893.00/3644
The Vice Consul in Chargé at Canton
(Adams)
to the Secretary of
State
Canton, November 3,
1920.
[Received December 7.]
No. 165
Sir: I have the honor to supplement
despatch No. 153 dated October 21, 1920, from this Consulate General
regarding the protection of American missionary interests in this
consular district.54
[Page 807]
On October 28, 1920, the American residents of Tungshan, a suburb of
Canton, were warned of prospective trouble there and advised to move
their women and children to safer quarters. On November 1st fighting
occurred there between Cantonese troops and about 2,000 Yunnan
troops whom the former were seeking to disarm. Many bullets struck
houses of American missionaries and several shells fell close by
American homes, but fortunately no considerable damage was done and
no American was injured.
On Sunday evening of October 31, 1920, the following message was
received by the American Baptist Mission at Canton from their
Mission at Yingtak on the North River:
“There is much cause for anxiety. Magistrate anti-foreign.
Attacked by soldiers, officials did not act, situation has
not improved, hostile proceedings threatened, immediate help
is needed, U.S. gunboat.
(sd) Rev. A. R. Gallimore
Miss A. M.
Sandlin
Miss Grace Elliott
Miss Ruth
Pettigrew[”]
At this season of the year there is not more than a foot of water at
certain points in the river below Yingtak and it was, therefore,
impossible to send up a gunboat. Upon receiving the information
contained in the message quoted above, I immediately communicated by
telephone with the Military Governor’s office and requested that the
Chinese authorities here endeavor to telegraph the magistrate at
Yingtak, although that place is still under Kwangsi control, warning
him that he would be held personally responsible for any harm to
American missionaries or their property. I also endeavored to
telegraph to both the magistrate at Yingtak and the Military
Governor of Kwangsi regarding the matter but was not able to get a
message through. Finally after some difficulty arrangements were
made with the Asiatic Petroleum Company to send one of its motor
boats in charge of an experienced man up to Yingtak to bring the
missionaries down. I am holding a draft drawn by the American
Baptist Mission for $10,000.00 U.S. currency as a guarantee of
payment for any possible damage that the boat may incur during the
trip which is somewhat hazardous at this time on account of the low
water. There are eight American missionaries at Yingtak.
The whole North River district is in a greatly disturbed state and it
is probable that fighting between retreating Kwangsi soldiers and
the Kwangtung forces will continue there for some time, as well as
along the West River beyond Samshui. I am apprehensive for the
safety of Mr. Paul R. Montgomery and Miss Elda Patterson at Linchow
and Miss Todhunter at Shiuchow.
[Page 808]
Three American Seventh Day Adventist Mission chapels near Waichow
were, on November 1st, reported looted by Kwangsi soldiers. Two
Chinese Christian watchmen were killed there during the looting.
More details are needed in connection with this affair.
On November 1, 1920, I received a letter from Dr. W. H. Dobson of the
American Presbyterian Mission at Yeungkong from which it appears he
has allowed himself to become involved in local disturbances in a
manner calculated to arouse antagonism toward American missionary
work. I am enclosing a copy of his letter and of my reply
thereto.
A copy of this despatch is being sent to the American Legation in
Peking for its information.
I have [etc.]
[Enclosure
1—Extract]
Dr. W. H.
Dobson to the Consul General at Canton
(Bergholz)
Yeungkong, October 26, 1920.
Sir: I have the honor to report
concerning the recent disturbances at Yeungkong, Kwangtung, as
follows:
Arriving at this place on October 1st I found Kwangsi troops in
possession of the city and opposing forces gathering at various
places in the country around. The gentry invited me to come at
once to a conference and I was delegated to confer with the
Kwangsi military looking to a stay of hostilities for three days
which was granted on condition that the other side made the same
concession. I accompanied the delegates to the other side some
distance away and we got small satisfaction except that the
Kwangsi forces must clear out. Upon the strength of our reply
the Kwangsi forces immediately became independent of Kwangsi
with a man Chan as the commander. The other side was commanded
by Mr Ong. Mr. Ong continued to press toward the city and
captured a representative of Li Yiu Hon, the general appointed
to control this section of the province under Chan Kwing Ming.
(Chen Chiung Ming)
While visiting some wounded of Mr. Ong he asked me to take any
words or letters from his captive to the city commander, Mr.
Chan, and to protect a representative that Mr. Ong was sending
to consult on terms. This led to fresh peace negotiations with
myself as the protector of the representatives of either side in
the camp of the other. I lost many hours of sleep and travelled
many miles of road in doing this service. These negotiations
came to nothing except that they delayed hostilities until the
long looked for arrival of General Li Yiu Hon at Yeungkong. New
negotiations
[Page 809]
were
opened (after three or four days of fighting just before Mr. Li
arrived). I knew nothing of these new negotiations until Mr. Li
Yiu Hon asked me to come and witness the peace treaty
conclusion. After having had the articles read and explained I
signed the paper as “seeing the transaction” being careful not
to “witness” or guarantee anything. Everything seemed to be in
good faith.
The next day Mr. Ong came into the city and I accompanied him, at
the request of his father, to see the General and Mr. Chan, the
city commander, that night six or seven principal parties
including myself assembled at a feast with the General. The next
morning firing was heard in the city and Mr. Ong was surrounded
and imprisoned. The General said Mr. Ong had violated the
articles of peace, but most of the people said it was a
pre-arranged [trick,] going so far as to say that I had
cognizance of it. This, of course, was entirely false.
This action is more or less a reflection on my integrity as an
American conducting peace negotiations at the request of both
parties concerned. Should Mr. Ong be killed my situation would
be rendered more difficult and American integrity be
smirched.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Yours respectfully,
W. H. Dobson,
M.D.
Treasurer,
Yeungkong Station,
American Presbyterian
Mission
[Enclosure 2]
The Vice Consul in Charge at Canton
(Adams) to Dr. W. H. Dobson
Canton, November 2,
1920.
Sir: I am very much surprised to read
the contents of your letter of October 26, 1920, stating that
you had undertaken to act as protector of the representatives of
opposing factions in Yeungkong with the result that Chinese
accuse you of being a party to a prearranged trick planned to
capture a commander of one of the fighting forces.
It is unfortunate that you should have seen fit to disregard the
repeatedly expressed views of the Government of the United
States as to the desirability of American citizens residing
abroad carefully refraining from any act or expression which
might be interpreted as an interference, either in the internal
affairs of the country in which they have elected to reside or
in political questions of an international character. In March
of this year a circular was sent from this Office to all
American citizens and Missions in this Consular
[Page 810]
District enclosing a copy of a
circular issued by the American Minister and Consul General at
Seoul, Korea, under date of May 11, 1897, setting forth the
attitude of our Government.55 This enclosure stated
that all Americans should strictly refrain from expressing any
opinion or from giving advice concerning the internal management
of the country where they reside or from any intermeddling in
its political questions and stating that if they did so, it was
at their own risk and peril. I am informed that you addressed a
communication to General Chen Chiung Ming’s representative at
Swatow requesting that the captured official referred to in your
letter be released. In this connection I have to invite your
attention to the following, quoted from the treaty between the
United States and China on June 18, 1858:
“If the citizens of the United States have special
occasion to address any communication to the Chinese
local officers of Government, they shall submit the same
to their Consul or other officer, to determine if the
language be proper and respectful, and the matter just
and right, in which event he shall transmit the same to
the appropriate authorities for their consideration and
action in the premises.”
Very respectfully yours,
