No. 79.
Mr. Seward
to Mr. Evarts.
United
States Legation,
Chefoo, July 11, 1877.
(Received August 18.)
No. 299.]
Sir: I have the honor to hand to you herewith two
slips cut from the North China Daily News and the Celestial Empire of the
7th instant, reporting an attempt to burn the building at Shanghai occupied
by the consulate-general.
I have no official report from Mr. Bradford, but I learn unofficially from
him, and from Mr. Holcombe, who was in Shanghai at the time, that they have
not been able to obtain any trace of the incendiary.
All of the really important records of the office are kept carefully in large
fire-proof safes, and would have been saved probably even if the building
had been burned. Ships’ papers are kept also in an iron safe, but of less
solidity. The building is the one which was constructed after plans prepared
by myself, and which were sent to the department two years ago or more.
I have, &c.,
[Page 118]
[Inclosure 1 in No. 299.]
attempted incendiarism at the united states
consulate-general.
[From the Daily News of July 7,
1877.]
On Thursday evening, about a quarter past eight, the watchman at the
United States consulate-general discovered flames issuing from the upper
part of a window in the stationery-room. He immediately gave an alarm,
and the jailer hastened to his assistance, and got into the room.
Fortunately the flames had not taken firm hold, and water being at hand,
they were extinguished before much damage was done. Examination showed
that the fire was beyond doubt the work of an incendiary. Some
newspapers had been torn into strips, and with a pasteboard box placed
on a deal form, on which a quantity of other paper was also put, while
close by was a ream of coarse wrapping-paper and many more packages,
altogether forming materials for an extensive blaze, which but for being
discovered and checked in time would have speedily communicated with the
building itself. As it was, the floor was charred, and the flames had
ascended high enough to ignite the transom crossing the top of the
window, That the incendiary was well acquainted with the interior
arrangement of the building is clear, from the fact that a stranger
could not have known the position of the stationery-room, which is
situated on an upper story, access to it being gained through a small
anteroom, which is entered from a corridor. This anteroom has three
doors, the lock of each of which was fitted with an iron key. One of
these keys is missing, and in one lock was found a brass key. Another
conclusive proof that the incendiary knew the premises, and also the
arrangements for watching them, is afforded by the mode in which he made
his exit after putting his villainous design in practice. The door of
the public entrance to the consulate is fastened with a dead-latch,
opening only from the inside,, and this was the only door by which he
could have left the building, all the others communicating either with
the interior or rear. The watchman states that he saw no one either
enter or leave the building, and the supposition is that the incendiary
must have concealed himself on the premises before the offices were
closed after the days business. Mr. Bradford, the vice-consul-general,
was dining out, and on his return made a thorough investigation, the
result being that a box of matches, from which some had been taken, was
found, and on the floor, close to where the fire had been, were found a
number of matches which had been struck, but owing to dampness had not
ignited. Further inspection yesterday morning showed that several reams
of paper were missing, and that a hand-trunk, containing men’s clothes,
which had previously been stored in the stationery-room, had been taken
down-stairs and secreted under a table in the post-office, quite out of
sight; but it seems certain that robbery was not the object of the
incendiary, for private rooms, in which a good deal of valuable port
-able property was lying exposed, did not appear to have been entered,
as nothing was disturbed. The affair altogether is mysterious, as no
motive can be assigned for it; but it has been placed in the hands of
the police, though at present there is no clew to guide them.
[Inclosure 2 in No.
299.]
[From the Celestial
Empire of July 7,
1877.]
An attempt was made on Thursday evening, by some person or persons
unknown, to burn down the United States consulate. The would-be
incendiary, who was evidently well acquainted with the premises, seems
to have set fire to some paper in the room devoted to the storing of
stationery, and which is always kept carefully locked. The fire was seen
by the watchman about 8 p.m., when the foreign jailer was called out and
the conflagration extinguished before any damage had been done to the
building or the contents of the room. The watchman must have discovered
the fire very shortly after it had been kindled.
