No. 184.
Mr. Denby
to Mr. Bayard.
Peking, July 4, 1887. (Received August 25.)
Sir: There has been a good deal of discussion for some years past as to the best measures to be adopted toward the wild savages in Formosa. The island is of wonderful richness, with a vast extent of fertile land and a great variety of useful products. It is endowed with forests, pastures, fisheries, and mines, and supports a large mercantile as well as agricultural population.
Though the civilized aborigines have long been amenable to Chinese’ control, the wild aborigines have held aloof, submitting, when they have submitted, only through fear. The Chinese have suffered much from their hands, and it was absolutely necessary that something should be done to bring about a better state of affairs.
Much as the Chinese Government has in the past ten years effected in the way of settling colonists, bringing new lands under cultivation, and opening mines, it has practically been able to accomplish very little with regard to the savages, who, it is said, hold possession of a territory which contains rich lands and valuable mines. It was suggested some years ago by certain high authorities that the only way to deal with the savages would be to drive them out, or, in other words, to exterminate the race.
But to have introduced civilization by means of conquest and slaughter, and the destruction of villages would have been both cruel and unnatural.
Lin Ming Chuen, the present governor of Formosa, who for the past two years has exercised full control in both civil and military matters and who has devoted special attention to matters appertaining to both Chinese and aborigines, has recently memorialized the throne, stating [Page 232] that he has brought under subjection 478 hamlets or tribes, numbering over 88,000 savages, and that he has opened communication through the mountainous region inhabited by them. The memorialist adds that the territory thus recovered contains over 100,000 Chinese acres of arable land.
The Emperor commends Lin Ming Chuen on his able and dextrous management of this affair and has promoted certain military officers who distinguished themselves in carrying out the plan of action and policy of the governor.
It is to be hoped that the governor of Formosa has approached the wild savages, and brought them under subjection by means which will not only attach them to the Chinese, but prove successful and advantageous to both races and add to the security of the island.
I have, etc.,