A
moy.
147. The comparative inmunity of Amoy from the dangerous disturbances and riotous outbreaks was due to a great extent to the close and amicable relations between His Majesty's consul, Mr. Hewlett, and Captain Lin Kuo-keng, C.M.G., who served in His Majesty's navy at Jutland and was in command of the naval forces at the port of Amoy. The fact, also, the Mr. Hewlett had frequently enter- tained the local students, amongst whom he had many friends, was of considerable assistance.
148. On the 25th June demonstrations of an anti-foreign nature took place from 9 A. M. to 1:30 P.M., but, in spite of the fact that it had been decided not to send for any British naval assistance, the demonstrations passed off without incident. which showed that the reliance placed on Captain Lin was not in vain.
It was
149. The situation was, however, still one of extreme difficulty and required the utmost tact on the part of the foreign consuls and their nationals.
It was therefore greatly to His Majesty's consul's credit and the methods of peaceful persuasion which he employed, that Mr. Lim Tiong-hock, the prime mover in all the anti-foreign demonstrations, was won over to the side of the moderates. in consequence of this that the strike which had been fixed for the 11th July was postponed until the 1st August at a massed meeting, at which Mr. Lim Tiong-hock spoke up boldly against the strike. As he was returning from this meeting it was most unfortunate that retribution in the form of the vengeance of the strikers should have overtaken him; he was attacked by four assailants and murdered in the street.
150. The opportune arrival of H.M.S. Foxglove on the evening of the 1st August, which coincided with the arrival of telegraphic instructions from Peking. resulted in a most welcome stiffening in the attitude of Captain Lin and the Chinese authorities, in consequence of which the strike, which had been so much advertised by the students, was definitely shelved, and there were no further developments of importance.
Swatow.
LL
151. The indignities to which Mr. Kirke, His Majesty's consul, was subjected throughout the course of the long summer can scarcely have been parallelled in the history of treaty-port relations with the Chinese. In order to account for the malignance of the anti-British feeling at this port, it must be remembered that Swatow is very easily accessible to the virus of Bolshevik propaganda from Canton. It is difficult, in fact, to see how His Majesty's consul could have maintained his position at all without the unfailing support and assistance of His Majesty's navy as represented by Commander Smithwick, R.N., of H.M.S.Bluebell.
152. On the 1st July a mob broke into and completely wrecked three hotels and a store owned by British subjects of Chinese descent, as well as three hotels and two shops owned by Japanese. This destruction took place in full view of the police station and only a few hundred yards from the office of the Chief of Police, but no attempt was made to check the rioters.
153. On the 2nd July all the household servants of British residents left their employers, as also did their clerks and office staffs. His Majesty's consul was therefore from now onwards without any assistance in either house or office, and was compelled to do the work of the lowest class of coolie. Even the British and Japanese gunboats were denied supplies, in direct violation of the Treaty of Tien-tsin. No sampan or ricksha would accept a British or Japanese fare, nor were any storekeepers allowed to sell food to British or Japanese nationals. In short, the unions had terrorised the whole population of the city, and the authority of the unions was the only Chinese authority in Swatow which was functioning,
154. The agitation in this part of Kwangtung Province also assumed a violent anti-Christian character. This was evidenced by reports which reached His Majesty's consul from the surrounding districts. At Wukingfu, for instance, on the 11th July, the English Presbyterian Mission was attacked by Cantonese troops,
26
and the whole staff was forced to flee at a few hours' notice. One of the missionaries was severely beaten, stripped almost naked and threatened with knives. was also niade to gouge his eyes out.
An attempt Two lady missionaries were also savagely beaten and narrowly escaped much worse treatment.
155. The British missionaries from Chachowfu had already been withdrawn to Swatow, while His Majesty's consul also advised the missionaries at Shanghang and Tingchow (Fukien) to leave.
156. In the course of the month of August the pillage of the Taikoo Club in Swatow was completed, and the Masonic Hall as well as the British vice-consul's residence were also looted.
157. By the end of the year the situation as regards the personal discomfort inflicted on His Majesty's consul had been slightly mitigated by the importation of a staff of household servants from Amoy, but these could not be allowed out of the compound or they would have been immediately kidnapped, and all food had to be supplied from Hong Kong.
158.
Canton.
The smouldering embers of anti-foreign hatred were ever ready to be fanned into flame in Canton, even without the assistance of Comrade Borodin and the other Russian advisers attached to the de facto Government of Kwangtung Province.
159. On the 28th May His Majesty's consul-general (Sir James Jamieson, K.C.M.G.) had already invited the very serious attention of the Government to the grave danger of permitting a continuance of the inflammatory proceedings against foreigners indulged in by certain elements in Canton. reminded that two British Indian subjects had only a short while
The Government were murdered on the bund, yet no expression of regret had been forthcoming. The ago been wantonly employee of a British firm had been kidnapped on the West River in broad daylight, and had only been released on payment of a ransom of 2,500 dollars. The press and students were united in inflaming public opinion yet nothing was done to put on the brake. Wilfully to allow so much powder to lie about," said Sir James Jamieson,
is to invite someone ere long to apply a match."
160. On the 17th June
Mr. C. C. Wu that he had learned that at a meeting that afternoon it had been His Majesty's consul-general had informed decided to call a strike against the British, Japanese and Americans as a protest against the Shanghai incident, and, fearing consequent trouble, he offered to meet the members of the Canton Government and to discuss the students' grievances, hoping thus to settle the matter in a spirit of equity.
161. On the 19th June the Chinese crews of certain coastal and river steamers went out on strike. On the 20th June His Majesty's consul-general reported to Peking that a monster demonstration had been arranged for the 23rd and that he had warned all British subjects to keep out of its path. On the 22nd steamer traffic between Hong Kong and Canton was completely suspended, mails and supplies having to be carried by naval tugs. On the 22nd June, the day before the ill-fated procession, His Majesty's consul-general addressed a letter to Mr. C. C. Wu, the Director of Foreign Affairs Bureau at Canton, informing him that he had learned that in the course of a patriotic demonstration arranged for the next day the student gitators intended making martyrs of themselves by attacking the bridges leading to Shameen, and that should any unfortunate incident occur the blood of those who all upon crowd psychology to commit deeds of violence would be upon their own beads. I write in this serious strain so that it may not be said hereafter that brutal Imperialist rifles wantonly massacred unoffending Chinese youths.
162. On the 23rd June the long heralded and anxiously awaited monster demonstration took place. Precautionary measures in anticipation of an expected ttack on Shameen had been taken, and the naval and civilian defence units of the British and French Concessions had taken up their posts with strict instructions to keep out of sight; all other persons being forbidden to appear. His Majesty's sul-general, the senior naval officer, the superintendent of the Shameen police nd one or two naval officers were watching from the British bridge over the ameen creek, and the processions had practically all gone by when suddenly a agle shot rang out from the direction of the Whampoa Cadet Contingent, who armed the rear of the procession.
lowed by a further volley aimed at the island, which killed one French citizen Half a minute elapsed, and this shot was nd wounded the Commissioner of Customs, a British subject, and several other ropeans and Japanese. This fire was returned from Shameen by the French
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