To the Bilitor of the Sm,—I' have been requested to communicate to you an account of the negotiations, just now concluded, between the Chinese Authorities and Gentry on the one part and Dr. Lord, American Consul at Ningpo on the other, respecting the removal of the Mission' of the Southern Presbyterian Church (U.S. A.) from its present site on the hill to another in the plain, You will perhaps remember that ast Autumn several persons who had sold land to Missionaries in this city, or acted as agents in such sales, were suddenly arrested by the Che-beens, and two of them severely punished, All were ultimately released, in consequence of enquiries promptly instituted on the spot by the British and American Consuls. The Mandarins disowned all hostility towards Missionaries, and alleged irregularity of sale or extortionate prices as the occasion of their severity. Rumour however persistently pointed to the houses on the Hill as the real grievance. Standing within sight of the Fantae's Yamun, overlooking the Inckiest part of the city—the very jaws of the Dragon—these houses with their gables ox hipped roofs, and their quaint foreign aspect, lad' occasioned more than one death in the Fantae's household, and were an offence to the whole Gentry and Magistracy in whose special quarter of the town they stood, No further hostile act however took place; and the summer has assed, and the great gathering of the existe too, I thank Cod, in absolute pence. About two months ago, however, a serious representation was made to Dr; Lord by Mr. Chen, an influential citizen of Nivgpo and who has honorary civil rank, in the form of a Petition signed by eight Hangchow Gentry, and entrusted to Mr. Chen and adepuiation of their own to present. It alleyed in plain terms the grievance with which rumour had already made us familiar, it exonerated the Missionaries of all malice prepense in choosing the site, and allowed for the scepticism of Foreigners as to Feng-shuy; but it urged that it is a reality to the Chinese, and repeated that some arrangement should be devised which might prevent misunderstanding and bad blood. If the Missionaries would point out a suitable site elsewhere, it should be secured to them on good title, and they should be fully indemnified for the trouble and cost of removal, and for the outlay already expended on their property, A similar petition had meantime been presented to the Footac, praying him to send a Commissioner to treat with Dr, Lord, which he accordingly Dr. Lord, convinced of the good faith of the petitioners, communicated with the Missionaries, and the latter, with as little delay as possible, gave a willing absent to the proposition, provided that a sufficient guarantee were given of full indemnification for the Body whom they represented, Upon this Dr. Lord arranged with Chen Soon-sheng to go to Hangchow immediately after the examination, and carry on the negotiation on the spot. He came here rather more than a fortnight ago; and he is leaving us to-day.
The Mission property in question consists of a dwelling House intended to serve as headquarters for a Mission of six or eight members, a Chapel, a Girl's Boarding School, and a Loy's School, with rooms for a Missionary Superintendent, the Land, parily on account of its situation on the hill, was very costly; but the buildings had been put up with watelful economy.
Altogether the sum at which—wich Dr. Lord's approval—the indemnity was fixed amounted to $11,000, exclusive of land, but including official expenses.
After a little ambiguity, it appeared that not only the Bill itself but its, purlieus were objected to by the Chinese negotiators; upon which the Missionaries, who had strong motives for preferring that neighbourhood, frankly met the difficulty by pointing out a suitable site in the northwestern angle of the City, on the main street, between the It. C. Mission and the e best known to visitors from Shanghai This has been surveyed, its owners discovered, price agreed upon, and yesterday title deeds were handed to the Missionaries
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.