Copy.
45
Enclosure No. 4.
Enel 3
*
Desecration of Foreign Graves at Pakhoi.
Instigated by the All-China Labour Union at Pakhoi, a
number of Chinese rowdies early in July broke down the heavy
wooden door at the main entrance of the British Cemetery at
Pakhoi and entered the graveyard. They repeated the act of
vandalism perpetrated just a year ago by smashing some of
the tombstones and scattering the fragments in an adjoining
field. It was a wanton act of desecration to irritate the
small foreign community residing at Pakhoi.
Conspicuous among the tombstones that were smashed is one erected in memory of Captain Henry Archibald McInnes,
a British subject, and at one time harbour-master in the
service of the Chinese Maritime Customs. Nor did the vandals
spare the graves in the French Cemetery, several tombstones
in which were also broken down by the Chinese.
Attempts were made in both the cemeteries to dig up some of the graves. When it was learnt that the Chinese were proceeding to such an extreme in their desecration, the Trustee of the Foreign Cemeteries at Pakhoi lodged a
protest with the Chinese officer commanding the troops at
Pakhoi, at the same time asking for protection of the
cemeteries by Chinese soldiers. The Chinese garrison commander promptly despatched a number of soldiers, upon whose arrival at the cemeteries the rioters dispersed and further damage was prevented in good time.
(Sd.) J. P. Braga.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.