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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND "soldiers and sailors stationed at Peitang, "to whom as a gratuity they gave personal "cheques of the value of 2,000 francs on the Sisters of Saint Vincent de Paul, in France. On learning the lot that had "befallen their comrades, certain men not "at the Peitang abandoned their canton- "ments and came to seek silver bars for "themselves. Being unable to utilise them,
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[January 4, 1902. THE CRISIS: TELEGRAMS.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
SHANGHAI, 2nd January, 8 p.m. A Belgian priest and many converts have been killed in an anti-foreign outbreak at Pinglo-hien, Kansu province, near General Tung Fubsinug's quarters.
MUTINY AT MACAO.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
MACAO, 1st January, 3.45 p.m. A suspected mutiny among the recently soldiers Portuguese Infantry arrived quartered at the San Francisco barracks was averted at 8 o'clock,last night by the prompt action of Lieutenant Marques. 75 marines from the gunboat Zaire landed. It is alleged that dissatisfaction exists among the troops at the smallness of their pay and the quality of their rations. Three privates were arrested, aul a court- martial will sit to-morrow.
in Manchuria, limit their number, and appoint a Russian commander; that she should remain three years more in the province; that China should await Russia's consent and assistance in opening any mines in Manchuria and employ only Russian capital; and that after the restora- tion of the Newchwang railway to China, the latter must depend on Russia's consent, cooperation, and capital for opening any they exchanged them for cheques bearing branch lines. China, in fact, objects to "their names on one CHAMOT, a Peking "restaurant-keeper, or on the Père Pro- Russia taking over Manchuria in all but
cureur of the mission. These exchanges, name. That her representatives could do
"the amount of which it is not easy to anything less without proving themselves to
determine, were made, it appears, at n belong to the same corrupt gang which has mismanaged the Empire's affairs during the very heavy rate of interest." The report past few years, it is impossible to imagine. proceeds to say that the cheques given to Prince CHING and his colleague have asked the soldiers were either partially pooled in for a reopening of negotiations, though a common fund or returned to the mis- willing to accept the other terms of the sionaries, but that the French sailors old agreement as a basis for discussion. If refused to give back their cheques. Finally the Russian Minister keeps to his demand a cheque for 5,000 francs was written in that the agreement arranged with the late Mgr. FAVIER'S name in compensation for LI HUNG-CHANG must be accepted as it the cheques which had been handed as stands, an absolute deadlock is arrived at, gratuities to soldiers who had assisted the which can only be relieved by the yielding missionaries in carrying off the money and of one of the parties. In fact, nine months which these soldiers had turned into a seem to have brought the situation no nearer
common fund. To quiet the scandal, it finality tha it was at the commencement appears that the amount collected by the All the talk about the influence of Japan looters-it is not clear how the figures were having caused Russia to cease her illicit pres-arrived at-was subtracted from the sum sure on China would in this case be unfound- total of the compensation claimed by the ed, and it remains for the Powers interested French Roman Catholic bodies. According to devote themselves yet more vigorously to to the Temps, 170,000 Taels were knocked
Father the task of preventing by all diplomatic re- off the indemnity on this count. sources Russia's barefaced aggression from BETTENBOURG, who is Procurator-General is worth, as gaining the desired end. The somewhat of the French Lazarists, to whose lot it fell | yet -Ed. D. P.]. amorphous resistance of China to her to pay the cheques signed by the Lazarists neighbour's greed cannot be prolonged in-in Peking, similarly stated in an interview definitely, and those Powers which have real commercial interests in Manchuria are called upon to do something more than in the past to protect their rights, if they do not wish very shortly to see them lost for
ever.
MISSIONARIES AND LOOTING.
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with a representative of the Paris Figaro :-- Everything that the missionaries were obliged to take after the siege about *640,000 francs- has been cut out of the indemnity. The mission has paid for all the mission property burnt round Peitang during the siege. The pagan people, who did not expect that, came en masse to thank In this way, France the missionaries." has tried to atone for a discreditable incident, but the stigma on the missionaries can scarcely be considered to have been removed. There are, however, reverend looters of other nationalities, whose action, as far as is publicly known, has not thus been disowned by those responsible. The ethics of looting is a thorny subject, but beyond a doubt it was a most unfortunate thing that so many of the men who came out to China with the avowed intention of teaching the Chi- nese a higher system of morality than was known to them already should have allowed themselves to be involved in conduct which if not absolutely discreditable was at least of questionable honesty. It is in such circumstances that it is least advisable to have resort to the plea Humanum est errare.
