Mr. Denby to Mr. Blaine.
Peking, May 22, 1891. (Received June 30.)
Sir: I have the honor to inform you that I wired the admiral the 20th instant that it was advisable to send a vessel to Chingkiang for the protection of Americans residing there. I presume that he will do so. I take it for granted that Consul Jones will particularly report on the late outrages at Wuhu and other riots that have occurred at points on the Yangtse.
The latest reports received here are to the effect that the mob burned down all the Catholic mission premises, the orphanage, the cathedral, and some houses belonging to the mission in which a number of the customs people resided. The houses were all looted before being set on fire. It is stated, also, that the British consulate was sacked, but there is some doubt about the truth of this statement. The-foreign residents all took refuge on the hulk lying in the river off Wuhu. Dr. G. A. Stuart, of the Methodist Mission, and Rev. W. Q. Knapp, of the International Missionary Alliance, both Americans, with their families, have proceeded to Shanghai, having left their missions in charge of English missionaries. They suppose that the trouble at Wuhu is now over. It is difficult to find any real cause for such outbreaks as this. There have, within a few years, been riots at nearly every important point on the Yangtse. Chungking, Chingkiang, Yangchow, Hankow, slightly, and Wuhu have all suffered.
It may be said that the people have no grievances against the missionaries. But the same old pretense that the orphan children in care of the Sisters of the Catholic denomination are abused is now and again availed of to destroy harmless and beneficial asylums. This was the cause of the trouble at Tien-Tsin in 1870, and was the ostensible cause of the Wuhu riot.
[Page 396]It is not doubted that the officials in charge of the provinces are much opposed to outbreaks. They tend to bring officials into disrepute with the Imperial Government. It is supposed that the secret societies are at the bottom of these riots. The valley of the Yangtse is notorious for the existence of these societies, and they are uniformly hostile to foreigners. They are a terror no less to the officials. While their original aims are political, and look to the overthrow of this dynasty and the putting of a Chinese Emperor on the throne, they naturally drift into robbery and murder. The late burning of the steamer Shanghai, by which occurrence hundreds of lives were lost, is ascribed to agents of these societies. Wuhu is said to be the center of these societies.
The startling fact apparent in all these cases of outrage is that no rioter has ever been punished. The foreign representatives have determined that the recent riot shall be made the basis of demands on China, not only for indemnity, but also for the severe punishment of the ringleaders. It will be the cause, also, of strenuous demands that the naval forces of the treaty powers shall at all times be conveniently located so as to reach threatened points. It is said that Great Britain has twenty-two ships on this station, yet when the outbreak occurred there was not one at Shanghai or on the Yangtse. All the other nationalities were in the same unfortunate condition, except that the Germans had a gunboat at Hankow. Foreigners at the open ports live, as has been often said, on a volcano. Riots occur on trivial causes and without premonition.
I have, etc.,