Minister Rockhill
to the Secretary of State.
American Legation,
Peking,
China, February 14,
1906.
No. 228.]Sir: I have the honor to inform you that on the
9th instant I received a telegram from the American consul “at Amoy
informing me that English and Catholic missions at Chang-p’u had been
destroyed by Boxers, but that the Americans in the vicinity were for the
present unmolested.
[Page 325]
I immediately addressed a note to the Wai-wu Pu, a copy of which I
inclose, requesting that the local authorities be instructed to suppress
the disturbance and to afford instant and efficient protection to the
lives and property of the Americans.
I also have the honor to inclose copies of three notes which I have
received from Prince Ch’ing in regard to the above disturbances, the
last containing an imperial edict, ordering the civil and military
authorities to put a stop to the movement and to give due protection to
all churches.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure 1.]
Mr. Rockhill to
the Prince of Ch’ing.
Peking, February 9,
1906.
Your Imperial Highness: I have the honor to
inform your imperial highness than I am just in receipt of a
telegram from the American consul at Amoy saying that rioters have
destroyed the English and Roman Catholic missions at Chang-p’u Hsien
in the prefecture of Chang-chou, Fukien, and that American missions
have not been molested as yet.
It becomes my duty therefore to request your imperial highness to at
once instruct the local authorities to make no delay in suppressing
the disturbance, and to afford instant and efficient protection to
the lives and property of Americans in the vicinity.
Confident that your highness will comply with this request, I have
the further honor to ask that your imperial highness will inform me
of the measures taken.
I avail myself of the occasion to renew to your imperial highness the
assurances of my highest consideration.
[Inclosure 2.]
The Prince of Ch’ing
to Mr. Rockhill.
Peking, February 10,
1906.
Your Excellency: I have the honor to
acknowledge the receipt of your dispatch of the 9th instant stating
that you had received a telegram from the American consul at Amoy to
the effect that rioters had destroyed the English and Roman Catholic
missions at Charg-p’u Hsien, but that the American missions had not
been molested as yet; would I therefore at once instruct the local
authorities to make no delay in suppressing the disturbance, and to
afford instant and efficient protection to the lives and property of
Americans in the vicinity.
In reply I have the honor to state that my board has already
telegraphed the governor of Fukien directing him to order the local
officials to make an immediate investigation of the affair and
report; also to take steps to quiet the people and to protect the
missionaries and their chapels. This is on record.
As soon as a reply has been received from the governor in the matter
I will communicate further with your excellency, but in the
meantime, as in duty bound, I send this reply to your excellency’s
recent dispatch for your information.
A necessary dispatch.
(Signed) Prince of Ch’ing.
[Page 326]
[Inclosure 3.]
The Prince of Ch’ing
to Mr. Rockhill.
Peking, February 12,
1906.
Your Excellency: Referring to our
correspondence with regard to the disturbance at Chang-p’u (near
Amoy) I have the honor to state that on the 10th instant I received
a telegram from the acting viceroy as follows:
“The district magistrate of Chang-p’u reports that the people raised
this disturbance because some natives had been forcibly detained in
the Catholic cathedral. The trouble resulted in the burning of a
schoolhouse built in Chinese style. I have already telegraphed to
the provincial commander in chief of the matter and have dispatched
troops to the place to cooperate with the local civil and military
authorities in quieting the disturbance and dispersing the people,
having given them orders also to give due protection to the
churches.”
On the 11th, just while this matter was being dealt with, I received
another telegram from the same viceroy, which reads as follows:
“The Chang-p’u taotai reports that after the burning of the Chinese
Catholic Church the rioters mixed with the crowd and entered the
city, where they burned the English church (built after foreign
style) and the hospital. The military and civil authorities sent
troops to arrest the rioters, and killed twelve of them. They
arrested also the ringleader, named Chang-ying. The Chinese and
foreign Christians are all safe and under protection. Chang-ying is
guilty of a very serious crime, and I have already telegraphed that
he be executed at once on the scene of his crime. I have also sent
troops to afford efficient protection, and to arrest all other
culprits.”
Having received the above telegrams I incorporate them in this
dispatch to your excellency, as in duty bound.
A necessary dispatch.
(Signed) Prince of Ch’ing.
[Inclosure 4.]
The Prince of Ch’ing
to Mr. Rockhill.
Foreign Office, February 13, 1906.
Your Excellency: I have the honor to inform
your excellency that on the 12th instant I received an imperial
edict as follows:
“The board of foreign affairs has presented a telegram from
Ch’ung-shan (Tartar general and acting viceroy of Min-Che Province)
saying that in the district of Chang-p’u some rioters entered the
city and burned the church and a hospital; that the civil and
military authorities had sent troops to the scene to scatter the
crowds and arrest the rioters; that they had captured Chang-ying,
the leader in the affair, who had confessed his guilt and been
executed forthwith. Let the viceroy again give orders to the local
civil and military authorities directing them to use their best
endeavors to arrest the rest of the criminals, and put down the
movement, destroying every root and branch. Let special efforts be
used in giving due protection to all the churches. Let there be no
remissness. Respect this.”
Having received the above, I have, as in duty bound, had a copy made
as incorporated in this dispatch for your excellency’s
information.
A necessary dispatch.
