No. 160.
Mr. Angell
to Mr. Blaine.
Peking, April 30, 1881. (Received June 20.)
Sir: I have to describe to yon an event, such as fortunately it has seldom been the duty of this legation to report, the disturbance by some lawless Chinese of one of the American missionary stations in Peking. Happily no serious harm has been done to person or property, though for at least twenty-four hours the missionary families at the station which was menaced were kept in a state of not a little solicitude. It was the compound of the Presbyterian mission which was threatened. Their station is very near the northern wall of the city, perhaps 4 miles from this legation, and 2½ miles from the residence of any other foreigners. Their compound is pretty large, containing within it a chapel, two school-houses, two dwelling-houses, and other buildings. The members of the mission are Rev. John Wherry and family, Rev. D. C. McCoy and family, B. C. Atterbury, M. D., and Miss Barr. Miss Douw had left for home a week before this disturbance.
The Rev. Mr. McCoy, who has resided here many years, being about to visit America, had publicly announced that on Saturday, April 23, at 1 o’clock p.m., he would sell by auction certain of his effects. A number of lawless Chinamen made their way into the court yard during the sale and began to break the branches of some flowering shrubs. On being requested to desist, they were very insolent. When they were asked to leave the premises, some refused to go, and some of those who went began throwing brickbats, tiles, and other missiles into the court. From this time the crowd rapidly increased, soon filled the street and became very annoying. Messengers were sent to the police office of the neighborhood, and some little show of attempting to control the mischievous fellows was made, but apparently there was no earnestness in the attempt, and it was entirely unsuccessful.
Mr. McCoy therefore very properly concluded at last to send a messenger to me. The messenger reached me at 9 o’clock in the evening. [Page 266] I at once sent back word that I would act without delay. Soon after two messages reached me announcing that the crowd had dispersed. But I thought it wise to send Mr. Taylor, our acting interpreter, to the Tsung-li Yamên to announce what I had heard, and to request that an adequate police force be sent at once to protect the place. At that hour of the night none of the ministers are at the foreign office, but two of the secretaries who were there promised that the desired orders should be promptly sent. Meantime the British minister having kindly offered to send one of his mounted escort men to the mission, I wrote to Mr. McCoy what I had done. The English constable returned at 1 o’clock a.m. bringing the assurance from Mr. McCoy that quiet still continued. But the constable reported that suspicious looking men were lingering about the premises.
On Sunday morning at 10:30 a.m., I rode up to the mission. I found about 50 Chinamen gathered in front of the gate, and Rev. Mr. Wherry, one of the missionaries, talking with them. I inspected the premises and became satisfied from what I saw and heard that within an hour there would again be a large assemblage in the street and danger of further trouble. So I galloped as rapidly as possible to the legation and with the interpreter hurried to the foreign office to complain that no proper police force had yet been sent, and to represent that action must be taken without the least delay. As it was then (at noon) too early for the ministers to be at the foreign office, I saw one of the secretaries, who assured me that all I asked should be done immediately.
Meantime Sir Thomas Wade, having heard that I had gone to the mission and that a throng was gathering there, had kindly sent his Chinese secretary, Mr. Baber, with a mounted escort first to the foreign office and thence to the mission.
Soon after my return from the foreign office I received the news that, as I had anticipated, a crowd of some hundreds had gathered about the mission premises, that they were making offensive demonstrations, but that a police sergeant had made one arrest, and that this had caused many of the Chinese to go away. But I thought it judicious for me to see the ministers of the foreign office. So at 2:30 p.m., I went up again and met three of them. I found them apparently very desirous of putting an immediate end to the trouble. They informed me that his excellency Ch’ung, who is one of their number, and who is also lieutenant-general, in command of the troops of the western half of the city, had already gone to the scene of disorder. I suggested that there should be a guard left there through the night and that some suitable proclamation should be posted on the walls to prevent any further trouble. They said that they would attend to all this. I sent a messenger to the mission to announce the result of my interview with the ministers. In about two hours the messenger returned with the news that Ch’ung had arrived on the ground early in the afternoon with 40 soldiers, had arrested 5 men, and that the crowd had dispersed. The foreign office sent me a similar report at evening, a copy of which I inclose.
Monday morning early I sent up a messenger, who reported that 20 soldiers had guarded the premises through the night, and that there had been no disturbance there, but that the drug store and residence of one of the Chinese converts had been stoned. I sent Mr. Taylor to the foreign office to thank them for their action, to request that the proclamation be posted on a chapel, which the mission owns and occupies in another street, and also to inquire whether it might not wisely be placed on the residence of the Chinese church member who had been [Page 267] disturbed, and whether there was any reason why Mr. McCoy should not set out on his journey on the following day. In a few hours I received a message from the foreign office saying that the proclamation would be posted on the street chapel and that Mr. McCoy could depart whenever he wished, and that if desired they would furnish him a military escort. As to the druggist, he being a Chinaman, had only to apply to the local authorities if he needed protection.
In the afternoon I visited the mission and found the soldiers still there. I learned also that the local police official, the Ting-erh, had been removed and degraded, but whether for his inefficiency or for some other cause I do not know. He desired an interview with me to ask that I would intercede for his restoration to office; I declined to see him. While I was there, the proclamation of En, the military governor of the city, and Ch’ung and Wen the lieutenant-generals, was posted on the wall opposite the entrance to the mission. I inclose a translation of it.
On Tuesday, the 26th, the five men who had been arrested and probably bambooed, were placed before the gate of the mission with cangues upon their necks.
And so I trust this affair has ended. The Tsung-li Yamên have shown the most commendable spirit in their treatment of the case. In truth the affair has an importance just now which in ordinary circumstances it would not have, and it is not at all improbable that this, not very serious disturbance, has happened just in time to prevent a graver disorder. There has been for the last two or three weeks a rapidly increasing flood of rumors in and about Peking of some sort of a general movement against foreigners. One day the report has come that the towers of one of the Roman Catholic churches, or the church itself, was to be destroyed. The next day the story was that the stone posts and chains which make an inclosure in front of the French legation were to be torn down. The ignorant populace feed on such tales and become morbidly excited, so that the slightest disturbance may easily grow into a serious affair.
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I spoke to the Yamên of these rumors, as some of the other ministers have also done. They assured me that they were desirious of learning who originated them and of punishing severely such persons. And well they may be. For repeatedly in China, such reports have been the precursors and in large part the causes of serious disorder and of crimes. The prompt treatment of this little disturbance at the Presbyterian mission will doubtless prevent any further trouble in the city.
I have taken occasion formally to thank Sir Thomas Wade for the aid he kindly gave me.
Just as I am closing this dispatch I have received from the foreign office a communication (semi-official) reciting the action which has been taken by the authorities in suppressing this disorder at the mission.
I shall at once send them a communication expressing my appreciation of the course of the Tsung-li Yamên and the military authorities, I inclose a copy.
I have, &c.,
- The street in which the American Presbyterian mission is situated.↩