Mr. Conger to Mr. Hay.

No. 191.]

Sir: In continuation of my dispatches Nos. 181, March 30, and 186, April 3, I have the honor to report that the German minister, who has just returned from Kiaochou, informs me that one of the detachments of German soldiers, 125 strong, recently dispatched to the interior of Shantung marched to within about 15 miles of the city of Ichowfu, and there burned two small villages, the inhabitants of which had previously attacked a German lieutenant and engineer, as already reported.

This being the object of the expedition, and having been accomplished, the detachment returned to the coast.

The other detachment, 120 strong, marched to Jihchao, a town about 15 miles inland, where a short time before a German Catholic priest had been arrested, held a prisoner for some days, cruelly beaten, and otherwise seriously maltreated.

A demand has been made for the arrest and punishment of the offenders, including the officials and representative literati of the district. Pending compliance the town is being held, and the minister says that, if the demand is not soon complied with, a number of the literati and gentry will be seized, taken to Kiaochou, and held as hostages.

The American missionaries sent a request to the governor of Kiaochou to permit the troops to go on to Ichowfu and remain there for general protection; but the request reached him too late, as they had already returned to the coast.

I am quite sure that just now Germany would have been delighted to have marched the troops to Ichowfu at the request and for the protection of the Americans.

I apprehend the expedition will do much toward quelling the lawless spirit which has of late been so riotous in that locality, and will be a lesson to the Chinese which it is to be hoped they will not soon forget.

I have, etc.,

E. H. Conger.