36
4. All the students of the various schools assert that after the demonstrators had been mown down by machine-gun fire, they saw several European soldiers and officers preparing to open the bridge gate and charge; fortunately the cadets arrived at this moment, and the Europeans reshut the gates and withdrew. Whence it follows that!
it the cadets had not arrived in time to protect the demonstrators, the number of killed and wounded would have been greater still. How can one slander the cadets throwing on to them the responsibility of opening fire?
The above four points are the outcome of the depositions made by male and female students present on the spot, being what they assert that they saw with their own eyes, Thus there is clear proof that the fusillade began from Shameen. Moreover, Shamee used machine guns; the firing was violent; the wounds of the victims, being of large diameter, cannot have been caused by ordinary bullets. This is still more horrible and inhuman.
In the meantime, stories of all sorts have been invented on Shameen, and the invention is still going on. Not only were there numerous stories prior to the incid such as that in the letter of the British consul, but we have also learnt that on the 24th the same consul sent round a circular announcing that Shameen would be attacked by Whampoa cadets on that day. Stories of the same nature are still being circulated at the present minute, and there are not wanting people who believe them.
We do not understand the object of all this Our Government, after an outrage of this magnitude, has continued none the less to provide foreigners with the most comple protection. In previous letters the British and French consule requested us to protect the life and property of foreigners. On this subject I, the Civil Governor, had alr in the past made declarations in explicit terms. After the massacre I again declared in despatches addressed to the German and American consuls on the same evening that we would protect the lives and property of foreigners; also we urged Chinese citize: 8 to use peaceful and orderly means to procure the abolition of unequal treaties, and not to have recourse to brutal measures of retaliation. In addition, on the 24th we forbade the military to approach Shakee and the environs of Shameen, either in bands or separately. This would appear to prove that our Government protects foreign life and property to the best of its ability; but if Shameen foreigners continue to increase the number of their military forces, this will in any case excite the populace and make our task of pacifying them difficult. It will, moreover, show that France and Great Britain intend to renew their previous aggressive proceedings. The British and French consuls should therefore be requested to give an assurance that from now on they will not increase their military forces here. If their gunboats and troops are not augmented negotiations will be pro tanto facilitated.
Inasmuch as the recent massacre of Chinese subjects constitutes a complete abrogation of all the laws of humanity and cannot by universal law be tolerated, we make the following demands :--
(1.) Apologies will be made by High Commissioners appointed by the Powers
interested to the Government of Canton,
(2.) The senior officers responsible shall be punished.
(3.) With the exception of two despatch" vessels, ali naval units of the Powers
interested shall be withdrawn.
(4.) Shameen shall be returned to the Government of Kuangtung and placed
under the administration thereof.
(5.) The victims and their families shall be compensated.
You will request the British and French consuls to put these demands before their Ministers at Peking and their respective Secretaries of State, so that they may reply thereto, and you will inform us what steps are taken by the said consuls on receipt of your official despatch.
I have accordingly the honour, gentlemen, to write to you to request that you will take the necessary action,
I have, &c.
FU PING-CH'ANG.
37
ANNEX VIII.
Consul-General Jamieson to Mr. Austen Chamberlain.
(No. 90. Confidential.}
Sir,
Canton, September 7, 1925. I HAVE the honour to enclose herewith, for your confidential information, an interesting analysis of the casualties incurred by the Chinese side on the occasion of the Shakee incident of the 23rd June, which has been made by Dr. J. Oscar Thomson, chief
surgeon of the Canton Hospital, who is an American citizen.
I have, &c.
Enclosure 1.
J. W. JAMIESON.
Dr. Thomson, Canton Hospital, to Mr. Jenkins, United States Consul-General.
Dear Mr. Jenkins,
Canton, August 31, 1925. A MEMBER of the Chinese Commission of Investigation Commission of the Shameen-Shakee affair of the 23rd June, requested me to proof-read the medical terminology of the lists of the Chinese killed, wounded and otherwise injured in that affair. I have done so, and returned the lists to him with some corrections of fact as well as of terminology. While doing this, I was interested to make an analysis of the occupations of those wounded and the nature of the injuries received. This follows, substantially correct, according to the official Chinese list, which I understand is to be published later. In the meantime this is of course not for publication.
Analysis of Occupations and Wounds and Injuries of Chinese in the Shameen-Shakee Affair of June 23, compiled from the Official List of the Chinese Commission of Investigation.
Total casualties, 169, as follows: soldiers, practically all of the Whampoa army, 85, or 49 per cent.; students, 29, 17 per cent.; unknown, 20, 12 per cent.; labourers, 18, 11 per cent. ; merchants, 11,7 per cent.; peddlers, 5, 3 per cent.; miscellaneous, 7.
Killed: total, 52; 44 of the 52 were killed by bullets; cause not specified, 7; 1 boy scout trampled to death; soldiers, 26, 50 per cent.; unknown, 9, 17 per cent.; merchants. 8, 15 per cent.; labourers, 3, 6 per cent.; students, 3, 6 per cent.; professor, 1; apprentice, 1; peddler, 1.
Wounded by bullets and injured by crowd, total 117, thus: soldiers, 56, or 48 per cent.; students, 26, 23 per cent.; labourers, 13, 11 per cent.; unknown, 11, 9 per cent.; peddlers, 4, 3 per cent.; merchants, 3, 2 per cent; postman, 1; seaman, 1 ; policeman, 1; fortune-teller, 1.
Wounded by bullets: 77, of whom 56 (or 75 per cent.) were soldiers; labourers, 8, 14 per cent.; unknown occupation, 5, 6 per cent.; merchants, 3, 4 per cent,; peddlers, 3, 4 per cent.; students, 2, 3 per cent.; some of the soldiers were shot through the axilla, evidently while the arm was raised in firing.
Wounded by fall, collision or trampled on by crowd, for the most part not seriously injured total 40; students, 24, 65 per cent; labourers, 5, 13 per cent; soldiers, 3, 8 per cent.; unknown, 3, 8 per cent.; policeman, 1; seaman, 1; peddler, 1; fortune- teller, 1; woman, 1.
Killed not by bullets, 44; trampled, 1; cause not specified, 7; total 52, Wounded: shot by bullets, 77; trampled by crowd, 40; total 117.
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