August 1, 1895.]
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
PUNISHMENT FOR THE SZECHUEN would reduce the business to a farce and at diverse conclusions on points of detail,
leave the Chinese masters of the situation,
OUTRAGES.
HOSPITALITY.
The meeting of American citizens held at Shanghai in connection with the Szechuen A FRENCH JOURNAL ON ENGLISH outrages adopted the right course in urging upon their Government to appoint a com- mission to investigate the causes of the riots on the spot and to fix the responsibility for them; and in declaring that a monetary in- demnity alone would be utterly insufficient to meet the demands of the case. It has been shown that the riots were officially in- stigated. This is not merely an impression of the missionaries, but is proved by the official proclamations issued both before and after the disturbances. One of these proclamations, issued on the 29th May by CHOW Taotal, a Hunan man and Chief of Police for the two Hsiens of the capital (Chengtu), was as follows:-"At the pre- sent time we have obtained clear proof that "foreigners deceive and kidnap sinall "children. You soldiers and people must When the cases are brought before us we certainly "will not be lenient with them." This was issued after the riots at Chengtu had com- menced, and it could not fail to prove an incentive to further violence. The prime mover in the whole affair was the foreign hating ex-Viceroy, from whom the lower officials gladly took their cue. It is the ex-Viceroy, therefore, on whom the principal punishment should fall. One of the speakers at the Shanghai meeting said: We feel "that it would be a perfect farce and an "immense injury to every foreigner in this
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"not be disturbed and excited.
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EVENTS IN FORMOSA,
77
FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.
ANPING, 23rd July. Another peri d of absolute calm, and no sign of the invaders. This rather puzzles the unfor tunate neutral, who was ordered away weeks ago, because of "the impending hostilities between the Japanese and Black Flags"! Disturbances supposed that if General Liu does not receive are reported from the inland districts, and it is help from the mainland he will leave the island soldiers towards the foreigner continues to be with his troops. His attitude and that of his most friendly. U.M.S. Rainbow arrived to-day and H.M.S. Redbreast goes to Amoy to-morrow.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT WITH THE JAPANESE ARMY.]
The Courrier d'Haiphong, in an article sarcastically headed "L'Hospitalière Albion," brings what it apparently considers a heavy indictment against the authorities at Aden, whom it charges with churlish inhospitality, It appears that the French chartered trans- Port Comorin, having met with an accident to her machinery in the Red Sea, had to put
TWATUTIA, 15th July. into Aden, and to remain there until a new
Affairs aro growing worse and worse and un- piston was sent out to her from Marseilles. less the Japanese replace their policy of extreme The vessel had on board about nine hundred leniency in dealing with the rebels for one of men of the Marine Infantry, whose discom- strict nafeeling severity, the indications are fort, cooped up on board ship in the heat of that all the peacefully inclined Chinese will Aden, may be imagined. The officer in com-leave the country for the mainland; for placed mand, desiring to secure for the men faci- practically between two fires, being forced to serv. first the Chinese soldiers and then the litities for exercise and recreation, applied to Japanese, to the sacrifice of property and some- the Governor, through the French Consul, times life, and with no indication of decreasing for permission to land them daily in detach-hostilities, it has caused these people, naturally ments of say two hundred. The permission so cowardly, to be possessed with great fear. was accorded, but under the conditions that They cannot rightfully accuse the Japanese the men should be in charge of an officer of the least act of injustice, but even here in the and, accompanied by an armed guard of non-city where the Chinese are offered every protec commissioned officers, should march without and unappreciated, but is seemingly taken ac- tion, kindness is not only totally misunderstood breaking their ranks in a space which might tually as an injustice. be estimated at about three hundred metres When the Japanese first arrived many Chi- in length. Our contemporary waxes very nese were brought into their service, many con indignant over these conditions and says senting not because they wanted to, but because that, as may be supposed, the permission they considered it obligatory to obey. And as granted was not availed of, to the great they did not expect their conquerors would
have SO much condescension, they country if a simple money indemnity were astonishment, it appears, of the Governor, secretly greatly astonished at being paid gen- and for a fortnight the nine hundred menerously and without delay, often from the lowest remained on the Comorin contemplating soldiers in the army, As they expected being from afar the bare rocks on which hospitable forced to work without any compensation what England has mounted her cannon.
ever, one would naturally think they would ap- This absurd complaint only merits noticepreciate the generous payment and would be as showing the childish irritability French satisfied; but no, they refused to work unless writers display towards England on any doubly paid, and we find now the char.es high and every occasion. Perhaps English- men sometimes reciprocate. The other day a launch going from Hongkong to Singapore had
to pant into
Saigon for water. There was some little delay in supplying her and it was given out by a Singapore paper as a case of French dis- courtesy," though it was no doubt due to nothing more serious than red tape, or quarantine regulations, or something of the
were
and unreasonable.
