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same arm, which knocked the revolver to the ground; one of the soldiers instantly picked it up and directed it towards my chest, but as he was ignorant of its management and use I owe my life. At this moment my horse was torn from me. Being now entirely without weapon of defense, the stick I generally carry when on drill duty being lost in the melée, and seeing there was nothing for it but life death and being entirely at the mercy of the blows, cuffs, and stones of the howling soldierly mob, I decided if possible to make one desperate effort for life. With one jump I succeeded and broke through the living wall that surrounded me and ran in the direction of the maloo, the soldiers follow- ing me, howling, shouting, and throwing big stones, while the civilians who had gathered round camp and witnessed the affray joined in with the rabble and hooted me as well as re- ceiving me with a volley of stones as soon as I got away from the soldiers. On arriving in the maloo my own soldiers received and escorted Whilst I was amongst the me to my home. crowd of soldiers I was deprived of my lat, spectacles, watch, stick, revolver, and pony."
The above statement is signed by Krauss in the presence of witnesses. The Consul-General for Germany informs us that all is quiet at Nanking and there will in all probability he nothing more about the affair except the punish ment of the offending soldiers. Europeans who undertake similar positions as Instructor Krauss run a certain amount of risk and the occurrence of Monday last can be put down to a feeling of jealousy that H.E. Liu K'an-yi's men have of the foreign drilled troops. Liu K'un-yi's men are all northern men from Shanhaikwan and the vicinity, and, as they are old Chinese braves, naturally enough they are antagonistic to anything modern and foreign, hence the mobbing of Krauss, who we hear is improving. It is not known whether any German officers will sit on the bench at the trial of the perpetrators, but that will be decided later. The German Admiral is at Ningpo, and he has been advised of the affair.--Mercury.
Nanking, 8th June.
The case of Mr. Krause, the German officer who was wounded by Hunan soldiers, is now settled; eight soldiers have been bambooed and four others have had their ears bored. The Colonel in charge of the camp, Teng Ki-fab, has been dismissed from office, and the Viceroy bas already memorialised the Throne for his degra- dation. Mr. Krause has almost entirely re- covered from his injuries and is to-day leaving for Shanghai. It is understood that there has been no pecuniary compensation except the restoration of the watch and revolver which the officer lost during the struggle. The two Ger- man men-of-war were anchored off the city for a few days, but their presence does not seem to have affected the case, for the Viceroy had determined what ought to be done before their arrival. The fault of the soldiers and their officer Têng was so apparent that no attempt to screen them would have been possible. The attack was purely malicious. Had more prompt- ness been exercised on the part of the Chinese officers the affray might have been avoided. It seems that the German officer found it impossi- ble to drill his soldiers in the narrow place with in a camp which had been assigned him. He ap- plied to the Taotai in charge of the Army Administration, Tsien, for permission to use the vacant ground immediately behind the Viceroy's yamen and in front of two camps of the Viceroy's brigades. This permission was given by Taotai Tsien, who had no power to do so. When Mr. Krause took his men to drill there on Saturday, May 30th, Colonel Têng objected and protested to his General, Lia. On Monday morning the German officer again took his men to the same place and drilled them while the Hunan soldiers were being drilled on the same ground. Colonel Têng again informed his General, who at once wrote to Taotai Tsien telling him not to use the ground. This despatch was received by the Taotai about 12 o'clock noon, but for some reason was not communicated to the Germans till about five o'clock in the afternoon and too late to prevent trouble, for at four o'clock the attack took place. The weakness of the new army organisation must be apparent to all when it is seen how careless it is in giving orders and how
slow in countermanding them. Such methods! of reform will not command the respect of any. one and are worse than the ordinary old methods.
-N. C. Daily News correspondent.
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THE “ANDING" SUNK AGAIN,
Shanghai, 10th June. The dredger Anding, reported some time as having been successfully beached at Pootung, was again sunk last midnight. Captain Roberts had made all arrangements for shifting her to a shelving shore near to Boyd's Pootung Yard, and had removed all but two anchors, as these, under ordinary her. Unfortunately there was a strong flood circumstances, would have been sufficent to hold tide last night, which parted the anchor chains and carried the Anding into mid-stream. Captain Roberts was powerless to stop her, and it was only on the appearance of one of the Cargo-boat Company's tugs, which went to her assistance, that he thought he could so guide tug being used to steady the dredger, and if it his charge that no damage would be done, the
had not been for the unfortunate collision with H.M.S. Archer the Anding would probably now be snugly ashore above Pootung Point. There was no absolute danger till the chow- chow took complete charge.
water was reached, when the Anding She first fouled H.B.M.'s Daphne, but managed to get clear of her, only to drift across the ram of H.B.M.'s Archer, which pierced the dredger's side.. The chains that and the dredger sank between the Naval and suspended the Anding from the pontoons broke
P. and O. buoys, just under the stern of the Rosetta, where she now lies in six and a half fathoms of water. The pontoons as soon as they broke loose drifted up river amongst the junks in the upper reach, and at six o'clock this morning the Customs launch took one in tow and beached her in front of the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank. The other pontoon floated down this afternoon and was towed by the Customs' and one of the Indo-China Co.'s launches out of danger. When the accident happened forty Chinese and Captain J. P. Roberts were on the pontoons and they were all precipitated into the water. Four Chinese were picked up by boats from the Daphne and Archer, and the remainder by a launch belonging to Messrs. Wheelock & Co. Captain Roberts was a long time in the water, but was ultimately rescued. It is doubt ful if the Anding can be raised from her present position. Great sympathy is felt for Captain Roberts.-Mercury.
