No. 1549.] Mr. Sherman to Mr. Denby. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: I have to acknowledge, with much satisfaction, your dispatch No. 2857, of the 18th of January last, transmitting the translation of the decree of the Emperor of China ordering the punishment of the officials in Shantung for delinquency in connection with the recent murder of the two German missionaries in that province. It is expected that good results will follow from this exemplary action, which in similar cases affecting American citizens, has been so strenuously urged by this Government. Respectfully, yours, JOHN SHERMAN. Mr. Sherman to Mr. Denby. No. 1553.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your dispatch No. 2861, of the 4th ultimo, inclosing a copy of a decree of the Emperor of China relating to the antiforeign riots in Shantung. The provision in the decree, that "in the event of worthless and reckless fellows again making trouble and committing acts of violence, the local authorities of the place will be held solely responsible," has been read with satisfaction, as it affords a long-demanded guaranty for the future. Respectfully, yours, JOHN SHERMAN. RESIDENCE OF MISSIONARIES IN HUNAN. Mr. Denby to Mr. Sherman. No. 2845.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: I have the honor to inclose a copy of a letter from Rev. F. B. Brown, an American missionary, to Consul Child, setting forth that he has taken up his permanent residence in the Province of Hunan; also a copy of the governor's proclamation touching that event. This is the first permanent lodgment made in Hunan by foreigners, and is, therefore, worthy of notice. Hunan is about the size of the State of Kansas. Its population has been intensely hostile to foreigners. The main exports are tea and coal. Other exports are tea oil, ground-nut oil, hemp, tobacco, rice, iron, copper, tin, and coarse paper. The timber trade in pine, fir, laurel, and other woods is important. The province is well watered. The capital, Changsha, lies on the River Siang. Siangtan, at the confluence of the Lien-ki, is a city of 1,000,000 people, and one of the greatest tea mats in China. I have requested the consul to give some account of Ch'ang Teh Fu. I have, etc., CHARLES DENBY. [Inclosure in No. 2845.] Mr. Brown to Mr. Child. CH'ANG TEH FU, November 12, 1897. DEAR SIR: Inclosed you will find copy of the proclamation put out by the officials here. I think it is all that could be desired in recogniz ing our rights to rent here. Everything continues very quiet here, and the people are friendly, while the officials are diligent to see that we have no trouble. Between ten and twenty of these proclamations have been posted at various places in the city that I know of. Yamên runners are detailed daily to look after us. Also a small official called "wei uln" has told us he has taken up residence in a temple close at hand to protect us. Besides this, ten soldiers have been quartered close at hand to be at our disposal should they be needed. This is the present favorable state of things here, and resulting largely, I believe, from your representations on our behalf. I believe that the putting out of these proclamations is a token of the opening of this closed province to the Gospel and to the foreigner in a way that has not been heretofore. Very truly, yours, F. B. BROWN. [Inclosure 2 in No. 2845.] Copy of proclamation. JOH TEH HU LING, MAGISTRATE, 15th 10 Moon Kwansu, 23d Year. Notification is hereby given to notify all nations' missionaries who are going inland to rent houses or ground. I have had a dispatch from the Emperor stating that it is legal, according to the treaty, to rent houses or ground, and also I had a dispatch from the viceroy instructing me to protect all missionaries coming to my district. There are two American missionaries, Mr. "Kiang A Teh," "Be Liang Jing," who have rented a house outside of the west gate, and have made a written agreement for the house; therefore I have sent my proclamation around, instructing and prohibiting my subjects from troubling them in any way. Mr. Denby to Mr. Sherman. No. 2864.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Peking, February 14, 1898. SIR: In my dispatch No. 2845, of December 16 last, I informed you that American missionaries had effected a lodgment at Ch'ang Teh Fu, in the province of Hunan. I have now the honor to inclose a copy of a paper describing this town, which was transmitted by Mr. E. D. Chapin. I have, etc., [Inclosure in No. 2864.] CHARLES DENBY. Description of Ch'ang Teh Fu. Ch'ang Teh Fu, the largest and most important city in the western part of the Province of Hunan, is situated on the Yuen River near where it empties into the Tung Ting Lake. Its position is thus an important one, commanding, as it does, the trade of almost the whole western part of the province. Of this trade the most important item is the great quantities of timber which is rafted down from the mountain districts and exported to every part of the Yangtze Valley, also coal, rice, oils, tea, and other products. The population of Ch'ang Teh Fu, at a rough guess, may be between 200,000 and 300,000, and for a Chinese city it seems to be fairly healthy. The people are more friendly to foreigners than in almost any other place in the province, and the past year has seen a great awakening and a new demand for western knowledge and things. Already such articles as condensed milk, foreign flour, lamps, glassware, cutlery, dry goods, toys, etc., can be purchased in the shops, and doubtless other goods would find a market as the demand for them is created. The literary men of the city are forming classes for the study of English and are asking for foreign books, while there is talk among the more progressive of a line of steam launches to ply between Ch'ang Teh and Hankow. Owing to the insufficient depth of the Tung Ting Lake none but small launches could be used; but all these things are evidences of a great change and forward movement which, we are glad to say, is not confined to matters of trade or science, for there is also a new interest in the Christian religion. A few have been baptized as converts, and others are showing an interest and inquiring concerning the truth. There can be no doubt that both for purposes of trade and for missionary work the city of Ch'ang Teh Fu is a most important center. Mr. Conger to Mr. Day. E. D. CHAPIN. No. 34.