Directory_and_Chronicle_1935 — Page 542

A 158

SHANGHAI

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 They remained as a garrison until December, 1902, when they were withdrawn.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 overa we them. In addition to the Volunteers, the Municipal police, European and Sikh, 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 Peping 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 nominally over possession of Shanghai during the summer of 1924 between Kiangsu and Chekiang. The Volunteers of the Settlement were mobilised, but no attack was made on the Settlement. On May 30th, 1925, there was rioting outside the Louza Police Sta- tion and the Police were forced to fire upon the crowd. There were a number of casualties, and a general strike of the Chinese followed with unrest, engineered largely by Bolshevik and anti-foreign influences, in many parts of China. Throughout 1926 the unrest continued and there were many labour troubles but general trade pro- ceeded with little interruption. At the beginning of 1927, however, more serious trouble was feared owing to the occurrences at Hankow and the approach of the Nationalist forces, and the Powers therefore agreed to garrison the Settlement.

The taking over of Manchuria by the Japanese in September 1931 led to a boycott culminating in the Sino-Japanese hostilities round Shanghai at the beginning of 1932. As a result great alarm was caused to the foreigners residing in the foreign concessions in Shanghai on account of the proximity of the fighting, and at one time the advisab- ility of evacuating the place was even considered. However, after considerable damage had been done to the Chinese territories around Shanghai, particularly Chapei, a truce was signed in the middle of 1932 between China and Japan by which the latter was literally recognised as the virtual ruler of the three North-Eastern provinces...

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