the Editor of the Sir,—As your publication of the map representing the property of the Ningpo Guild, the roads which they object to have opened, and the road to which they assent, has called forth no comment, that the reasonableness of the xs of the Cemetery is universally conceded.
My previous communication has excited considerable discussion; I am constrained therefore to revert to the subject. That the accuracy of the account which Igave of the circumstances attending the riot should be nestioned, was matter to be expected.
ike collisions afloat, cases of this kind requireeare'ul sifting of conflicting evidence. The version that I gave was that of the Ninzpoese, who of course had a right tobe heard; and uow, after all has beau said, it does not appear that their statements in the main were incorrect, for the most important part, that relating to the massacre, is substantiated by foreign authority.
As for the disparaging remarks that have been elicited by my letter, Moed say little the writers did not themselves believe more than half of what they said, and that half is credited by no one else. They seem to have been indulging in chaff, and I apprehend you would not spare me space to return chacing for chafting.
There was some earnestness perhaps in the argumentative portion of those who censure the Ningpoese. I say perhaps, for, on looking into these arguments, one is disposed to surmise that the authors were indulging in a little quiet irony in the interest of the Guild.
One of these arguments is, that the graves that were to be removed contained the remains of the poor, who had no family ties that could be lacerated. Now it was this fact which imparted intensity to the opposition on the part of the masses, who were apprehensive that the managers of their cemetery might allow the desccration because they themselves were well-todv, I would have the Chinese understand that the cogency of an argument of that kind is not generally admitted by foreigners. A new word has been coined to express the state of mind that this principle suggests—snobbery.
The other argument in favor of carrying needless roads through the cemetery is, that, if the objections of the Guild were admitted, it would seriously affect the titles of much foreign property! In the name of common sense, Task, should resort to stich unin ing? The answer indubitably they had no other resort in their vain task of holding up the Guild to obloquy. Giving nil weight to their arguments, I think Lam justlied in moving for the acital of the accused.
The Guild managers of the cemetery and their constituents were further justified in opposing the opening of the roads by the Municipal Council, on the ground that they upposed that that body had no more right to dose than the tax collectors or police; they regarded their proceedings in the matter as an usurpation, as wholly illegal, Were they to blame for thinking 80% Yes, they were to blame, in that it was a groundless assumption—ignorance in that case would be no excuse. No, they were not to blame if the logic nts had demonstrated that the Municipal Council is regarded by the French authorities merely as a bureau of the Consulate, as a body meant only to at administration, It is not a decade since they saw a French Consul-General lock a recalcitrant Municipality out of the Hotel Municipal, place gendarmes at the door, and by a dash of his pen re-Tegate its members to the condition of private gentlemen. On the present occa sion, they found the Municipal Council bent on carrying out a measure that was injurious to themselves and in opposite to the superior authority of the Concession, the French Consul-General. Resist the Municipality seemed to them to be obedience to the Consulate.
It is very hard on the Guild to aver that they "deliberately planned the riot." The crowds that assembled daily at the cemetery met to intimidate its custodians for, the work having been commenced, the common people feared that they were going to be betrayed.
Attention has been called to the fact that a large proportion of offences committed in the Settlement are by Ning-pose, and the inference is drawn that they are peculiarly turbulent, There is apprehension here, That fact should be idered in connection with two other One is that everywhere the criminal classes are composed for the most part of men who are endowed with more than average amount of force of character 5 energetic and impulsive men in all countries
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.