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THE CHENCHOU MURDERS.
The Mercury says that the Chenchon case has been settled by Channg Taotai and Yu Taotai on behalf of China, and Mr. Giles, the representative of Great Britain. Chaung Taolai will remain at Chenchou to carry ou what is left to be done while Mr. Giles and Yu Taotsi left Chenchou on the 9th inst., the former returning to Hankow via Chanteh, and the latter to the capital where he will meet Tai Taotai of the Hunan Foreign Office, and together they will proceed to Haukow to negotiate with Mr. Giles with reference to the amount of indomnity and degrees of punishment to be meted out to the responsible officials, While Mr. Giles was at Chenchou, ten articles were drawn up. They are as follows:-
1. The two murdered missionaries had Leen appropriately buried by the local authorit es.
2. The destroyed chapel had been repaired and restored to its original condition.
3. The wounded converts had been attended to and recovered.
4 The ringleaders Chang P. ikou and Chung Yungtai were captured, tried and beheaded, while six others who took prominent part in t. e iot were afterwards arrested, fried and lebeaded.
5. Sung Chang-fah who beat a gong and gathered the rioters has been arrested and is being tried by the Chenchou Taotai and will be severely punished.
6. Ting Dhe-kwai and others, from whom no admission has so far been obtained, are Dow being tried by the authorities and will be punished.
7. The principals who took part in the murder of the missionaries had been beheaded and nothing has been left undone. Tho local loafers who joined in the riot but played a less important part will be arrested as they are found.
8. The lost and destroyed properties of the Mission and converts will be made good and the amount is to be settled hereafter by the Foreign
Office and the British Consul.
9. The loss of property to the Imperial Post Cffice is to be settled by the Chenchon Taotai t'gether with the Yochou Customs Tuotai and the General Post Office and is to be treated as a distinct case from the missionary case.
10. What can be done by the Chenchou authorities has been done and the case is considered to be settled, while the whole case will be settled by the Foreign Office and Mr. Giles at Hankow. The remaining duty of the Chenchou authorities is to justly deal with the captured rioters who up to the present, have not been sentenced.
We are indebted to the N.-C. Daily News for the following translation of a placard that was posted up in Chenchou:-Among the whole population both scholars and people, there have been innumerable deaths. At first we attributed this calamity to the pestilence, for we had no knowledge that the foreigners were distributing poison. However, we know now that this is the fact, but the authorities have not taken cognisance of the matter. All who have been found with the poison should be dragged to the hill behind the city and beaten to death. Afterwards let us not hesitate to rise up and exterminate the foreigners, and let this be done on the 20th day of the 7th moou (23rd August). Let the chapel be destroyed and the foreigners who have entered the city entirely annihilated. let men and women all rise up and take part in this. All who are not willing to de so, their are robbers and their daughters vile persons. This placard is issued by the united people.
The Lai Hring, built to the order of the Chinese Government by the Kawasaki Dockyard Co., Kobe, was formally delivered to the epresentatives of the Chinese authorities on the 12th inst. Captain Myhre and officers and the principal officials of the dockyard were the only participants in the ceremony. Pr. cisely at the above mentioned hour the Dragon Flag was hoisted, amidst hearty cheers and good wishes for the future of the steamer. We (Kobe Herald) understand this was the very first time a foreign flag has ever been hoisted on a vessel built in Japan. The steamer was expected to sail for Shanghai on the 16th inst.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
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MANCHURIA.
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Affairs in Manchuria seem to be in as bad a muddle as at any stage of proceedings for its evacuation. A telegram received by Viceroy Liu Kung-yi from Peking shows that the Russians are not pleased with the recently signed Anglo-Chinese treaty. M. Lessar, the Rus ian Minister, bas protested against the terms of the treaty in so decided a that the Wai Wu pe is in a state of alarm lest these objections may furnish pretext to the Russians to delay the long promised withdrawal of orthern troops. It is said to be felt by the Russians that the new treaty will restrict the free hand which they ha e enjoyed in Manchuria, which was practically under their inle. At once on receipt of the telegram the Viceroy wired bick to the Wai Wo-pu advising remonstrance with to Russians for | assuming that attitude, on the ground that in no way did the treaty concern the adjust- ment of the Manchurian difficulties. The Viceroy expressed astonishment that a power. use such a ful and civilised pation should trivial excuse for violating an agreement. also protested against the treatment to which the Magistrate if Kai Ping Hsien had been subjected by the Russian Commander of the troops in that district. U pleasantness had arison between the two from varius slight causes of a local nature, until finally the Magis- trate was driven out of Newchwang by the order of the Commander. Having fficial business to which to attend the Magistrate returced to the city. He was again expelled, regess of his prote tations, and warned not return nuder any circumstances until recalled by the Commander or until after the Commander Lad officially left the city. It is reported that a part of the troops have already been sent to Port Arthur. In view of the circumstances abore related, however, this move is thought to have been made with a view to satisfying Chinese demands for evaenating Nowchwang, while yet holding the troops within easy call. In Peking rumours from u official s urces say that Mu Yuu Mie, manager of the Northern Railway, has been promised by the Russian Government that the railway north of Shanbaikwan will be given into his hands a week from Saturday. On the strength of that promise, it is said that the British manifest willingness to transfer the branch from Peking
week. to Shanbaikwan the same
Chinese officials are awaiting with some concern the outcome of the next two weeks in respect to both r. ilway aud territorial transfers. Shanghai Times,
SIAMESE AFFAIRS.
