Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress December 6, 1910
File No. 24074/21.
Minister Calhoun to the Secretary of State.
Peking, June 9, 1910.
Sir: I have the honor to transmit to you for the information of the department certain copies of the correspondence lately received by the legation with reference to the recent disturbances at Changsha.
The first (inclosures Nos. 1 and 2) contains an exchange of notes with the Wai-wu-Pu relating to the question of damages for property destroyed. The effort of the Chinese Government appears to be directed toward making local settlements and holding the Province of Hunan responsible for the losses; from Capt. Reeves’s report it would seem as if the Hunan gentry were quite willing to pay for the damages done.
I have, etc.,
The Prince of Ch’ing to Minister Calhoun.
Peking, June 1, 1910.
Your Excellency: Since the famine riots of Changsha we have received many telegrams from the viceroy of the Hukuang and the governor of Hunan stating that they have urged the British and Japanese consuls to order the merchants to send in statements of their losses so that settlements may be made. French, German, American, and Norwegian missions have been destroyed, and since these countries have no consuls at Changsha, the Hankow taotai has been directed to communicate with the consuls of these countries at Hankow to ask them to order the missionaries to send in their statements so that arrangements for settlement may be made. The viceroy and governor wish us to communicate with your excellency asking that instructions may be sent to the Hankow consul to make a settlement with the governor of Hunan.
More than a month has now elapsed since the riots. The provincial authorities have already appointed a deputy to investigate the amount of the damage and loss sustained by the merchants and missionaries, and it is desirable that a settlement should be made at an early date to avoid protracted anxiety. We therefore now address your excellency, asking your excellency to instruct the American consul at Hankow to order that careful estimates be sent in so that the consul may make a speedy settlement with the governor of Hunan. This is a matter of great importance, and we trust that your excellency will give us a reply.
A necessary dispatch.
Minister Calhoun to the Prince of Ch’ing.
Peking, June 2, 1910.
Your Imperial Highness: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of you highness’s note of the 1st of June, 1910, in which I am requested to instruct the American consul at Hankow to order American merchants and missionaries to send him [Page 349] estimates of their losses in the recent riots at Changsha, so that he may make a settlement with the governor of Hunan.
I have sent telegraphic instructions to the American consul at Hankow to direct the Americans who have suffered loss in Hunan Province to hand in their claims to him. When all the claims have been received by the consul he will forward them to me for inspection and approval before taking any further action.
I avail myself of the opportunity to renew to your highness the assurance of my highest consideration.
imperial edict issued may 31, 1910.
The board of civil appointments memorializes, reporting, as instructed, in two separate memorials, on the punishments to be inflicted on the Hunan officials and gentry. The governor, Ts’en Ch’un-ming, and the provincial treasurer, Chuang Keng-liang, who have already vacated their posts, are to be stripped of their rank. The provincial judge, Chou Ju-ch’ien, and the Changsha prefect, Wang Feng-ying, should be punished by being degraded three steps and left at their posts. The former libationer of the Imperial Academy, Wang Hsien-ch’ien, and the expectant Taot’ai, K’ung Hsien-chiao, will be degraded five steps and transferred, as recommended by the board.
The Prince of Ch’ing to Mr. Calhoun.
Peking, May 28, 1910.
Your Excellency: An imperial edict was issued on the 19th day of the 4th moon (May 27, 1910) as follows:
In obedience to the imperial order Jui Ch’eng, acting viceroy of Hukuang, and Yang Wen-ting, acting governor of Hunan, have memorialized on the disturbances created in Hunan by rebels taking advantage of the scarcity of food, and on the mismanagement of the civil and military authorities. It appears that upon this occasion of the uprising of the people the civil and military authorities of Changsha were careless about taking precautionary measures, and when the trouble occurred they failed to take the proper action. So they are to blame. The governor of Hunan, Ts’en Ch’un-ming, has already been cashiered and turned over to the board concerned for punishment, and also the police Taot’ai, Lai Ch’eng-yii, was hasty and biased; he stirred up strife and fomented trouble. The Ch’ang Pao Salt Taot’ai, Chu-Yen-hsi, was weak and resourceless. The Changsha regimental commander, Su Kuei-ling; the captain of the left camp, Chou Ch’ang T’ai; the director of the Hsiao Pang So, Maj. Kung P’ei-lin; and the police deputy, district magistrate, Chou T’eng, were all inefficient in affording protection, and have all been cashiered.
The provincial treasurer, Chuang Kengliang, failed to take precautionary measures, and is cashiered and is turned over to the board concerned for punishment. The provincial judge, Chou Ju-ch’en; the prefect of Changsha, Wang Feng-ying; the district magistrate of Changsha, Yü Ping-yüan; the district magistrate of Shan Hua, Kuo Chung-huang, were responsible for local administration and can not escape blame, but as their reputation has been generally good, and as they have shown ability in the measures taken since the troubles, Chou Ju-ch’en and Wang Feng-ying are handed over to the board concerned for investigation. Yü Ping-yuan and Kuo-Chung-huang are degraded but left at their posts. The acting brigade commander, Yang Ming-yüan, who has acted efficiently in arresting rioters, is deprived of his button and ordered to show zeal in arresting the rioters, to show if he is worthy. All other matters are to be acted on as recommended, and the boards concerned will take note.
On the same day another imperial edict was issued as follows:
Jui Ch’eng has memorialized impeaching members of the gentry for fomenting trouble and asking that they may be severely punished. He states that the gentry were formerly urged to contribute toward a distribution of grain, but that Wang Hsien-ch’ien, one of the Hunan gentry, opposed it and prevented the plan from being carried out. Then after the troubles he put the blame on the governor as the one who had irritated the people, and telegraphed asking his removal, thus showing himself totally lacking in a sense of propriety. K’ung Hsien-chiao and Yang Kung put forward the provincial treasurer and tried to ruin the governor, working with great persistency. This Yang Kung is an official who was formerly impeached and who afterwards in an underhanded manner bought himself rank as an expectant Taot’ai, and is a man of thoroughly bad character.
Yeh Te-hui took advantage of the dearness of rice to store over 10,000 piculs, and refused to sell at a low price, and is clearly one of the men “rich but without virtue” (Confucius).
We order that the former librarian of the Imperial Academy, Wang Hsien-ch’ien, and the expectant Taot’ai, K’ung Hsien-chiao, be turned over to the board concerned to be severely dealt with, and that the second class assistant secretary of the board of civil appointments, Yeh Te-hui, and the expectant Taot’ai, Yang Kung, be stripped of their rank and turned over to their local authorities to be strictly governed. The other proposals shall be carried out as suggested. Let the board concerned take note.
On the same day another imperial edict was issued as follows:
Jui Ch’eng and Yang Wen-ting have memorialized as to the measures to be taken in pacification after the disturbances. On this occasion, although the disturbances in Hunan were due to the high price of rice, and so the distribution of rice must be the first measure, yet disorderly people and robbers took advantage [Page 350] of the occasion to create trouble, and if they are not severely dealt with, full control can not be regained. Besides executing summarily and on trial the rioters, all who are arrested later must be severely dealt with, making due distinction between leaders and accomplices, so as to strike terror into the hearts of the malefactors. The peaceable people must be assisted, so that they may not lose their homes. Let all these measures be taken as proposed, so as to prevent further calamities.
The above edicts are reverently transcribed and forwarded for your excellency’s perusal.
A necessary dispatch.