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..
were
I think the discipline observed by the troops since their arrival has been splendid, although as I make this statement the Chinese complain of the terrible outragos committed, contradic- tions which I trust the reader will decide in my favour, upon considering the character of the Chinese. It is scarcely possible but that con- querors, to whatever country they belong, will sometimes abuse their rights, and the Japanese soldiers have been no exoption, but in their case the very few slight injuries have been rages. I investigated a most terrific pow. WOW that was raging in a small Chinese shop- and found the crime, which from appearances no less than 3 murder, could have been was committed by a Japanese, who had made some purchases to the amount of one dolar and in place of tendering a mutilated chop dollar had placed a brand new one yon paper note, actually having a current value three. or four cents above the ordinary Formosa chop dollar, or the counter and departed. As a great deal of paper money had been circulated a bright Chinamenof my acquaintance preyed upon the ignorance of his fellow beings, and opened notes, until it finally soaked through the heads of au exchange office, giving chop dollars for yeu the unsophisticated Chinese that they were losing three or four per cent. on their money, for the civil authorities were exchanging bright now silver yeu for pape money, if anyone did not. desire the latter.
allowed to settle this matter, and if any "high officials who have instigated and
encouraged these riots
allowed to go free, while the chief sufferers by the riots, who have been friendly to the mis- sionaries and who would be the losers, "should suffer." These remarks will be endorsed by every foreigner in China. It is only by means of an international com- mission that a just decision cau be arrived at. If the matter be left to the Chinese themselves occasion will almost certaruly be taken to represent some of the humble friends or supporters of the missionaries as the chief culprits, as was done in the so-called investigation which followed the murders of Messrs. WIKHOLM and JOHANSSEN two years ago. The longer effective kind, for it would be ridiculous to suppose | taken by the Chinese as the most enormous out- action is delayed in bringing the instigators that the French authorities would inten- of the anti-foreign movement to justice the tionally place obstacles in the way of a greater will be the danger of a repetition of vessel short of water replenishing her sup. outrages upon the missionaries in the in-plies. In the case of the French transport terior and upon foreigners in general at the at Aden, however, it is not necessary to set Treaty Ports. An international commission, up any excuse for what occurred. There is consisting of representatives of the United only one point on which the complaint States, France, Great Britain, and China, to might be held to possess some measure of try the ex-Viceroy Lau and the lesser officials reason, and that is the extent of the ground concerned in the Szechuen riots should be at on which exercise was to be permitted. If once appointed and the decision of the com. an English transport had occasion to put mission should be enforced by whatever means into a French fortified harbour for repairs may be found necessary. If there is any
troops would trouble about the matter the instructions to not be allowed to land promiscuously and the gun-boats should be, “Don't hesitate to overrun the place at their own will. It is shoot." Instead of acting in concert with
even doubtful, we think, whether permission the other Powers, however, France is stated to land would be accorded at all. But, sup- to have already secured the appointment of posing permission to be given, it might a Franco-Chinese Commission. If that re-reasonably be expected that the lipits within sults in the punishment of the guilty parties France will be welcome to whatever political capital she can make out of the affair; but if ever there was a case in which concerted action was desirable this is one. France, America, and England have all alike been injured and the demand for the punishment of the guilty parties should be made in common. To have three separate commissions sitting to try Liu and his associates, pos- sibly working on different lines and arriving
it is certain that the
which uiarching exercise was to be allowed would be sufficient to give the huen room. to turn round. And enquiry would probably show that the French complaint even où this point is unfounded. According to the Haiphong paper the space indicated might be "estimated" at three hundred metres. But estimates are very elastic, especially when made under a sense of irritation. Possibly if the estimate were multiplied by five it would be nearer the mark.
Yesterday a mob of a hundred or two Chinese fired on some couriers who were on their way to Tienglick, and as it occured only a short distavos from Twatutia, the firing could opensionly be
heard hero.
It created a great deal of excitement among the Chinese who aro absolutely incorrigible, several hundred loving for Hob. to cross to the mainland. The report was promptly put in circulation advanced and were then just outside the city. hat the big southeru army had and were going to retake the foreign city of Twatutia and the walled city of Taipehfu at
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