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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
"We heard a touching experience from an
November 7, 1895.
red sash, and each leader was to wear-a-silk sash and would also have a whist The rebels were to attack the Manchus and Banner- men, and revolvers, which had been shipped on the Powan would be distributed whe
when the
gang arrived. If the Customs officers arrested any of the number on board the instructions were that the prisoners were to go quietly at first, but at a given -signal the remainder, had to fire on the officers and
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Germany, who would no doubt oppose any with which the writer accepts any tale on which demand for additional indemnity. As to
a beautiful theory can be hung, of which the LIU himself, he is in favour with his Gov- following may be taken as a sample:-- ernment and the provincial officials, and Englishman, who, falling ill was nursed with although he would probably be willing great devotion by a Japanese mother and enough to lead a rebellion if he thought it daughter. He became worse, dangerously ill, would result in his own personal advan- and the younger woman disappeared for two or tage, the quixotic movement promoted from three days. When she returned, he learned Hongkong will hardly commend itself to that she had undertaken a pilgrimage to some his judgment sufficient to induce him mountain shrine to present offerings on his effect a rescue. The man was further informed to endanger his present official position.surance that he would recover.
behalf, and now she was rejoicing in the as- that two thousand men had already left Macao
The patient for Canton, and that there were also th In resisting the Japannse in Formosa
laughed at the idea of prayers to heathen thousand weavers in the city, all of whom after the island had been formally ceded idols' doing him any good; but, with tearful would aid in the rising; they could be distin by the Emperor of China he committed eyes, she begged him not to scoff at her gods-guished by the red sashes. Until this information an offence against his own Government, it hurt her. Need I add that the little but it is an offence which the Emperor's ad- mousme's prayers were answered and the visers will regard as a patriotic service, and Englishman did recover? it is safe to affirm that in the absence of charming resemblance in this story to that of Naaman the Syrian and the little captive maid strong pressure by Japan he will not be
of Israel?" visited by any mark of Imperial displeasure. He pleads, moreover, that he never recivede instructions to abandon the defence of For- mosa, and that in the absence of such in- structions he was bound to hold out as long as he could. If that statement be founded on fact it shows that the Chinese Government
has been neglectful of its duties in the matter and in addition to imposing unneces- sary trouble on the Japanese also unjustifi- ably exposed its own officers and troops to a conflict in which they were bound to be defeated.
REVIEWS.
Clear Round. Seeds of Story from Other Countries. By E. A. GORDON, Member of the Japan Society, London. New Edition. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Co., Limited.
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MRS. GORDON gives a pleasant narrative of her trip round the world. Professor Max Muller in an introductory letter writes:- “Your book Clear Round has been a great delight to me. of travelling all round the world, without It is a very pleasant way any fatigue." He is careful to add that in accounting for the similarities between various religions I cannot always agree with you. But the spirit of your book is excellent, and I hope the book may be largely read." The spirit of the book may be gathered from the following passage from the author's preface:-
And is there not a
As stated on the title page, "Clear Round" can be obtained of Messrs Kelly and Walsh, Limited.
Fred C. Roberts of Tientsin or For Christ and China. By Mrs. BRYSON. London: H. R. Allenson.
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labours of Dr. Roberts, a medical missionary This is an appreciative record of the life and who died in harness last year. Dr. Roberts was a man of strong and attractive person- ality and the tribute paid to his memory by Mrs. Bryson will be welcomed by those who were associated with him in his work in the North and by the friends and sympathizers of missionary effort, and more particulary medical missions.
THE ATTEMPTED INSURRECTION AT CANTON.
was vouchsafed the man was under the impres sion that soldiers were really wanted, but he found he had been working in ignorance of the true state of things, he threw over all respon- sibility and refused to take further part in the affair.
Contrary to expectations the Powan did carry a large number of revolvers and ammunition on board. They were all packed in five cement casks, but were not touched during the voyage. Strict secrecy was kept as to the nature of this cargo, which of course the police were not empowered to search before the vessel left for quiries at the shop of Kwong Hing Un, 81, Canton. On Monday, however, they made in-
Praya Central. This firm does business as ex- porters and also undertakes to pay Customs duty. On Sunday a man named Fuk-cheung went to the Kwong Hing Un shop and said that five- casks of dement had been consigned by the Powan to his shop in Canton, but he wanted the address altered. The firm consented to alter the address, and a coolie was sent to Canton by the steamer to attend to the delivery of the casks.. At 8.30 in the evening Kwong Hing Un received a telegram stating that the coolie had been arrested because the five barrels of cement contained a large number of revolvers. Until this telegram arrived Kwong Hing Un was unaware that the casks contained arms.
