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August 11, 1900.3
CANTON.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
Canton, 4th August. THE ACTING VICEROY'S OFFICAL CALLS.
On the 31st July H. E. the Acting Viceroy Tak Sow, together with several officials, called for the first time as Acting Viceroy upon the Consuls for France, the United States, Great Britain, Germany and Portugal in Shameen, and the next day he paid a visit also to the comman- der of one of the gunboats. The principal topics of conversation were the events of the present crisis. He reiterated the assurance of protection for foreign residents of Shameon and missionaries, and declared the safety of foreign Ministers at Peking.
THE STATE OF CANTON.
I happened to meet a respectable Chinese official of good standing, whose knowledge and experience of Chinese and foreign affairs has been held in high estimation, and whose infor- mation about the affairs of Canton is always reliable. Being an old acquaintance of mine, I have not the least doubt of his word. In giving me his views about the position of Can- ton he says that, so far as he knows, there is not the least likelihood of an attack
upon the Shameen; for there are several guuboats here which command the respect of the Chinese, and the soldiers are kept under strict control; there is no fear either of the local banditti, because they hate not sufficient arms, ammunition, or pro- visions; and there is no probability of the people of Canton rising against foreigners, because they have a large commercial business at stake. The Cantonese never sympathise with the Northeners, nor the latter with them they instinctively hate each other. There might be a sort of riot here on a small scale if the foreign authorities attempted to drive the small boats away from the canal where they moor; for every hong or shop in the Canal Road has two or three such boats under contract by month or by year to take cargoes off. Other boats that lie alongside with no apparent business pick up a living by taking passengers across the river. The latter usually have some bad characters forming a society to protect them. Each of these boats pays them 30 or 40 cents a month as squeeze. They can hardly have any access to the mandarins for protection, so that in case of any trouble these rascals must fight for them. The trouble in the North has already affected a good deal the business of Canton, and another row (even a small one) would certainly make it worse, and again throw the residents of Shameen into panic. Quieta non movere is the best policy. As everything remains quiet now, it would be the height of folly to disturb it; for a little spark may kindle a large fire. It would not be difficult to quell a small riot and kill a dozen or two poor and perhaps innocent beggars; but it would look very awkward and end very unsatis- factorily.
PRECAUTIONS.
Recently the Consul for France issued & circular, and has offered the residents within the French concession every possible help. In case of an attack the signal of alarm will be given either by the church bell, or by firing rockets, guns, or any other means available is the circumstances, and then all will have to leave their homes and go to the Band at the French steps, where there will be boats ready to receive and convey them to the French gunboat. Some of the residents have even called at the Consulate and personally tendered their thanks to the Consul as a recognition and appreciation
of his kind intention.
THE CANTONESE IN THE NORTH.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
$5,000, the Tung Wa Hospital subscribed 85,000, and the Kwong Chai and Shung Ching hos- pitals each $2,000.
THE BLACK FLAG CHIEF'S ATTITUDE. Imperial edicts having been sent to nearly all the Viceroys of the Provinces requiring them to send troops to Peking, the late Viceroy Tan of Canton recommended the Impérial Government to summon the Black Flag Chief, Liu Yungfu, with his army to the North to sup- press the Boxers or perhaps to resist the foreign troops. The Acting Viceroy asked Liu if he would go, and he replied that if the Govern- ment want him to go, he will take 10,000 troops with him to the North, but that he will require several hundred thousand dollars for expenses, fooled once in Formosa, at the time of the Chino- without which he will not go, as he was Japanese war, and does not wish for a repetition of this. He was left there without any am- munition or provisions, was almost destitute, and had to run away in the disguise of an old woman. As the Government is unable to supply this money, it has been decided to send up 3.000 troops under a cheaper general overland, with intent to "suppress the Boxers."
A CROP OF RUMOURS.
One account of the disturbance in the North the Cantonese are circulating all sorts of rumours; some say that the large importation of arms into Canton means war, others say that the arms have been smuggled in for the use of the local banditti, others that there are a large number of soldiers and bad characters in Yu Chu sha, north of Canton, awaiting orders to rise, others again that the foreign gunboats lying opposite Shameen are awaiting orders to bombard the city: one person of the rich class says that as some of the natives bank in Ta Tung Street are collecting their outstanding ac- counts, and mean to close up, it is time that they should run away too to Hongkong or Macao for refuge. Nevertheless. Canton and its surround- ing districts, towns, and villages are all quiet.
A BANK FAILURE.
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and every assurance given that the property would be protected. He returned to Swatow on the 2nd inst. About 9 p.m. on the 5th inst. a mob of 200 men attacked the Roman Catholio place at Ungkung but were driven off by a dis- play of fire arms. At the same time some wo- men were sent by the priest to the military yamen for help. The underlings at that yamen would not so much as let them in, so they had to go back. In the meantime the mob started for the American Baptist place. thoroughly, leaving not so much as a chopstick -
They looted it behind and talked of burning the place, but the neighbours objected for fear the fire might spread, so they contented themselves with mak- ing & bonfire of Mr. Groesbeek's library Before the books had begun to burn much they were interrupted by the arrvial of the military maudarin-a Hananese-with forty or fifty sol- diers. He scattered the crowd, now grown to 500, it is said, but apparently made no arrests. A messenger came from the English Presbyterian chapel saying that the rioters were there, so off the soldiers went, only to find that it had been completely gutted by the rioters; but the out- side building was not damaged. If appears that a teacher ran from the A. B. place to the military yamen as soon as the rioters came, but the runners would not let him in nor inform the magistrate. By a desperate effort he managed to get by them and broke through into the pre- sence of the official himself, who at once sum- moned his soldiers and went to the rescue. Word reached Swatow late yesterday afternoon, the 6th inst.
