639
2
His Majesty's Government had treated the whole of this incident, and repeated what they had previously assured Sir E. Satow, that the murder of the Kinghams caused the people and Government of Kiangsi and the Chinese Government the most unfeigned regret. It was an outrage of which they were all heartily ashamed, and the sorrow of it was heightened by the fact that the Kinghams were people whose unobtrusive good works had attracted the regard and affection of all their neighbours in Nanchang.
I inclose, for your information, copy of the French version of the Agreement above referred to as signed on the 20th June, and also copy of the proclamation provided for in Article 5 of that Agreement. I should explain that the Agreement does not mention the punishments or rewards indicated in terms 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6 of my telegram No. 126 of the 20th June, which was dealt with in separate despatches addressed by the Wai-wu Pu to the French Minister. I have not thought it necessary to trouble you with copies of these documents, as their contents are all embodied in the notes to and from Prince Ching, copies of which I am sending herewith.
I further inclose copy of the despatch which I am addressing to Mr. Werner requesting him to keep a close watch on the fulfilment of the terms of punishment and reward, and instructing him to follow the advice of Sir H. de Sausmarez in the disposal of the sum of 4,700, which should be paid over to him before the 30th September.
(Translation.) Sir,
I have, &c.
(Signed)
LANCELOT D. CARNEGIE.
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
Prince Ching to Sir E. Satow.
Peking, 32nd year, 4th month, 7th day (April 30, 1906).
ON the 15th April an Imperial Decree was issued in the following terms:- "The Board of Foreign Affairs having memorialized the Throne to appoint Liang Tun-yen, Customs Taotai at Tien-tsin in Chihli, to proceed to Nanchang in Kiangsi, and inquire into the true circumstances of the missionary case at that place; and whereas we received this officer yesterday in audience, and carefully interrogated him on the facts of this case; and whereas his reports presented many features at variance with the circumstances reported in the telegrams of Hu Ting-kan and his associates; and whereas also the telegraphic reports of Hu Ting-kan and his associates were in themselves contradictory, and are proved beyond doubt to be of a vacillating and misleading nature: it is hereby commanded that the Governor of Kiangsi, Hu Ting-kan, shall be removed from office as a preliminary step.
"We have already decreed that the conduct of the Provincial Treasurer Chou Hao shall be inquired into. The Provincial Judge Yu Chao-k'ang, who, in this case of the highest importance, failed to carry out immediately his judicial investigation, shall be handed over to the Board (of Civil Office) for the determination of a penalty, as a preliminary step.
"Let the Board of Foreign Affairs still continue to carefully co-operate in the settlement of this case."
On the 22nd April the Report of the Board of Civil Office was laid before the Throne, recommending that the Provincial Judge of Kiangsi, Yu Chao-k'ang, should be degraded two steps and transferred for employment elsewhere, as a punishment for his dereliction of public duties, and they asked whether he should be allowed the privilege of commutation.
Upon this Memorial an Edict was issued in the following words :-
"The privilege of commutation shall not be allowed."
I accordingly have the honour to bring these Imperial commands to your Excellency's knowledge.
I avail, &c.
3
Translator's Note. "The privilege of commutation" refers to the practice whereby an official, when degraded so many steps in rank, is sometimes allowed to make use of a corresponding number of steps in rank received as a reward for past meritorious service, as a set-off against the steps lost by a sentence of degradation.
In this case such a procedure is not allowed, and, therefore, the degradation is effective.
Inclosure 2 in No. 1.
Mr. Carnegie to Prince Ch'ing.