THE SHANGHAI Convent case.
Some time ago the Mercury published certain allegations respecting the French Convent at Shanghai which were held to be libellous and legal proceedings have been instituted. The matter was before the Court in Chambers the other day on an application with respect to the pleadings, and in the cause of the proceedings the following affidavit was put in
I, Herbert Johnson Gedge, of Shanghai, in the Empire of China, make oath and say as follows
J
Acting as counsel for the defendants in this suit and in pursuance of instructions re- ceived from them. I wrote on the 9th of June last to Mr. H. S. Wilkinson, the plaintiff's counsel in this suit, the letter in the words and figures following, and I on the same day delivered the letter to Mr. H. S. Wilkinson ---
4, Balfour Buildings,
"Shanghai, 9th June, 1896. "L'Institution St. Joseph against J. D. Clark and T. W. Kingsmill. Dear Sir,---In order to settle this unhappy dispute without litigation and as our clients had not nor ever had a desire to injure either L'Institution St. Joseph or anyone connected therewith, they are prepared to unreservedly withdraw all imputations which they have in- cautiously been the medium of publishing against the plaintiffs, to apologise for the same in manner and terms agreeable to the plaintiffs, and (though aware that money is not the plain tiffs' object) to pay to them the sum of Tis. 200 and costs to be faxed.-We are, dear sirs, yours faithfully,
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[June 18, 1896.
'(Sd.) JOHNSON, STOKES and MASTER. "H. S. Wilkinson, Esq."
2.On the 10th of June I received the letter from Mr. H. S. Wilkinson which is now pro- duced and shown to me and marked A.
Sworn at Shanghai in the Empire of China this 10th day of Jane, 1896.
Before me : N. J. HANNEN,
C. J.
HERBERT J. GEDGE.
Exhibit A.
Shanghai, 10th June, 1896. L'Institution St. Joseph v. J. D. Clark and
T. W. Kingsmill.
Dear Sirs, I have laid before my clients your letter of yesterday, proposing certain terms for the settlement of this case, but my clients consider that the offer comes too late to admit of its being accepted.
It is now a considerable time since the letters and article complained of were published by the defendant, and during all that time they have made no public withdrawal of the serious im- they have publicly made, and my clients feel putations on the character of my clients which
that the vindication of their character and that of their Institution now requires that the case should be proceeded with without any compro- mise.-I am, dear sirs, yours faithfully.
(Sd.) H. S. WILKINSON. Messrs. Johnson, Stokes and Master.
KIUKIANG.
2nd June.
running of the steam tow-boats on the Poyang The opposition of the junk owners. to the Lake, that I reported in my last communica- tion, has so far proved ineffectual, for three of the steamers actually arrived at our port a day or two ago, and attracted attention by steaming to and fro and blowing their shrill whistles. say steamers, but your readers should not imagine these to be powerful tug boats such as ply in your busy harbour, but small steam launches of the usual pull-mandarin-houseboat type. How they will weather the wind and wave of the broad Poyang is a question we will leave to the owners to solve, but they look very ill fitted for either. It is rumoured that these three are only the first instalment of fifteen; and that' when the other twelve, which will be larger, shall arrive, these small ones will be told off for duty on the rivers running into the Lake. It is to be hoped that these steamers will be used by the new postal service when it comes into existence.
The Chinese Government Post Office is to be opened here on the 1st of July, and will establish branch offices at Wusueh and Hakon. At first the private services, to whom I believe some special privileges will be offered, are to be affili ated with it; but it will eventually gobble them up. Stamps of the dollar denomination are to be issued. I supposed our thriving Local Post Office will soon die a natural death. Our
English-speaking Chinamen are all agog over the new enterprise, many of them hoping to secure good positions in its ranks with for them, large salaries. I hear that the remuneration is to be fixed at Tls. 30 for a minimum and Tls. 100 for a maximum per month. This makee velly good chance.
On account of the partial failures of the crops last year the condition of the country people at this time is one bordering on famine. The rice dealers, hoping to take advantage of the great demand for rice elsewhere, were buying up what remained from last year's orop for export, when the officials, fearing lest the scarcity of food would provoke serious discontent among the people, promptly prohibited any traffic in grain or rice. The more will be of great benefit to the masses, perding the present year's harvest.
The proverbial grumbling among tea-men has been considerably accentuated during the present season, and there seems this time to be real cause for it. The heavy spring rains spoiled the promising Ningehow crop, making the leaf large and coarse. But some unusually fine Keemuns of delicate flavour have been gathered.-N. C. Daily News correspondent.
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