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: I have the honor to transmit to you herewith copies of the correspondence with the United States consul general at Shanghai, and my note to the Tsung-li Yamên, in regard to a complaint of maltreatment by the Chinese made by Mr. E. D. Chapin, a citizen of the United States and a missionary residing at Wuhu. I have, etc., E. H. CONGER. [Inclosure 1 in No. 34.] Mr. Goodnow to Mr. Conger. CONSULATE-GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES, Shanghai, China, August 17, 1898. SIR: I hand you herewith letter to me from Z. Charles Beale, superintendent of the Christian and Missionary Alliance, Wuhu, and letter from the Rev. E. D. Chapin, missionary of that alliance, which explain themselves. I see by Dr. Wilcox's dispatches that they have submitted to him practically the same papers which he forwarded to Washington for instructions. It seems to me (and Mr. Chapin, who is here in Shanghai, agrees with me) that no further monetary damages, either for the mis sionary in person or for the mission, can be asked for. Mr. Chapin would be well satisfied if an escort could be given him to the town where the trouble occurred and the authorities there be instructed to obtain for him a building which he could lease for missionary purposes, and if the authorities be instructed from Peking to protect him fully. Mr. Chapin desires to make no further claim for damages for himself and believes it would weaken his influence in that region if exemplary damages were asked for the mission. Mr. Chapin leaves here shortly for Wuhu, and if you ask and obtain the escort and the instructions to the local Chinese officials I have indicated above, he desires to be notified either by you directly or through me, at Wuhu, in care of the Christian and Missionary Alliance. I have, etc., [Sub-inclosure.] JOHN GOODNOW, Consul-General. Mr. Beale to Mr. Goodnow. THE CHRISTIAN AND MISSIONARY ALLIANCE, DEAR SIR: Your favor of the 2d to hand. Mr. Chapin and Mr. Alexander have written out a full account of their trouble to Mr. Wilcox. He said that he thought it would have to go to Washington; I don't think so. Mr. Chapin came this a. m., and he says that the officials begged them to accept a fixed amount for their damages, which they did; but this will not cover the mission's demand. I believe also that if there is to be peace in Hunan some strong protest should be made, and these men returned in honor with a strong escort; if not, there will be future trouble. However, I am sure that our Government will take it up in a wise and vigorous manner. I have nothing new to add about the trouble myself. Mr. Chapin is forwarding to you a detailed account. Thanking you for the interest you have taken, I am, etc., Z. CHAS. BEALE, Supt. Christian and Missionary Alliance in Central China. [Subinclosure No. 2.] Mr. Chapin to Mr. Goodnow. THE CHRISTIAN AND MISSIONARY ALLIANCE, Wuhu, China, August 5, 1898. DEAR SIR: Having reached Wuhu and consulted with our local superintendent, he has asked me to prepare a written statement of our troubles in western Hunan for transmission to you. On May the 17th, of this year, Mr. B. Alexander, a British subject, and myself (F. D. Chapin), an American subject, left Ch'ang-teh-fu, where we have a mission station, for a bookselling and preaching trip up the Uen River, in estern Hunan, traveling in our own boat, a large native one. After a comparatively quiet trip, with some trouble at a few places, we reached Hong-Kiang, a large and busy place, on the 17th of June. Wishing to remain at that place for a time we dismissed our crew and lived in our boat, going ashore to sell books and tracts on the streets; we also had hopes of being able to rent a place for a mission station. We had two days of comparative quiet, selling books, but the local officials showed a secretly hostile spirit from the first-outwardly friendly, but doing as little as possible in the way protection, in the hope of driving us from the place. The bad element of the city crowded the river banks, shouting that they would beat and kill the “foreign devil.” We suggested to the officials that the people, if thus freely permitted to curse and threaten us without restraint, would have sufficient courage for something more than words, but they did nothing to put a stop to it. The 23d of June being the dragon-boat festival, the officials requested us to remain on board, and we consented, merely asking that they prevent roughs from making us trouble on the boat. In the afternoon, however, a crowd gathered, and while the few soldiers on duty stood and looked on with scarcely a protest, they began stoning the boat. One of the soldiers did seize an offender, but his superior struck him and made him release his prisoner. Seeing the weakness of the authorities the mob redoubled their attack, and were in a fair way to demolish our boat had not the soldiers from the gunboats nearby succeeded in getting her away from the bank and taking us across the river. We were anchored beside three native gunboats at the time of the disturbance, but they were as useless as washtubs. We were kept anchored below the city for ten days, while the officials used every plea and excuse they could invent to induce us to leave. Feeling that they could protect us if they chose we refused to go, and they asked us then