(Daily Press, 3rd January.) The home papers last to hand bring ample details of the agitation which has been proceeding in France over the question of looting in Peking after the capture of the city by the Allies. Echoes of the dis- cussion have been heard in other countries, but it was in France that so much publicity was given to the matter. This was partly due to the fact that the anti-clerical party in the French Chamber seized the oppor tunity offered by the consideration of the Chinese Loan Bill to make a violent attack on the conduct of missionaries at Peking. One deputy, Mr. BERTEAUX, proposed a "The motion in the following terms:- Chamber expresses its complete reprobation of the acts of the robbing and pillaging This motion bishop and misionaries." was defeated by 314 votes to 163, but can be no doubt nevertheless there
The Manila Times says that "from telegramis that
by the impression made the received in Manila it is learned that Sixto debate, combined with the publication Lopez has taken passage on the Rosettu Maru no and as that vessel is now due, another scene of General VoYRON's report, had
will be enacted in the Warren-Patterson-Lopez small effect on public opinion. This was
Senor Lopez has probably decided to hardly to be wondered at, considering the drama. facts made known by the report. the come to Manila to look after the members of his authenticity of which has not been denied. family who were arrested at Batangas the other day by General Boll. This decision has in all One passage in this is worth quotation, as
likelihood bean strengthened by his recent in- it has not yet been published in the Far terviews at Hongkong with Attorney Terrell and Eastern Press, as far as we are aware. Captain Dwyer. The latter gentleman is also General VOYEON is describing the celebrated supposed to be a fellow-passenger on the Rosetta Maru with Lopez. Whatever the decision may looting of Prince Lr's Palace. He says:-
The missionaries, no doubt well informed, be which prompted the agitator to beard the came to the. Palace with 40 carts and lion in his den, will make no difference to the "200 to 300 native Christians employed authorities, for upon his arrival he will be im- as coolies and began a methodical search.mediately requested to take the oath of allegi. ance, and in case of refusal a return trip to Hong. They gathered up the silver ingots, and kong will be presented him." We may state, "thus collected an important sum. They however, that Senor Lopez did not sail by the
got themselves aided in this operation by Rosetta Maru.
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[We are informed on the authority of arrivals from Macao on Thursday that nine men in all have been arrested in connection with the attempted mutiny. It was also stated, from the same source, that the discontent arose owing to the Macao Government having de cided to pay the troops on a lower scale than they had been led to expect before they came out to China, and having deprived the men of a blanket which they were to have had served out to them. We give th's report for what it we naturally cannot verify it
CHINESE PRESENTATION TO
H.E. THE GOVERNOR.
A large number of the leading Chinese in the Colony waited upon His Excellency the Gover- nor, Sir Henry A. Blake, G.C.M.G., at Govern- ment House at noon on the 2nd inst. and presented him with an address on the occasion of his leaving for home to-day on a holiday. The ceremony took place in the Ball Room. His Excellency was accompanied by Sir Thomas Jackson; the Hon. J. H. Stewart Lockhart, C.M.G., Colonial Secretary; Hon. A. W. Brewin Registrar-General; Lient. Blake, A.D. '., and Mr. R. F. Johnston, private secretary. Amongst the Chinese were Hon. Dr. Ho Kai, Messrs Fang Wa Chün, Wei On, Ho Fook, Lian Tue Sang, Ho Tung, Tan Tsz Tong, Yang Yip Ting, Lung Po Tsz, Li San Hin, Chang Kang Lau Chu Pak, Lai Shun Hing, Pun Tsz Wang Yi, Kwang King Leung, Mok Man Cheung, Chan Win Yu, Chun Lan Hing, and Yip Chi Sin. The company stood on each side of the apar- ment to receive the Governor, who walked down the centre and took his place standing, in front of a table at the upper end.
The Hon. Dr. Ho KAI, addressing the Gover- nor, said-On the eve of your departure for a well earned holiday. I am requested by the leading members of the Chinese England on community to respectfully present you with an address. In doing so on their behalf, I can assure Your Excellency that I feel the greatest personal pleasure, while at the same time I am sensible of the honour that my Chinese fellow- citizens have conferred upon me by entrusting me with the performance of this most agreeable and congenial function. It is now fully three years since Your Excellency took up the reins of Government in this important Colony of Hong- kong and during that period your wise, liberal and just administration has completely won the admiration, esteem, and confidence of every section of the Chinese community. Shortly after your arrival in 1898, the Chinese began to feel that in their new Governor they had not only an august ruler but also a sympathetic became a conviction, and with this conviction friend; and in the course of time this feeling
grew their affection and esteem for Your Excellency's person and increased their gra- titude and loyalty to the British Crown and Government which you have so worthily repre- sented. For, as I take it, Sir, it is scarcely human nature not to appreciate an administra-
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