Peking, June 27, 1906. ON the 30th April Sir Ernest Satow had the honour to receive a note from your Highness on the Nanchang case, in which was communicated the text of an Imperial Decree of the 15th April removing the Governor of Kiangsi, Hu Ting-kan, from office, ordering an inquiry into the conduct of the Provincial Treasurer, Chou Hao, and handing the Provincial Judge, Yü Chao-k'ang, over to the Board of Civil Office for the determination of a penalty. Your Highness further said that on the 22nd April a Memorial of the Board of Civil Office was laid before the Throne recommending that the Provincial Judge, Yu Chao-k'ang, should be degraded two steps and transferred for employment elsewhere as a punishment for his dereliction of public duties, and asking whether he should be allowed the privilege of commutation; and you added that upon this Memorial a Decree was issued disallowing the privilege of commutation.
In an interview at the Wai-wu Pu on the 19th June, I was informed by the Grand Secretary, Na-t'ung, and their Excellencies T'ung Shao-yi and Lien-fang that an Agreement had been concluded with his Excellency the French Minister in this matter, and that the following punishments were to be inflicted on the principal criminals and on the officials whose conduct was blameworthy :
Name Punishment Liu Kou-tzu Decapitation, Wa Hung Yen-ching Imprisonment for life. Chou Chih-hsin Ten years' imprisonment. Jên Ting-fa Five years' imprisonment. Wu Chin-sheng Three years' imprisonment. Yang Ta-sheng Two years' hard labour. Lo Chung-ch'iu One year's hard labour, Wu Lao-wu Six months' imprisonment. Chou Chêng-ta To be punished in accordance with the law as soon as captured. Lu Kao-ts'ai Yang Ch'i-t'ang Wei Ta-shui Tai Hu-shui Hu Chang-sheng.. Chang Tsai-kaan.. Hsieh Hsi-lieu Tu I-chou Hu Ch'ung-yuan Hsieh Yuan-chou.. Chou Tê-shêng Peng Ping-sheng. Wiz Yu-peng Liu Tong-liu-izi .. Ha Ming-ying Lo Shêng-tzu Li Lao-sun Hsiung Ho-tzů Kuo Mao-t'ou Wan Yel-lin Hu Ting-hsüeh Ma Tzu.. Erh Tao-pao Chu Yung-yuan639
2
His Majesty's Government had treated the whole of this incident, and repeated what they had previously assured Sir E. Satow, that the murder of the Kinghams caused the people and Government of Kiangsi and the Chinese Government the most unfeigned regret. It was an outrage of which they were all heartily ashamed, and the sorrow of it was heightened by the fact that the Kinghams were people whose unobtrusive good works had attracted the regard and affection of all their neighbours in Nanchang.
I inclose, for your information, copy of the French version of the Agreement above referred to as signed on the 20th June, and also copy of the proclamation provided for in Article 5 of that Agreement. I should explain that the Agreement does not mention the punishments or rewards indicated in terms 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6 of my telegram No. 126 of the 20th June, which was dealt with in separate despatches addressed by the Wai- wa Pu to the French Minister. I have not thought it necessary to trouble you with copies of these documents, as their contents are all embodied in the notes to and from Prince Ching, copies of which I am sending herewith.
I further inclose copy of the despatch which I am addressing to Mr. Werner requesting him to keep a close watch on the fulfilment of the terms of punishment and reward, and instructing him to follow the advice of Sir H. de Sausmarez in the disposal of the sum of 4,700, which should be paid over to him before the 30th September.
(Translation.) Sir,
I have, &c.
(Signed)
LANCELOT D. CARNEGIE.
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
Prince Ching to Sir E. Satow.
Peking, 32nd year, 4th month, 7th day (April 30, 1906).
ON the 15th April an Imperial Decree was issued in the following terms:- "The Board of Foreign Affairs having memorialized the Throne to appoint Liang Tun-yen, Customs Taotai at Tien-tsin in Chihli, to proceed to Nanchang in Kiangsi, and inquire into the true circumstances of the missionary case at that place; and whereas we received this officer yesterday in audience, and carefully interrogated him on the facts of this case; and whereas his reports prosented many features at variance with the circum- stances reported in the telegrams of Itu Ting-kan and his associates; and whereas also the telegraphic reports of Hu Ting-kan and his associates were in themselves con- tradictory, and are proved beyond doubt to be of a vacillating and misleading nature: it is hereby commanded that the Governor of Kiangsi, Hu Ting-kan, shall be removed from office as a preliminary step.
