95
2
Outward transit passes have up to the present been well above the average. The robbers evidently find foreign goods more profitable plunder.
About a fortnight ago the late Sub-Prefect of Hengchow, with his son, was murdered on the river between that place and Kueihsien.
The Governor remains at Hsunchow, and it is not likely that he will return to Wuchow for the present.
The rumours appearing in the Shanghae newspapers regarding the capture of Liuchow and Kueilin by the rebels are without foundation.
Execution of Roman Catholic Converts at Kueihsien.
The Kueihsien Magistrate, Chen Ching-hua, who is earning for himself a reputation for indiscriminate severity, recently decapitated without trial a batch of country people, among whom were six or more French converts. The local missionary vigorously took up the case, and the Magistrate was glad to settle the matter by a payment of 2,500 dollars. It is now reported that the French Consul at Lungchow has reopened the case, and telegraphed to the Governor demanding the Magistrate's dismissal.
I may here mention that Captain Crespin, of the French gun-boat "Argus," who has just left in a steam-launch for Kueihsien in order to survey the river, was repeatedly urged by the local officials not to proceed; the pretext was danger of attack by robbers en route, but as, by all accounts, the river is perfectly safe up to that point (there is daily communication by steam-launch between this and Kueihsien), they doubtless connect the Captain's visit with the incident above referred to.
Methods of Barbarism.
As always happens in China when the military are called in to assist in "pacifying" the people, the innocent suffer for the crimes of the guilty.
A British missionary stationed at Hsunchow, writes: "Numbers of the poorer classes are being executed without proper trial or evidence against them. I do not believe that 50 per cent. of those executed are the real offenders. On three occasions since the New Year, batches of half-naked, half-starved wretches have been dragged, bound with ropes round neck and feet, past our house on the way to the execution ground. The soldiers have harried and plundered the neighbouring villages till the people have been driven into the hills (that is, became "rebels"). In the market they force the people to sell them provisions at half price on pain of being denounced as robbers."
This description may fairly be applied to every town in the province where soldiers are quartered.
Safety of Nanning.
A missionary in Nanning writes, under date the 11th March: "There is no likelihood of Nanning being attacked, but along the routes of travel, both by land and water, robbery and murder is of frequent occurrence."
L
3
This form of bond has been sanctioned by His Majesty's Government for presentation to the Chinese Delegates for their signature, in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (c) of Article VI of the Final Protocol signed at Peking in 1901.
The text of Article VI (which is already in your possession) is to be attached to the bond when it is presented for signature.
The British Delegate on the Commission of Bankers at Shanghae has already issued a bond for the Portuguese share of the indemnity couched in similar terms, under instructions from Mr. Townley, who had the concurrence of the Portuguese Chargé d'Affaires at Peking in adopting this course.
I request that you will communicate the text of the British bond to the Portuguese Government, and will inquire whether Mr. Townley's action is in accordance with their wishes.
I am, &c.
(Signed)
LANSDOWNE.
(Signed)
HARRY H. FOX.
(No. 31.) Sir,
No. 2.
The Marquess of Lansdowne to Sir M. Gosselin.
Foreign Office, April 30, 1903.
WITH reference to the telegram from His Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires at Peking, No. 101 of the 24th instant, which was repeated to you, and to my telegram No. 34 of the 26th instant, I transmit to you a copy of a form of bond, expressing in sterling the British share of the Chinese indemnity.
* M. Beirs, December 5, 1902,
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2
sutward transit passes has ap to the present been well above the average. The robbers evidently find foreign goods more profitable plunder.
About a fortnight ago the late Sub-Prefect of Hengchow, with his son, was murdered on the river between that place and Kueihsien.
The Governor remains at Hsunchow, and it is not likely that he will return to Wuchow for the present.
The rumours appearing in the Shanghae newspapers regarding the capture of Liuchow and Kueilin by the rebels are without foundation.
Execution of Roman Catholic Converts at Kueihsien.
The Kueihsien Magistrate, Chen Ching-hua, who is earning for himself a reputa- tion for indiscriminate severity, recently decapitated without trial a batch of country people, among whom were six or more French converts. The local missionary vigorously took up the case, and the Magistrate was glad to settle the matter by a payment of 2,500 dollars. It is now reported that the French Consul at Lungchow has reopened the case, and telegraphed to the Governor demanding the Magistrate's dismissal.
I may here mention that Captain Crespin, of the French gun-boat "Argus," who bas just left in a steam-launch for Kucihsien in order to survey the river, was repeatedly urged by the local officials not to proceed; the pretext was danger of attack by robbers en route, but as, by all accounts, the river is perfectly safe up to that point (there is daily communication by steam-launch between this and Kueihsien), they doubtless connect the Captain's visit with the incident above referred to.
Methods of Barbarism.
As always happens in China when the military are called in to assist in "pacifying " the people, the innocent suffer for the crimes of the guilty.
A British missionary stationed at Hsunchow, writes: "Numbers of the poorer classes are being executed without proper trial or evidence against them. I do not believe that 50 per cent, of those executed are the real offenders. On three occasions since the New Year, batches of half-naked, half-starved wretches have been dragged, bound with ropes round neck and feet, past our house on the way to the execution ground. The soldiers have harried and plundered the neighbouring villages till the people have been driven into the hills (that is, became "rebels") . . . in the market they force the people to sell them provisions at half price on pain of being denounced as robbers."
This description may fairly be applied to every town in the province where soldiers are quartered.
Safety of Nanning.
A missionary in Nanning writes, under date the 11th March: "There is no likeli- hood of Nanning being attacked, but along the routes of travel, both by land and water, robbery and murder is of frequent occurrence."
L
3
This form of bond has been sanctioned by His Majesty's Government for presenta→→→ tion to the Chinese Delegates for their signature, in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (c) of Article VI of the Final Protocol signed at Peking in 1901.
The text of Article VI (which is already in your possession) is to be attached to the bond when it is presented for signature.
The British Delegate on the Commission of Bankers at Shanghae has already issued a bond for the Portuguese share of the indemnity couched in similar terms, under instructions from Mr. Townley, who had the concurrence of the Portuguese Chargé d'Affaires at Peking in adopting this course.
I request that you will communicate the text of the British bond to the Portuguese Government, and will inquire whether Mr. Townley's action is in accordance with their wishes.
I am, &c.
(Signed)
LANSDOWNE.
(Signed)
HARRY H. FOX.
(No. 31.) Sir,
No. 2.
The Marquess of Lansdowne to Sir M. Gosselin.
Foreign Office, April 30, 1903.
WITH reference to the telegram from His Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires at Peking, No. 101 of the 24th instant, which was repeated to you, and to my telegram No. 34 of the 26th instant, Itransmit to you a copy of a form of bond,* expressing in sterling the British share of the Chinese indemnity.
* M. Beirs, December 5, 1902,
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