Mr. Denby to Mr. Blaine.
Pelting, July 29, 1891. (Received September 8.)
Sir: I have the honor to inform you that I have received from Consul Seymour advices that placards have been posted at Canton to the effect that the Catholic cathedral, the Protestant chapels, and the buildings on Shameen are to be destroyed by fire about the 1st of next September.
This date has been fixed because it is the occasion of the assembling of twenty or twenty-five thousand students at the triennial examinations. An announcement made so openly and so far in advance naturally raises the suspicion that it has no real foundation. Still, large gatherings of students always bring danger to the foreign communities in China. If there had been no placards posted, precaution would still be desirable.
I have informed Rear-Admiral Belknap of the condition of affairs, and have no doubt that proper steps will be taken in the premises. I have also suggested to him that it might be advisable for the admirals who command fleets on this station to take some concerted action as to the localities to which ships should be ordered, so as to secure the most certain and most widely diffused protection to the foreign communities. Formerly this system prevailed on this coast, latterly it has fallen into disuse. Foreign interests require that it should be renewed. When the riots broke out in the valley of the Yangtse there was but one ship—a German gunboat at Hankow—on the river. The newspapers and the people gave voice to many complaints on this ground.
Recent riots at and near Tat-shuan, 5 miles from Canton, accentuate the information herein reported. There were no Americans at the scenes of the riots. The Catholics chiefly suffered.
I have, etc.,