

the latter down wherever seen Later as news came

in that the wave of popular feeling was extending to places in the neighbourhood of Canton as Fatshan and

Tung-kun at which British Missionaries are resident,

H.M's Consul applied to the Viceroy to take similar

measures