It seems that most of the arms were bought at the shop of Lam Wan, a dealer in arms, of
30th October. There can be no doubt now that the six hun. dred harmless looking and cashless coolies who left Hongkong for Canton by the steamer Powan on Sunday night were intended to swell destruction of the present dynasty. Inquiries sent over in junks. The transaction with Lam the ranks of belligerents who are aiming at the 191. Queen's Road Central; but it is said that in addition to these a large quantity has been which have been made by Inspectors Stanton and Quincey prove that the tale about the men
Wan resulted in his getting into trouble. The being wanted as soldiers for the Chinese Gov- police visited his shop and found that he had ernment was merely a blind and was floated in
not conformed to the law relating to the sale of order to make the coolies all the more ready to
In many cases he had omitted to enter leave the colony. For some days past a China-in his book the name of the purchaser, and not a single instance did he enter the address man in Hongkong has been engaged in getting The late Dean Stanley loved to collect the together men for the express purpose of enlist and occupation of the purchaser. He was sum- moned for these breaches of the law, and at the Police Court yesterday he pleaded guilty and was fined $20.
rays of light, and it has been my endeavour to try and focus them as they fall from the realms of Art, Poesy, Literature, and Science, and to use them as a burning glass to kindle in the hearts and imaginations of readers, on both sides of the globe. a living Fire which shall burn down the barriers of racial differences, and caste prejudices, and fuse them into one common flame-the Enthusiasm of Humanity." Whatever may be said of caste prejudices, racial differences have their foundations too deep in nature for Mrs. Gordon's airily pro- posed fusing, and in perusing her book the common sense reader will be more attracted by her pleasant descriptions of what she has seen than by her philosophical reflections. And her descriptions are not always strictly accurate or elevated above the trivial, as witness the following passage:-"Before leaving China we landed on the Praya at Hongkong, and ascended the Victoria Peak in an electric car; very alarming, as it is 2,000-feet high, aud almost perpendicular. Descending to the cathedral, we saw a memorial tablet to the crews of fourteen English vessels lost between 1840 and 1850 in typhoons in the China seas; a large chemist's window filled with bottles of Scott's Emulsion' wrapped in the well-known fishermen paper inscribed with Chinese characters! and, lastly, we bought for each of you a treasure box,' with a musical key, made of the delicious camphor-wood from this *fragant harbour.'" To explain the last sentence of this extract it should be noted that the book is dedicated "To Marjorie and her brothers," and is written in 8 style to interest the young, though it will also be found entertaining by the old, and none the less so perhaps for the charming simplicity.
ing them as rebels, but they themselves never knew until they were on the way to Canton what they were really wanted for. Some Chi- nese in Hongkong who profess to know the exact position of affairs say that a large rebel army has been got together; indeed the number is put at between 12,000 and 15,000. Of these six thousand were organised at Wuchow, three thousand in the Ching Up district, and three thousand in Waichaufu. There is a further rumour about the colony that the majority of these men have assembled at Tungshan temple, near Whampoa, and that an attack on the city of Canton will shortly be made. Whether this intention will be carried out remains to be seen; in most quarters it is thought that the scheme will quickly die of inanition.
The story of how these "gallant six hundred were got together is interesting. A Chinaman who is well known in the colony, but whose name for obvious reasons cannot be made public, recently received an order from somebody to engage men to take part in the rising. Who this prin- cipal is is not known, nor is it known who supplied the funds. However, the Hongkong Chinaman engaged one or two assistants, and told them that six hundred men were wanted as soldiers for the Chinese Government, and that they were to get a free passage to Canton and $10 a month. It can be readily imagined that this enticing bait was quickly swallowed, and soon the required Lumber was obtained. It was not until Sunday morning that one of the assistants, who lived at Hongham, was made acquainted with the real facts. He was then told by a leader that the men were to be sent that night to Canton, where they were to join à rebellious army which had been organised. On the voyage each man was to receive a cotton
arms,
in
Respecting the sashes it is interesting to note that the nien showed great reluctance to wear them. Before reaching Canton one of the leaders produced the sashes and explained to the inen what they were for; those who took them would get a dollar and those who refused would not. The men were in a quandary; they. wanted the dollar, but not the sash. Many of them were certainly disappointed and angry at being misted, and in many cases the sash was A leader exclaimed, "There are arms refused. on board, and they will be distributed to you, If there is any opposition you are to use them when your chiefs tell you." This statement made the coolies more alarmed still, and even those who had pocketed the sashes hesitated. A detective, who had been specially sent on board overheard the statement and told one of the crew to speak to the chief officer, but the message was not conveyed, and, fortunately, the arms were not distributed. The seizure of the weapons at Canton doubtless upset the whole of the arrangements of the rebellions party; but it cannot be thought that even if the casks had passed through unnoticed much harm would have been done. The coolies doubtless had never seen; a revolver before at any rate they had never handled such a weapon, and the likelihood is that they would have done more harm to themselves than any one else had they attempted to use them.
The attempted rising is said to have been planned by the secret societies. The Canton anthorities are said to be really alarmed be propagating the idea that the movement directed against the foreign settlement,
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