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ber myself, but I know that all those who took part in the proceedings had official robes on, and, as stated in Mr. Ho Amei's letter, Colonel Chan was not there as a represcutative of the Chinese Government, but simply as a member of the Chamber. As this is a British colony, I am of opinion that it would have been far better for the Chamber if Colonel Chan had not, attended, although, as a member, he had a right to be there on that day, and I think that those who accepted his subscription in the first instance are to blame. As the interest of the Chamber must necessarily suffer owing to the hostile feeling between Dr. Ho Kai and Mr. Ho Amei, I think ኪ meeting of the members should forthwith be called, when all the trustees should resign their position in a body and a new committee be
elected who should conduct the business of the Chamber in a manner satisfactory to all con- cerned, so that the Chamber may be recognized by the Government and the European community. In my opinion, auless such a step is taken, the sooner the Chamber is shut up the better.
Thanking you for the insertion of this my letter, and enclosing my card.-Yours faithfully,
A MEMBER.
Hongkong, 27th January, 1896.
SAD SUICIDE OF A YANGTSZE CAPTAIN.
Shanghai. 18th January. A very sad occurrence took place on board the Kutoo on her way down river. Captain
Innes had not been seen for an hour or two
before the arrival of the steamer at Chinkiang. and when she neared that port the chief officer went to the cabin to call hitn. He was horrified to find him lying in his berth unconscious, and an empty laudanum bottle and a pathetic
soon
letter found on his desk left no doubt as to the
As cause.
the a%
steamer was alongside the hulk Orissa, Dr. Lyuch and Dr. Anderson (C.I.M.; were sent for and every possible endeavour was made to restore animation by artificial respiration. in which the doctors were ably assisted by the Customs and ship's officers. After three hours" work conscious- ness returned and Captain funes was carried on board the hulk and put to bed. Every effort was made to keep him awake and feed and nourish the small, flickering spark of life, but it was all of Ho avail, and death supervened shortly after 2 am. (17th). Too much of the poison must have been absorbed in the system to be overcome by human aid. In accordance with a telegram from 'Messrs. Jardine, Mathe- son & Co. the body was placed in a coffin, auil sent to Shanghai per steamer Klangkwan. No readou can be assigued for the rash act, except that some unfortunate accidents which the Kutico had met with had preyed on Captain Innes's mind to such an extent as to drive him to desperation. China Gazelle.
A CHINAMAN PUNISHED FOR SELLING LAND TO FOREIGNERS
BREACH OF AN OFFICIAL AGREEMENT,
Newchwang, 1st January. The Greig land case is of interest to all foreigners in China, inasmuch as it once more forcibly brings into relief. not only the barefaced way in which the rights of foreigners, in accordance with Treaty, are persistently ignored; but also in a particularly marked manner the real or pretended inability of the authorities to make the provincial officials carry out their wishes.
In 1891 Dr. Greig was cruelly and brutally assaulted by Manchu soldiers, members of the bodyguard of the Tartar General of Kirin. As many of your readers will remember, these men, after beating Dr. Greig and insulting him in many ways, tied him up by the thumbs and left him in that position until he became uncon- scious. These and other particulars, with also some of the correspondence on the case, may be found in your columns for that year, and also in the "Lluc Book" on the " Yangtsze Riots."
The British Government took the matter up, and after long delays the case was finally settled
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
by the Taungli Yamén paying $5,000 as pecu- ! niary compensation, giving their sanction to the purchasing of land by Dr. Greig in the city of Kirin, and paying him a sum of about $950 wherewith to buy this land.
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Could anything be clearer? Not only was special sanction given to the purchasing of land inside the city of Kirin, but actually Dr. Greig was given the money wherewith to buy it. Now mark well the result.
In 1894 Dr. Greig succeeded in buying a suitable piece of land from a man called Sing Ts'un-li. In the autumn of that year Dr. Greig and this man Sung came to this port. Sung. early in 1895, made an affidavit before the British Consulate that he sold the land voluntarily and of his own free will to Dr. Greig, and the title deeds were deposited in the British Consulate. The Kirin authorities re. fused to sauction the sale; the case was referred to Peking, and the British Minister, and finally the British Foreign Office, insisted on the sale being ratified.
But no.
the Kirin authorities
still refused, and insisted that Sung Tsun-li should appear before them. Last November he returued to Kirin, and on the 16th of Decem. ber appeared before the prefect of that city, with what result the accompanying letter will show.
(Copy)
"Kirin. 19th December, 1895. Dear Mr. Carson.-You will probably by this time have heard throngh Her Majesty's Consul at Newehwang that matters have lately assumed a more serious aspect than formerly with regard to the difficulties which the local au- thorities of Kiriu are putting in the way of our obtaining the property for the Hospital. I therefore write to give you a few details which may be of importance.
*Dr. Greig is extremely busy preparing des patches for the Consul and the Minister at Peking and has, therefore, asked me to say that in writing the following I'am writing in the name of both, and expressing the opinions of both himself and myself.
