Directory_and_Chronicle_1928 — Page 622

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SHANGHAI

north end of the Bund and was afterwards transferred to the Public Gardens. From 1860 to 1867 one British and two Indian Regiments and a battery of British Artillery were stationed at Shanghai.

Since that time there have been few historical events worthy of record in a brief sketch. On Christmas Eve, 1870, the British Consulate was burned down and most of the records completely lost. In May, 1874, a riot occurred in the French Settlement, owing to the intention of the Municipal Council to make a road through an old graveyard belonging to the Ningpo Guild. One or two Europeans were severely injured, and eight natives lost their lives. A considerable amount of foreign-owned property was destroyed. An extensive fire in the French Concession in August, 1879, destroyed 221 houses; the loss was estimated at Tls. 1,500,000. The foreign Settlements celebrated their jubilee on 17th and 18th November, 1893, when, it is estimated, 500,000 strangers visited Shanghai. A medal was struck in commemoration of the occasion. In 1894 a fire outside the native city along the river bank having cleared away a great and noisome collection of huts and hovels, advantage was taken of this clearing by the native Authorities to make a broad Bund on the model of the Foreign Settlement roads. This Bund extends from the south corner of the French Bund, along the river some three and a half miles, to the Arsenal at Kao Chang Miao. It was formally de- clared open by the Taotai in October, 1897. A Council was formed to supervise this Bund and attend to other native municipal matters; its offices are situated in the Bureau for Foreign Affairs, in the Bubbling Well Road. It controls a special force of police composed of Siklis and Chinese. A riot occurred on 5th and 6th April, 1897, in consequence of an increase in the wheelbarrow tax. It was suppressed by the Volunteers and sailors from the men-of-war in port, without loss of life. The Consuls and Municipal Council having submitted to the dictation of the Wheelbarrow Guild, an indignation public meeting was held on the 7th April, the largest meeting ever held in the Settlements up to that date. At this meeting the action of the Authorities was so strongly condemned that the Council resigned. A new Council was elected and the tax enforced, the French Municipal Council increasing their tax in like proportion. Another riot took place on 16th and 17th July, 1898, owing to the Authorities of the French Settlement having decided to remove the "Ningpo Joss House." The French Volun- teers were called out and a force landed from men-of-war, which measures speedily sup- pressed the riot, fifteen natives being reported killed and many wounded. In 1900, Great Britain, France, Germany, and Japan landed troops at Shanghai for the protection of the Settlements, the presence of the troops being deemed necessary owing to the threat- ening aspect of the natives at the time operations were being conducted in the north in consequence of the Boxer rising. They remained as a garrison until December, 1902, when they were withdrawn. In December, 1905, differences arose between the local Chinese and British officials regarding the jurisdiction of the British Assessor of the Mixed Court, leading to a situation that called for the intervention of an armed foreign force. Inflammatory placards were posted throughout the native city and in the Settlement itself urging a general strike for the purpose of asserting so-called Chinese_rights, and on the 18th December serious rioting occurred in the streets, when several foreigners were subjected to rougli usage at the hands of the mob. Determined attacks were made on the Hongkew and Louza police stations. The latter station was set on fire and partially wrecked. Encouraged by this success the rioters directed their incendiary efforts to the annexe of the Hotel Metropole. Their designs were happily frustrated by a force of bluejackets and volunteers who arrived on the scene, but it was not before shots had been fired and a few of the rioters killed that the mob dispersed. In the Nanking Road also the police found it necessary to fire on the mob with ball cartridge, two rounds of blank cartridges having failed to overawe them. In addition to the Volunteers, the Municipal police, European and Sikhi, who appeared on the streets armed with rifles and fixed bayonets, upwards of 3,000 bluejackets were landed from warships of various nationalities for the protection of the Settlement. The men behaved with great moderation, but speedily convinced the rioters that their conduct was ill-advised. The Viceroy himself came to Shanghai to settle the dispute, and the Mixed Court, after being closed for a fortnight, was re-opened with Mr. Twyman, the British Assessor (whose dismissal the Taotai had demanded), still on the Bench. The Corps Diploma- tique at Peking somewhat unfortunately yielded to the demand of the Chinese officials, and this prevented any satisfactory conclusion being arrived at, both parties, the Municipality and the Chinese Magistrates, being unsatisfied. Shanghai in August, 1913, was the scene of some fighting in connection with the abortive rebellion against Yuan Shih-kai. A large force of revolutionaries made several determined attempts to capture the arsenal, but did not succeed. There was fighting, also, in the immediate district