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SETTLEMENT OF THE FRENCH |CLAIMS IN SZECHUEN.
THE EX-VICEROY TO PAY THE BILL.
SEVERAL OFFICIALS TO BE DEGRADED.
It will be welcome news to all foreigners in China to learn that there is one European Power which deals with Chins gently but firmly, and the series of outrages which set Szechuen is insisting wisely upon speedy reparation for ablaze a couple of months ago. We learn that the work of the French Commission at Cheng tu is almost over, and the main terms of the settlement for the outrages have been practically agreed upon. Bishop Dunand, who holds the full delegated powers of the French Minister, M. Gerard, has carried every point in his deliberations with the Chinese Com- missioners, and the French Minister, who re- ceives his telegraphic reports daily, has obliged the Central Government to adopt all the find ings of his distinguished deputy. The Bishop is installed in the yamen of the Provincial Trea surer at Chengtu, and is treated with the fullest honour and respect by the Chinese officials and people. The infamous ex-Viceroy, Liu Ping- chang, resides a few yards off in Chengtu since his ignominious return from Lochou. When he was so abruptly ordered back, without escort, pomp, or the usual trappings of a high Chinese dignitary, his rage is described as something terrible All the people in Szechuen are de lighted at his degradation on account of his evil reputation while in power, and they are de- lighted to find that the chief burden of the settlement will fall upon him without his hav- ing the means to extort a penny back, which he would have done had he not been out of office. The terms of the settlement, so far as they have been communicated to us, are:-
The further degradation of the ex-Viceroy Liu Ping-chang.
The degradation and dismissal of bis Secre- tary, who was promoted to the office of Taotai in a neighbouring city after the riots. (He has already been removed from his office).
The degradation and dismissal of the two Prefects, who stirred up the riots by giving open credence to the slanders against foreigners.
The full reinstatement of the French mis- sionaries and the public recognition of their status by the Szechnen officials.
The rebuilding of all the missions, hospitals, schools, etc., belonging to the French (on a larger scale than before), at the expense of the Chinese officials.
The payment of compensation of between Tls. 700,000 and Tls. 800,000 by the ex-Viceroy, Lin Ping-chang, out of his own private hoard.
The minor details have not been all arranged yet, but we expect to be in possession of the full particulars before the end of the month.
All the French missionaries are in Chengtu and the other stations, and pending the rebuild ing of their premises residences have been found for them by the officials.-China Gazette.
SERIOUS ANTI-CHRISTIAN RISING AT HOK CHIONG.
Foochow, 31st August. A rumour current on Thursday was confirmed by later news received yesterday about a rising against the native Christians in the Hok Chiong district. The leading gentry assisted by the
yamen underlings had commenced an attack on the Christian Chinese and up to the 28th inst. eight houses had been destroyed after plunder: ing them of everything that could be carried away. The cattle also of the Christians had been taken away by the plunderers. The women and children escaped, but some of the men had been wounded, and the last reports say that one of the wounded was not expected to live. The Magistrate was appealed to five times, but refused to do anything. He then issued & proclamation which was really nothing else than a justification of this attack on the
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
[September 12, 1895.
HONGKONG.
Telegraphic information was received this week that Mr. A. G. Wise had been appointed Puisne Judge. The appointment will cause much satisfaction not only to the legal fraternity but to the public generally. There have been one or two interesting cases in the Supreme the extraordinary death at Capsuimoon was Court, and at the Magistracy the enquiry re
closed. The police arrested seven coolies for carrying letters from Macao to Hongkong, but they were all discharged, as the practice is one master-General desired to issue a warning to the of long standing in the colony and the Post-
Chinese before putting the law into opera- tion. The fourth Gymkhana, which was held on Saturday, afforded considerable pleasure to a large number of people.
hints were given as to how its faultiness should be dealt with. This was the interpretation the people put on his allusions and they openly declared their intention of obey ing what they considered the private hints of the mandarins. The following day the work of destruction commenced, chiefly carried on by leaders belonging to the Magis tinued until Monday, the 26th, and when the trates' yamen. The work of destruction con
ings of the gentry and headman of the yamen messenger left with the news there were meet- going on for the purpose of forming plans for the destruction of the mission house and church. and for the extermination of all the Christians. The ostensible pretext for the attack was that the Christians refused to subscribe towards the support of the idolatrous processions and ceremonies. The Magistrate in the midst of the excitement issued another proclamation denouncing the Christians for not contributing towards these processions, which of course encouraged the people to make the attack. Pending further news it is very much feared that there will be a general destruction of life $19,572, being an increase of $6,309 on the and property. If the District Magistrate could not be trusted to issue a proper proclama- tion, the Viceroy ought to have had it drawn up in his own office; they are both responsible. The issuing of that double-meaning proclama- tion by the Magistrate on the 21st instant was a deliberate piece of mischief; his intention is perfectly plain, and our Consuls ought to see that he is made to answer for it. We under- stand that a copy of this proclamation was sent in to the Viceroy by H.B.M. Consul, but it is possible that he did not receive it in time to prevent the trouble. There are five thousand Christians belonging to the Church of England alone, and probably three thousand or more in connection with the American Methodist Mis-
sion.--Echo.