"We have already decreed that the conduct of the Provincial Treasurer Chou Hao shall be inquired into. The Provincial Judge Yu Chao-k'ang, who, in this case of the highest importance, failed to carry out immediately his judicial investigation, shall be handed over to the Board (of Civil Office) for the determination of a penalty, as a preliminary step.
"Let the Board of Foreign Affairs still continue to carefully co-operate in the settlement of this case."
On the 22nd April the Report of the Board of Civil Office was laid before the Throne, recommending that the Provincial Judge of Kiangsi, Yu Chao-k'ang, should be degraded two steps and transferred for employment elsewhere, as a punishment for his dereliction of public duties, and they asked whether he should be allowed the privilege of commutation.
Upon this Memorial an Edict was issued in the following words :----
"The privilege of commutation shall not be allowed."
I accordingly have the honour to bring these Imperial commands to your Excellency's knowledge.
I avail, &c.
3
Translator's Note." The privilege of commutation" refers to the practice whereby an official, when degraded so many steps in rank, is sometimes allowed to make use of a corresponding number of steps in rank received as a reward for past meritorious service, as a set-off against the steps lost by a sentence of degradation.
In this case such a procedure is not allowed, and, therefore, the degradation is effective.
Inclosure 2 in No. 1.
Mr. Carnegie to Prince Ch'ing.
oYur Highness,
Peking, June 27, 1906. ON the 30th April Sir Ernest Satow had the honour to receive a note from your Highness on the Nanchang case, in which was communicated the text of an Imperial Decree of the 15th April removing the Governor of Kiangsi, Hu Ting-kan, from office, ordering an inquiry into the conduct of the Provincial Treasurer, Chon Hao, and handing the Provincial Judge, Yü Chao-k'ang, over to the Board of Civil Office for the deter- mination of a penalty. Your Highness further said that on the 22nd April a Memorial of the Board of Civil Office was laid before the Throne recommending that the Provincial Judge, Yu Chao-k'ang, should be degraded two steps and transferred for employment elsewhere as a punishment for his dereliction of public duties, and asking whether he should be allowed the privilege of commutation; and you added that upon this Memorial a Decree was issued disallowing the privilege of commutation.
In an interview at the Wai-wu Pu on the 19th June, I was informed by the Grand Secretary, Na-t'ung, and their Excellencies T'ong Shoa-yi and Lien-fang that an Agreement had been concluded with his Excellency the French Minister in this matter, and that the following punishments were to inflicted on the principal criminals and on the officials whose conduct was blameworthy :---
Liu Kou-tzu Wa Hung Yen-ching Chou Chih-hsin Jên Ting-fa Wu Chin-sheng
Yang Ta-sheng Lo Chung-ch'iu Wu Lao-wu
Chon Chêng-ta
Lu Kao-ts'ai
Yang Ch'i-t'ang Wei Ta-shui
Tai Hu-shui
Hu Chang-sheng.. Chang Tsai-kaan.. Hsieh Hsi-lieu Tu I-chou
Hu Ch'ung-yuan
Hsieh Yuan-chou.. Chou Tê-shêng Peng Ping-sheng.
Wiz Yu-peng
Liu Tong-liu-izi ..
Ha Ming-ying
Lo Shêng-tzu
Li Lao-sun Hsiung Ho-tzů
Kuo Mao-t'ou Wan Yel-lin
Hu Ting-hsüch
Ma Tzu.. Erh Tao-pao
Chu Yung-yuan
:::
Name.
:::
:::
:::
::::
Punishment.
Decapitation,
Imprisonment for life.
Ten years' imprisonment.
Five years' imprisonment.
>Three years' imprisonment.
-Two years' hard labour.
One year's bard labour,
Six months' imprisonment.
To be punished in accordance with
the law as soon as captured.
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