Mr. Denby to Mr. Blaine.
Peking, November 28, 1891. (Received January 8, 1892.)
Sir: I have the honor to inform you that serious riots have lately broken out in Mongolia. The 17th instant a band of live hundred rioters belonging to a society called the Tsai-li-ti, burnt several houses belonging to Christians, situated 30 li (10 miles) east of San-che-Kiatsen, and killed all the men, women, and children. Afterwards, at San-che-Kiatsen, the same band burnt the orphan asylum, the church, and the residence of the missionaries, and completely destroyed the village. More than three hundred persons were killed, among them a Chinese Catholic priest. From San-che-Kiatsen this band went to Pa Keon (Ping tchouan-tcheon), where it continued its devastations. The Christians and their children fled to the mountains, while the residence of the missionaries was completely destroyed. The military authorities, though requested, refused to interfere. The rioters marched towards Yin-men-tsen and Lao-hou-Keon, where are important Christian centers. The 19th instant this band went to Chao-ton-tze, where dwell forty Christian families. The 20th instant it burnt Niemen-tze, 65 li southwest of Pakeow, where reside eighty Christian families. The 21st [Page 72] instant this band was at Pien-kiao. It burnt all the houses in these places. All the orphans in the asylum at Tang-tze-ko were burnt alive in the asylum.
A missionary living at Petze-Chan-ho was killed and also disfigured. The chiefs of the Tsai-li-ti belong to the province of Shantung. In addition to this information, which has been furnished by the minister of France, I have received from the consul at Tientsin information that an insurrection against the Government has broken out in Mongolia. He states that the rebels have advanced south to the Great Wall and hold all Mongolia east of Jeho to the sea and south to the Wall; that Government troops are being concentrated and a battle is imminent. The Viceroy Li has sent 6,000 troops to the seat of war. If the Government troops are defeated it is supposed that the rebels will march on Peking. The consul further informs me that it is reported at Tientsin that an American, an engineer, was killed at Jeho, also a Belgian priest. It seems likely that it was a Chinese and not a Belgian who was killed. The rebels are said to number 10,000 and to be well organized. My colleagues here put little faith in these reports from Tientsin, but believe that the uprising is local and is similar to many others that have taken place during the past twenty years, and that the Government will be able to suppress the insurrection. It is impossible to obtain any definite information as to this matter at Peking. The scenes of the various disorders are about 200 miles from this capital.
Since the above was written the consul at Tientsin has informed me that he has received official information of the troubles near Jeho, with the request that neither merchants nor missionaries travel in that direction until the rebellion has been put down. All the American missionaries have left Sun-hua and gone to Tientsin. At Sun-hua there is a large and flourishing Methodist mission, 100 miles east of Peking.
I am etc.,