}
ATTACK ON A FOREIGN RAILWAY OFFICIAL AT SHAN-HAI-KUAN.
H.M.S. Pique left on Tuesday for Takow. There were 1,907 visitors to the City Hall Museum-last week, of when 140 were Europeans. The stamp revenue last month amounted to
amount collected in the corresponding month last year.
of interest on loans from 7 per cent. to 6 per We hear that the reduction in the Bank rate per cent. has been practically decided upon and will probably come into effect next month.
A few days ago a Chinaman was taken to the Government Civil Hospital. He had been fishing with dynamite and was unfortunate enough to get both his arms blown off with a charge.
The P. & O. steamer Verona, which arrived from Japan on Tuesday, experienced a heavy typhoon after leaving Nagasaki She lost two of her boats and the chief officer met with rather a severe accident.
The Secretary of the Punjom Mining Co., Limited, advises us that he has received the following telegram from the Mines, being the result of August crushing" Mill ran 21 days crushing 800 tons yielding 405 ounces of gold."
It is reported that the Directors of the Hongkong, Canton, and Macao Steamboat Co., Limited, are inclined to waive their opposition to the proposed return of capital to shareholders to the extent of $5 per share, and the return is now regarded as certain to be carried out.
A contemporary says Lieutenant-Colonel About 7 a.m., on the 29th August, a Hunan Barrow, Commandant of the Hongkong Regi- soldier entered the engine shed and the watchment, probably succeeds Colonel Shakespear as man ordered him to go out; this he refused to Assistant Adjutant-General at Rawalpindi in do, and was ejected by the shed hands from October, thus rendering the Hongkong com-
mand vacant. the yard. Other soldiers, some twenty in num- ber, then attacked the yard, throwing stones from the low gates. At this moment Traffic Inspector Moore and Driver Inspector Terris came in at the other end of the yard and rushed forward to prevent the gates being forced. The soldiers, after throwing more stones, then retreated and Mr. Moore then returned through the yard and went on the departure platform to start the train to Tientsin. Here, the soldiers, more than 200 in number, on seeing him alone, shouted Tah! Tah! and attacked him with carrying poles, knocked his sun helmet off, and gave him several blows. His face being covered with blood he could only manage to run into one of the station rooms, and but for the help of a station policeman, who was also injured, he would have certainly been killed. Mr. Terris saw the affair from the coal stage, some sixty yards off, but could render no help, as there was a dense crowd on the platform, with a wall
between.
į
1
Inspector Moore, in the course of his duty, has had repeatedly to use force in ejecting from the trains all kinds of rowdy soldiers--and even officials of the camp. It is thought not un- likely that he has been a marked man and that the soldiers got the cue from someone in authority to seize a favourable opportunity to
attack him.
46
The Chinese, other than the soldiers, will be delighted if this case is severely dealt with, because they are all in constant fear of the troops, and can get no redress-Peking and Tientsin Times.
The Viceroy Chang has, the N. C. Daily News says, sent by special couriers, travelling 400 li a day, copies of the recent Imperial decree commanding extra protection to foreigners to every one of the prefects and department and He district magistrates within his special jurisdic- had issued one on the 21st inst. re tion of Kiangsu province to post in the various the Kucheng Massacre. In this he made some cities and has also sent instructions to his classical allusions which pointed to Christianity lieutenants the Governors of Kiangsi and as a false and dangerous system, and covert Anhui to do the same in their territories.
Christians.
A sporadic case of plague was notified by the Acting Colonial Surgeon as having occurred on Saturday evening in an opium divan at No. The patient, a man 34 Possession Street. years of age, was transferred to the Ken. nedytown Hospital and died at 9.30 p.m. the following day.
The following paragraph appears in some of "The Right Rev. Dr. the home papers: Burdon has resigned the Bishopric of Victoria, Hongkong, which he has held for twenty-one years. Dr. Burdon went out to China as a mis- sionary as far back as the year 1852" enquiry of Bishop Burdon we learn that the statement is not correct.
On
At 11.30 on Friday night an alarm of fire was raised in the Queen's Road West. Smoke was seen issuing from a window on the second floor of a Chinese shop, but owing to the prompt action of the inmates, the fire was subdued without the assistance of the Brigade. This was the second alarm of the day, the previous one having been given at 3.40 a.m., when a small fire broke out in the servants' quarters of Messrs.
Wieler & Co., Praya Central, which, however, was put out without the help of the Brigade.
From the Chung Ngoi San Po we learn that a destructive fire occurred at Wuchow, in Kwangsi, on the 3rd inst. It broke out about 9 a.m. and before it was subdued several hundred houses were destroyed and all the telegraph poles were scorched, The loss of life is un- known. As soon as the alarm was given, the people set to work with their water-pumpe, but the fire broke out in several places at once and was not got under until 9 p.m. in the evening, having raged for twelve hours. It is said that the fire was started by robbers with the tion of committing robberies in the confusion.
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