66
HONGKONG RIFLE ASSOCIATION.
Twenty members were present on Saturday to compete for the Long Range Cup. The shooting on the whole was not good. The Cap was won by Capt. Ferguson, R.B., and the Spoons by Mr. Deas, Capt. Bentinck, Private Godbeer, R. B., and Mr. Stewart. The following were the best scores:—
Capt. Ferguson, R.B. Mr. Deas
800
900 H'cap yds. yds. points.
10 41 10
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
III.-For some time previous to the riots, vile reports were circulated and placards inciting to riot were posted in and around the city. (See placards and 2.) These the officials made no effort to suppress, although repeatedly requested to do so by the missionaries. (See statements of Canright, Peat, Kilborn, and Cady.)
IV. At the time the riots began there were thousands of soldiers stationed in and about the Total.city, at the command of the officials, and there were three camps, each having several hundred foreign-drilled troops within five minutes' walk of the place first attacked. (See map.)
V.As soon as a riot was apprehended the officials were notified and help requested from at least two sources. This help was either re- fused or delayed until too late to be effective. (See Kilborn, Peat, and Cauright)
91
28
2,8
20
76
Capt. Bentinck, R.B.
25
89
10
174
Private Godbeer, R.B.
34
39
73
Mr. Stewart
20
41
12
73
Corporal Wooldrige, R.B.. 32
99
71
Corporal Ratty, R.B.
27
41
2
70
Sergeant Ryan, R.B.
31
33
64
Captain Palmer
25
32
3
60
Private Wilson, R.B.
28.
26
6
60
THE AMERICAN COMMUNITY AT SHANGHAI AND THE OUT-
RAGES IN SZECHUEN.
VI-The destruction and looting of the pro- perty in Chêngtu extended over a period of thirty-six hours, during which time nothing like an adequate effort was made by the officials to interfere with the rioters, notwith- standing there was an interval of five hours in which there was absolute cessation of the rioting.
The following is the report presented at the adjourned meeting of American citizens held at VII.-The few soldiers and yamen runners Shanghai on the 15th inst, regarding the recent who were sent under pretence of suppressing outrages in Szechnen. The meeting was numer- the riots were seen to be actively engaged in ously attended, and the report was unanimously the work of looting and destruction. The adopted and ordered to be transmitted to the Magistrate and the Prefect visited the scene of U.S. Minister at Peking and the State Depart-the riot during the first day, and immediately ment at Washington :-
they appeared quiet and order were restored; but The Committee appointed at the meeting of as soon as they left, and before they were out of American citizens held at Shanghai on 1st July, sight, the rioting was renewed with increased to ascertain the facts in reference to the Sze-fury. (See Hartwell.) chuen outrages and to draft a preamble and re- VIII. At daylight on the second day of the solutions to be submitted to a fature meeting beg riots, some of the missionaries went to the yamen to report as follows:-
of the Huayanghsien for protection, and the were sent away with the statement that the official was asleep. The underlings assured them that there was no danger on their street, and adequate protection was promised. This
right.)
[July 24, 1895.
such other American citizens as shall be qualified by a knowledge of the Chinese language to deal with this matter, and from long residence in and familiarity with the customs of the country, to proceed at the earliest possible moment to Chêngtu, there to thoroughly investigate the causes and fix the responsibility of these riots.
Resolved, 2nd, That in our opinion a money indemnity alone is utterly insufficient to meet the demands of this case, and that we insist upon the prompt and adequate punishment of the guilty parties, no matter what their rank or station may be.
Resolved, 3rd-That we ask our Government to make provision for the immediate return of the American missionaries to their stations in the Szechuen province, and that their right to reside and prosecute their work in the interior of China be published throughout the provinces of the Central Government.
H. W. BOONE, JOHN R. HYKE8, C. F, REID,
G. F. FITCH,
R. T. BRYAN,
Committee.
JAPANESE EMIGRATION.
The Committee has had several meetings and interviews with the missionaries from Chôngtu and other places in Szechuen, and from their written and oral statements and from copies of official proclamations (all of which the Compromise, however, was never falfilled. (See Can-idea, they are generally sure to find themselves mittee recommend to be published with the pro- ceedings of this meeting) have ascertained the following facts :-
IX-The telegraph operator at Chèngtu was forbidden by the Viceroy to transmit mes I. From proclamations issued by the leading sages for the missionaries, while at the same officials in the province of Szechuen, previous to time he (the Viceroy) was causing telegrams to and at the time of the riots, it appears evident be sent to all the offices in the West, stating that they are largely responsible for these dis- that a mutilated child had been found at a turbances. In support of this see
foreign place, as a resultof which looting and burn- 1.-Accompanying copy of a proclamationing went on as by a concerted plan. Telegrams issued by Li Taotai, General Manager of Foreign from the missionaries were also refused at the Affairs; Provincial Treasurer Wang; Chang Chungking office on the plea that the Viceroy Taotai, General Manager of Foreign Affairs; would not permit anyone to send telegrams which
made reference to the riots. and Expectant Taolai Shen.
As a result of the 2. The proclamation issued 29th May by Ex-Viceroy's obstruction of the telegraph lines to pectant Taotai Chow, Chief of Police for the two Chêngtu (of which there are three) it was ten Hsiens (districts) of the capital, and
days before the fate of the missionaries was known at Shangbai. (See Cady and Lewis.)