You understand. no doubt. that the trial of Sung Tsun-li by the Kirin authorities for his selling the property to us has been pending ever since our arrival here in the beginning of November. Three days ago (16th December). however, the trial came off. Subg was sum. moned to appear before the prefect. and Dr. Greig and myself accompanied him (as we had done on several previous occasions) in accordance with Mr. Bosie's instructions that every time Sung should be called to appear before the authorities Dr. Greig should go with him.
་་
On the present occasion we witnessed the whole proceedings,
$.
[January 30, 1896
"You will be able to appreciate the in- dignity thus inflicted upon Sung, a well educated man, of refined tastes and of an- impeachable moral character. He was obliged to divest himself in open court of his lower garments; he was stretched on the ground, a man sitting on his back, while the strokes were given on the right thigh, causing a nasty wound.
"A number of common criminals in chains with their feet in blocks of wood had been tried immediately previously, one of whom was beaten in the presence of the prefect. I cannot but believe that this was intended to add to the disgrace of Sung's punishment, thus placing him before the public in the same position as that of wretches who may be guilty of the worst crime. That he also intended publicly to give expression to the hatred of the officials to us we can hardly doubt, and certainly he could scarcely have used language better suited to produce a riot and drive us from the place.
"The prefect's last words were to this effect: I command you to sell the property in question to your neighbour on the east side, and failing that I shall purchase it myself. See that you do not disobey my words, or you will suffer for it.*
In these circumstances we could do nothing else than instruct Sung to comply with all the further word from the prefect, and we cannot prefect's orders. As yet there has been mo
immediate surrender of the property or not. tell whether he intends to insist on the
"Dr. Greig is persuaded (and as far as I an- flagrant ignoring by the Kirin authorities of derstand the case I agree with him) that this
the settlement of Dr. Greig's case come to be- tween Sir Nicholas O'Conor and the Tsungli that there does not seem to be the slightest Yamen must be made public.. should mention
altogether on the part of the officials. public auimosity against us. The animosity is
"Sung himself is pretty well, though the wound is still very much inflamed.
You will be glad to hear that he stood the ordeal with great calmness and courage. In- deed our fear was that he might be too bold, and endanger himself unnecessarily. On the contrary he comported himself most respectfully throughout.
“I should add that Sung was informed early this morning by a friend in the Governor's yamen that the Governor was determined to have his (Sung`s) head off, and would settle the matter with the foreigners afterwards. Sang came over here himself before daylight to give us word.
"We, therefore, called a few hours later on Sha Tujen, the Vice-Governor, with whom pre- After scine preliminary questions, the previously we were very friendly. Dr. Greig fect, who tried the case in person, asked Sung explained our position to him, informed him where the title deeds of the property were. of what the prefect had said and done, and This he must have known, but Sung's answer, asked him to bespeak for us an interview with that is. that they were in the hands of the the Governor. Sha received us very courteously British Consul at Newehwang, seemed to nettle and, in true Chinese fashion, took our side in him very much, and, ou a charge of having sold everything. He said it was impossible, how- the property secretly to the foreigners, he ever, for us to see the Governor, but that he sentenced him to be beaten with a hundred stripes, would speak to him about the matter. What which were then and there inflicted in the pre- the result may be we do not of course as yet sence of the prefect and of some fifty onlookers. know. Dr. Greig attempted to interfere, and said in the prefect's hearing that he had informed the authorities more than once of his intention to buy the property. But the soldiers in charge would not listen and it seemed dangerous to make further remonstrance. After receiving his.stripes, Sung was subjected to a further cross-examination hearing largely on his con- nection with us and his relation to Christianity.
Do you know,' said the prefect, that there are no Christians in the province and that no one, common people, merchants, literatiį or officials, wants these Kiceitze here? Coupling the Tartar General's usme (Chang Sun) with his own he denounced us in the strongest possible language, cursing us and our religion. Sung himself he also cursed, calling him a bastard and a slave of the devil-worse than a devil since he had sold himself to devils. He seldom, if ever, referred to us otherwise than by the word Kweitze, and spoke of Kao Kweitze (Devil Greig).
"He recognised our presence, since he said to Sung towards the close You are not content to give yourself to these devils, but you must bring them here with you every time
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The agreement with the Tsungli Yamên has signally fallen through. If the matter is to be yet settled, it must be in a new form, and there must be stronger pressure brought to bear in Peking.
S
Yours very sincerely;
*
ALEX. R. CRAWFORD, Further comment is scarcely necessary. I think all your readers will agree that the letter is a cool, clear, and graphic account of a brutal and degrading seene, which is a disgrace to the Chinese authorities and gross insult to foreigners in China.
Dr. Greig mentions in a letter that he and Mr. Crawford narrowly escaped a beating them- selves. On the receipt of this news in Peking and London, the British Consul, Mr. Hosie, was instructed to proceed at once to Kirin, and Joon-· . sequently he starts to-morrow, the 2nd instant, accompanied by Lieutenant Quayle of H.M.S. Rattler.
As Kirin lies about 300 miles north of this port, their journey must necessarily be a bitterly cold one, but at the same time, from a traveller's point of view, an interesting one: and we all hope, from a political point of view, it may be
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