A correspondent, writing to the Rangoon Gazette on the recent Shan rising in Northern Siam, concludes his letter with the remarks:-
Let us hope that the Siamese Government will have learned a wholesome le son, and that out of this turmoil there will arise a better govern. ment, one that will treat the people not as slaves, but as human beings-children, it may be, but thoroughly capable of developing under proper care and training into men and women. Should such prove to bo the result, the rebellion will not have been in vain."
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[September 27, 1902.
the French Consulate, receive protection and never need repay their creditors :—the G wernor of Battambong had then no farther power over them.
The correspondent continues: -You may draw your own c nclusions from the above. but it is a fact that many people owing money and willing to work ont the amount have been induced to leave the houses of their creditors by servants belonging to the French Consulate. The question which naturally arises is whether the French Vice-Consul knows of such pro- ceedings. It appears that when creditors go the Consulate with a full knowledge of the whereabonts of the runaways the Vice-Consul always denies the possibility of the latter being on the premises. But, if he does not know, he surely ought to be informed of what goes on in his own Cousulate.
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The France Militaire states that important reinforcements of French Colonial infantry rud cavalry are to be despatched from Lorient to Indo-China at the end of this month, as the outbreak of a conflict between France and Siam is considered to be possible at any time. The first regiment of Colonial artillery at Lorient will furnish 35 non-commissioued officers and
men.
NORTHERN NOTES.
The following items are from the P. & T, Times of the 13th inst. :-
The Chief of Police has notified the people that a census is going to be taken.
Next Spring the Stewards propose building brick stables to accommodate upwards of 150 p nies.
Prince Tuan and his oldest son are reported to be living with a Mongol prince.
According to L'Impartial, a Japanes has been engaged as the head teacher of the Peking University. He was to arrive at the end of last mouth.
We hear that an army with 50,000 soldiers (Marchus) will b made up very soon and their head arters will be at the Sheng Chi Ying, Peking.
Men are reported to have been seen diving near the Iron Bridge for rifles lost in the river during 1900, They were superinten el by an official.
The line from Ching-ting-fu to Taiyu in-fu is reported as likely to be commenced in the Spring, the work being done by the Lu-han railway folk.
Executions take place quite frequently in the City now, sometimes at the rate of sight a day. If the Viceroy gues on at this rate there will soon be need of a new census.
The J Je remarks that the Chinese appear to be curiously slack in responding to the requ st of the Russian authorities to come and receive the money for their land or houses taken over in the Russian Concession.
Our Chefoo contemporary tells us that a Russian (or Polish 7) lady who has graduated in Paris as a railway engineer has been engaged by the Trans-Siberian Railway Administration. This appears remarkable.
It is reported that an armed robbery with murder was committed on the Ln-han railway yesterday about 40 miles from Peking
A large amount in dollars was taken and a civilian in the employ of the railway killed.
The Viceroy has memorialised the Throne The correspondent gives the full wing ac
for permission to open au office for the sale of count of the Shan grievances, as p t forward honorary official titles, which shall not neces at a conference on the 3th July:-(1) Siamese sitate the holding office, with the object of Government refused them limber to build raising Tie. 1,500,000, after which it can be temples; (2) the Siamese refused to graut pass-closed. As the sale of official titles has nov.r ports, and subjected the Shans to imprisonment consed, the memorial at first sight appears a for travelling without passports: (3) the taxes | little superfluous, but there are twenty special were exorbitant and increasing—for instance, conditions attached in this instance. no one could kill a pig or a beef without paying from one-sixth to one-fourth its value as a privilege tax; (4) it was becoming more and more impracticable for the Shans to pocure homes and rice fields, or any property." Other oppressions were mentioned, and the present regime was compared with the old order of things, very much against the present system.
We are glad to see the Volunteer Mounts Infantry has not succumbed under the delay which has characterised its inc ption, but offers some prospect of being carried to a sucessful issue. The importance of such a branch to our local force increases in proportion with the probability of the Regulars being greatly decreased in the Spring, and there are many ways in which in days to come the corps may do valuable service to the community.
The Siam Observer's correspondent at Battam. bong states that recently some servants belong ing to the French Consulate at Battambong La Porte, the largest vessel which has yet marched up and down the main road beating entered Chingwantao, is now lying at the wharf drums and loud'y proclaiming the fact that all there, unloading 26,500 piles for the Engineer- those who owed money to any others thaning and Mining (o. She had no difficulty in French subjects would, if they took refuge in getting alongside comfortably, drawing between
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