to give them time to quiet the people before we returned to the city. We told them we would wait any reasonable time. Hong-Kiang, being neither a Fu nor a Hsien city, has only subordinate officials, and is governed by the magistrate of Huei-tong-hsien. This magistrate came down in person to investigate the difficulty, and showed an apparent readiness to suppress the trouble. His methods, however, seemed to us rather mild; he contented himself with exhorting the people not to molest us, and although in his proclamation he threatened offenders with punishment, yet he made no arrests. We ventured to suggest that more rigid measures than mere exhortation would be more effectual; but he said that to make any arrests, or to use force at that time, would cause a wholesale uprising, in which not only we, but also himself, would be killed; in fact, the city was being nightly posted with placards to that effect. The magistrate claimed that his forces were insufficient, but two garrisons of soldiers were within call if he had chosen to call them; he assured us, however, that all that was necessary was to thoroughly exhort the people and all would be well. So on the 4th of July he sent down men to take our boat back to the city. A short time after arriving back a crowd gathered as before, beginning with words, proceeding to deeds, giving us a very severe stoning. At the time there was hardly a man on the scene from any of the officials on the shore, and the gunboat did scarcely anything. We were anchored outside the official boat of the commander in chief of the gunboats of the place; but seeing that his own boat was being damaged, his men, instead of doing anything to disperse the mob, simply pushed our boat forward so that his escaped, while ours was exposed to the full force of the stoning. They then began to beg us to go aboard one of the smaller gunboats, as before, and escape. We at first refused to do so, as we knew that they were well able to protect us on our own boat if they chose to do so; however, as the side of the boat was crushed in, and very large stones coming into the cabin, we found that we could no longer stay aboard safely, so we went on board one of the gunboats on their promise that they would also, as soon as possible, push off our boat as well. However, we had hardly left our boat before some of the mob got aboard, armed with swords and knives. The natives with us had a very narrow escape in getting off the boat. As soon as the mob began getting aboard our boat the soldiers on her immediately jumped into the water and swam away to safety. Finding that we were not on board, the mob, after smashing our boxes open and looting whatever they could find, broke open a case of kerosene and, firing that, soon reduced the boat and its contents to ashes; all this within an oar's length of three gunboats armed with small cannon, muskets, swords, and spears. We were meanwhile some distance below on another gunboat, and as the people were putting off in small boats to follow us, as soon as our natives had joined us we dropped down the stream some distance, the captain of the gunboat absolutely refusing to take us to Ch'ang-teh-fu, as he said he would be killed on the road as well as we. We could not procure a boat ourselves, and so we were kept waiting there, not knowing how soon we might be attacked. The secret society called the Ko-lao-huei is very strong in western Hunan, and it is freely confessed that many of the soldiers, and even of the smaller officials themselves, are members of it, which doubtless accounts in part for their unwillingness to do anything against their fellow-members. After dark that night the magistrate of Huei-tong-hsien came down the river and said that if we would not put the matter in the hands of our consul he would pay any amount of damages we chose to ask, and would guarantee that as soon as he could quiet the people we would be able to return in peace, and that he himself would rent us a house and protect us in it. We told him, however, that we could not then discuss those matters; that the first thing was to get us down the river in safety. He then procured us a small boat, in which, escorted by a gunboat, we came down to Ch'ang-teh-fu. We were told that the Ko-lao-huei had sent messengers ahead for the people to kill us, but by traveling night and day, and taking the oars ourselves much of the way, we succeeded in getting ahead of their messengers, and reached Ch'ang-teh-fu safely on the 8th of July. The magistrate sent a man down to Ch'ang-teh-fu to settle with us, the negotiations being carried on through the Hsien magistrate of that place. Ten days were spent in trying to get us by all manner of means to promise that we would not refer the matter to our consul, but we told them we should make them no such promise, as we considered that they had failed in their duty and should be reported. They then asked if we would allow them to settle the matter as far as cash compensation was concerned, and we consented, on the distinct understanding that it would not affect the question of reporting their remissness. They accordingly paid us, on July 19, the equivalent of $1,864 (Mexican) for the loss of boat, all our personal effects, money in cash, traveling expenses, etc. They endeavored to obtain from us a receipt for the amount made out in such a form as to practically acknowledge the settlement of the whole matter, but we gave them a receipt which simply stated that, having received payment in full for pecuniary losses, we would not again make claim for them. In stating the matter for your consideration, we would just say that so far as concerned the magistrate of Huei-tong hsien we have no complaint to make, unless it be for weakness in his dealing with the matter. He appeared honest in his endeavors to suppress the trouble, but was certainly mistaken in thinking that merely exhort |