X-No. adequats measures were taken to restore order, during or after the riots, until imperative instructions came from Peking; upon which quiet was restored, the Magistrates having the assurance that such action would be approved. XL-As a result of the riots in Chêngtu and the delay in promulgating the instructions from Peking, the disturbances rapidly spread nutil all the missions in the province became more or less involved.
3.-The Viceroy's proclamation of the same date.
It will be seen from these proclamations that what purported to be a promulgation of the terms of the Berthémy Convention in obedience to the instructions of the Tsungli Yamen, dated the 31st of October, 1894, was in fact in direct contravention of the same proclamation (No. 1) issued by the Provincial Foreign Office, was widely posted throughout the province, and was so well understood that immediately after its promulgation it was commonly said among the people that the Viceroy intended to drive the missionaries out of Szechuen.
The proclamations (Nos. 2 and 3) issued by the Chief of Police and the Viceroy, were cal- culated to incite and encourage the riots rather than to suppress them.
The rioters assembled at the north-east corner of the city (see No. 1 on map) and had to go the entire length of the parade ground (see No. 2 on map) and past the soldiers camp (800 No. 3 on map) to the first point of attack, the Canadian Methodist Mission (see "A" on map). No effort was made to stop them, and when the missionaries fled to the camp for pro- tection they were driven out and one of the ladies brutally kicked by a soldier.
There was a Roman Catholic mission only a stone's throw from the Viceregal yamên, and yet so sure were the rioters that they would not be interfered with that this place. directly under the eye of the Viceroy, was boldly looted and demolished.
L
II-Previous to the issuing of this proola- mation (No. 1) the attitude of the people, in Chengtu and other ports of the Szechuen province, towards the missionaries was uniformly and unusually friendly.
Resolutions.
Whereas, the above facts clearly indicate that the riots in Szechuen, which swept away in a few days the fruit of years of toil and sacrifice, and which have resulted in the wanton destruction of much valuable property belonging to American citizens, rendering homeless and destitute no less than twenty-four adult American missionaries, and subjecting to violence and insult delicate women and helpless children, were officially in- spired and encouraged, and
Mr. Nakagawa, Japanese Consul in Long- kong, has submitted a report upon Japanese emigration. It being quite natural, he says, that the number of Japanese who go abroad should increase with the progress of the nation's foreign intercourse, it is of course against rea- son to interfere with the movement. Still, emi- grants that now leave Japan for foreign shores being used to a simple mode of life at home and being quite ignorant of the keen competition prevailing in foreign countries, are mostly under the delusion that if once they emigrate they can obtain high wages without undergoing any particular hardships. Labouring under that
confronted with difficulties in regard to their subsistence, and even when fortunate enough to find employers they are liable to be subjected to treatment even inferior to that generally accorded to Chinese employes. Last winter, for instance, about thirty Japanese arrived in Hongkong with the purpose of going to North Borneo. Their travelling expenses were fraudulently appro- priated by their guide, and they were obliged to stay in Hongkong, though it was evident that they could not compete with Chinese as labourers. After some while, several succeeded in getting to Borneo, but
returned, finding themselves unable to carry on the work expected of them. Sickness broke out among them in Hongkong, and the Consulate obliged to send more than twenty home. North Borneo was reported upon last year after a careful inspection by the Consul, and he therefore regrets exceedingly that, despite the warning contained in that report, local offices should so far disregard it as to allow emigrants to leave Japan for that region. Not a few publicists hold that foreign emigration is an important element in extending the prosperity of Japan.
soon
was
These men know nothing about foreign countries, or about the requirements of foreign labour, their knowledge of the subject Con. being derived mainly from newspapers. sequently, whenever they hear of a new country being opened up, they suffer themselves to be deluded into thinking that it would be well to send Japanese labour thither, while they always expect the venture to turn out highly profit- able. Now and then they specially send out an exploring agent. In such a case the new country, needing labour badly, treats the de- legate with all possible hospitality and affords His stay in the place him every convenience. is limited, however, and it is not possible for him to conduct sufficient or proper inquiries. Hardships, therefore, too often await the Japan- ese emigrant. Especially when the needs of Whereas, we find that these violent demon- | imported labour are argent, it is not infrequent strations were directed not so mach against for such a country to promise unusually favour- missionaries as such, but as a part of a wide-able conditions, simply to entice emigrants, spread anti-foreign propaganda, and
Whereas, we believe that unless prompt and adequate measures are taken by our government to bring to punishment the guilty parties the safety of all American interests in China will be imperilled, and
Whereas, the honour and prestige of the Government of the United States must certainly suffer from any unsatisfactory settlement of these troubles, therefore,
Resolved, 1st. That we respectfully urge the Government of the United States to imme diately appoint a Commission, headed by a Con- sular officer of highest rank and consisting of
although the authorities have no real intention of fulfilling these glowing promises. The emi- gration of Japanese labourers must be conducted with the utmost precantion. Since the pro- ject of sending Japanese labourers abroad was conceived, with the single exception of Hawaii, no successful result has reached the ears of the writer of the report. The disastrous failures of the Fijii, and New Caledonia settlements are
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