The
THE RIOTERS AND THE AUTHORITIES. The leader of the riot was the one formally accused as the leader in the previous attempt. He evidently waited long enough to see that the authorities did not intend to move in the matter and then got up the second mob. authorities had ample time to act and cannot es- cape the full reponsibility for what they took no measures to prevent. Unless they act now promptly and wisely the spirit of lawlessness will spread, and not only the chapels but the homes of the native Christians will be plunnder- ed.
One of the native banks," Po (heong." Ta Tung Street. failed to the extent of several hundred thousand dollars, which affected other It is some comfort to state that no one was banks an shops a good deal. The manager injured and that plunder seemed the only object of the Kai Wing bank petitioned the Nam Hoi
of the rioters. They seemed to expect to find Magistrate, and had the insolvent bank closed hoards of treasure and attacked in order every and sealed to go through the form of bank-box and chest, choosing the heaviest first. ruptcy by paying a certain percentage to its creditors and a large squeeze to a mandarin.
SWATOW.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
Swatow, 7th August. DESTRUCTION OF A CHAPEL NEAR HO-PHO.
Ung-kung is a populous and important city on the coast very near the Fuh-kien border. Launches run daily between there and Swatow. The mission house was not merely looted, the floor was torn up and the roof tiles smashed. What the mob could not or did not wish to carry away they broke up or rendered useless..
Swatow, 7th August.
THE DESTRUCTION AT UNG-KUNG.
the English Presbyterian chapel at Ng-yun- which it appears that the work of destruction
With regard to the reported destruction of
Yesterday news come from Ung-Kung by thung, it appears that there was a mistake. The begun on Sunday night was completed on Mon- chapel really destroyed was at a small place day. The rafters and beams of the mission re- near the market town of Ho-pho in the Kiet-sidence were taken out and the door and window yong district. The walls were undermined at frames and walls were torn down, and even the night by enemies, but fell while they were work- destruction was completed, however, the next
trees in the compound destroyed. ing and injured some of them. The work of day by direction of the village elders.
DISTURBANCE IN A CHAPEL NEAR SWATOW.
On the 29th ult. one of the American Baptist missionaries visited the chapel at Tat-thon-po, There was no disturbance in the chapel nor a large town perhaps ten miles south of Swatow. afterwards during the preaching in the streets. and it was not until the next day that the mis- sionary learned that one of the native Christians had been severely beaten. It appears that some rude fellows entered the chapel not long after the missionary left and behaved so insolently that one of the native Christians expostu- lated, whereon he Was well beaten for his pains and forced to knock his head on the ground before them.
LOOTING OF A. B. PREMISES AT UNG-KUNG,
THE AUTHORITIES SUPINE, It is not known that the local authorities made any arrests or in any way interfered with the of lawlessness goes unpunished for even a few demolition of the buildings. If this outbreak days the mission establishments at Chou-chou- fu, Kish-yang, Wakingfu, and other places in the interior may meet a similar fate.
contains the following items-Foochow con- The Foochow Daily Echo of the 28th ult.
ties are taking more than ordinary precautions tinnes quiet and from all we hear the authori- that it shall remain so. Some of the American Missionaries have left with their families. As Many antonese in the North have been killed by the Boxers, and over 3,000 of them
there is no apparent reason, present or prospec- tive, why they should leave, we can only pre- under the protection of the British Consul there are awaiting relief. The Tung Wa hos-
sume that at a meeting they held it was decided pital of Hongkong has sent letters to the
to spend this year's summer vacation at some About ten days ago a number of roughs other place than Kuliang by way of a change. Kwong Chai and Shang Ching hospitals here, went to the place at Ung-kung (Wang-kang) Many have, however, decided not to leave. asking them to raise funds for the relief of their owned by the American Baptist Mission and oc--Amongst the damage done by the late flood poor countrymen. The latter have called a meet-cupied by Rev. A. F. Groesbeck and family. at Pagoda, the Customs House jetty gave decided to raise a sum of about $20,000, to pay away after throwing some stones. The leaders of the river sank on the side, so deeply that ng of the 72 guilds for that purpose, and it was They seemed bent on mischief, but finally went away. The new joil tank on the same side for the charter of steamers, and other expenses ware recognized and information given promptly it will have to be replaced. The members of thộ to bring these poor creatures back to Canton to the authorities. A little later Mr. Groesbeck Mamoi Community have opened a subscription His Excellency the Governor of Hongkong has came up from Swatow and called at each of the list for the benefit of the sufferers from the had placed at his disposal by Cantonese merchants three yamens in the city. He was well received present troubles.
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