No. 85.
Mr. Young
to Mr. Frelinghuysen.
Legation of
the United States,
Peking, August 30, 1883.
(Received October 20.)
No. 244.]
Sir: I have the honor to inclose certain
correspondence with the consul at Canton in reference to a recent
disturbance in that city arising: out of the folly of some Europeans, which
unhappily led to loss of life.
The Department will not fail to note the forbearance shown by the Chinese
authorities, and the promptitude with which the viceroy intervened to
preserve order and secure the interests and safety of the foreign
settlement.
I have, &c.,
[Inclosure 1 in No. 244.]
Mr. Seymour to Mr.
Young.
August 14, 1883—9 p.m.
No. 29.]
Sir: I have the honor to inform you that Canton
has been considerably stirred up for the past three days and nights,
over a disturbance that occurred early on the morning of Sunday, 12th
instant, when three Europeans, in the employ of the imperial maritime
customs service, after a night of dissipation, caused a row in the
streets on the Honan (south) side or division of the city of Canton,
that resulted irk the death of a Chinese boy and the wounding of a
Chinaman and a Chinawoman.
Matters assumed a serious aspect, with threats of revenge against
foreigners, until rigorous measures were adopted by the Chinese
authorities to maintain order and re-establish tranquillity among the
natives, who would not permit the dead to be removed from the place
where he fell until to-day; and would not permit the wounded woman to
remain at the hospital in care of the “barbarian devils,” and refused,
to allow “Europeans” or foreigners to land on that side of the river,
and threatened extermination generally.
Admonitions sent to several of the consulates by professed and doubtless
real friends led to a conference of and a consultation by the consular
corps on Monday afternoon, 13th instant, when, in reference to demands
from foreigners of various nationalities, upon their consuls for
protection, it was deemed best, for prudential reasons, to bring the
facts before the viceroy, and request his attention to the
emergency.
Herewith please find copy of a dispatch, prepared by request of my
colleagues, addressed to the viceroy, and signed by the consuls. Also
please find the concluding: paragraphs of the viceroy’s prompt reply, of
this date, conveying satisfactory assurance of vigorous efforts to
preserve order.
At present indications decidedly testify to the viceroy’s efficiency and
success, and no further trouble is anticipated.
I am, &c.,
[Inclosure 2 in No. 244.]
Consular body to Viceroy
Tseng.
Sir: Your excellency’s attention is
respectfully called to the propriety and necessity of some effective
means being employed to preserve order and to allay excitement on the
Honan side of the Canton River, on account of a deplorable disturbance
which occurred in that portion of the city, at an early hour on the
morning of Sunday, 12th instant, between some Chinese residents and
three Europeans, resulting, unfortunately, in the death of a Chinese boy
and the wounding of a Chinawoman and Chinaman, from the use of fire-arms
in resisting a mob.
The three Europeans, one of whom is a native of Great Britain, another a
native of Russia, and the third a native of Norway, have been arrested,
and are now confined in the jail of the British consulate, to await
examination according to treaty
[Page 210]
stipulations and requirements. In the mean time the excitement and
feelings of the populace, in the vicinity referred to, have assumed such
a threatening character as to demand vigorous and prompt measures on the
part of the Chinese authorities to prevent further atrocities.
Wherefore your excellency is respectfully informed of the facts and
requested to cause such measures to he immediately adopted as will
prevent any further disturbance.
Hoping that your excellency will promptly give effect to a compliance
with this request in which we unitedly concur,
We have, &c.,
- CHARLES SEYMOUR,
United States
Consul.
- P. RISTELHUEBER,
Consul de
France.
- Pro. O. F. VON MOLLENDORFF,
Acting Consul for Germany.
- Baron KETTLER.
- F. B. CUNNINGHAM,
Vice-Consul for
Sweden and Norway.
- CHARLES VON BOSE,
Consul for the
Netherlands.
- R. W. H. WOOD,
Acting Consul for
Denmark.
Memorandum.—The British consul having sent
dispatches to the Chinese authorities before the preparation of this
dispatch, his signature is omitted.
[Inclosure 3 in No.
244.—Translation.]
Tseng, acting viceroy, in reply.
I, the viceroy, have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of a joint
dispatch on 13th August, 1883 (here the consuls’ joint dispatch quoted
in full).
Upon examination the viceroy would state that he has just received a
communication from the acting English consul, Hance, concerning the same
subject. Consequently the viceroy has already sent instructions to the
poon yü (magistrate) and the kwang hi (the colonel) to dispatch some soldiers
and police to proceed to Honan and to properly preserve order and to
disperse the crowd.
Now, upon receipt of the foregoing dispatch, the viceroy has to repeat
his order, with instruction that these officials should pay strict
attention to maintain order, disperse the crowd, and not to allow any
persons to avail themselves of this occurrence to create disturbance.
The viceroy has also instructed the provincial judge to inquire, upon a
compliance therewith.
It is proper that the viceroy should send this reply to the information
of their honors the consuls.
[Inclosure 4 in No. 244.]
Mr. Young to Mr.
Seymour.
Sir: I am in receipt of your dispatch No. 29,
in reference to the disturbances in Canton. The measures taken by you to
preserve order were prompt and salutary. It is a pleasure to know that
the viceroy was so willing to answer your demands, and also to learn
that no Americans were concerned in what seems to have been a wanton and
foolish outrage upon Chinese society.
I am, &c.,
