KIUEIANG, Ox the Lst instant, the premises of the American Missionaries at Kiukiang were sacked by a mob of Chinese, the city Magistrate apparently looking on, unable or unwilling to interfere. The affair had more than a passing interest, as it marked revival of the absurd and malicious reports which led to the Tientsin massacre of 1870, and there seems to be evidence to prove that it owed its origin to settled plot. On the afternoon in question, the father of one of the boys, who had been in the habit of attending the school, presented himself, and stated that his child was missing. Having succeded in collecting a mob, he told them that the Missionaries were desirous of murdering the child, for the purpose of taking out his eyes and heart for use as medicine, It' was in vain that the porter protested against the utter absurdity of such a charge. Mobs do not generally reason, and, as in this case there were grounds for believing that the whole affair had been previously planned, the ringleaders were ready, and the work of demolition went on, but fortunately without any injury to life or limb. A person who had left Kiukiang some three days before unforms us that, at the time of his departure, rumours of a threatened disturbance were prevalent; so that the disappearance of the boy, and the charge of making away with him, which were put forward as occurring on the spur of the moment by the father of the boy, were evidently only part of a well-concocted plan, Now, our readers will remember that the scandalous pamphlet "A Death blow to Corrupt Doctrine," which undoubtedly led to the Massacre at Tientsin, owed its origin to a district not very far from Kiukiang. They will also remember that, of all provincial capitals in China, that of Kinngsi (Nanchang) has been distinguished by the unfriendly disposition evinced towards foreigners. It is not many years since Mr, Baber, of H. B. M.'s Consular service, was set upon in the streets of the city; and, had it not been for the presence of mind he displayed, would probably have paid the penalty for visiting the city on official business, with his life. Mr. Mayors, who\ went up to obtain redress for this treatment of a Consular officer, and also to attempt to relieve some of the illegal exactions on trade which have been customary in this province, met with but partial success; and to the present day the port of Kiukiang is distinguished by the opposition offered to the Transit Pass clause of the Treaty of Tientsin. Kiukiang has become a bye-word amongst the ports on the Yangtsze; one after another, the foreign houses established there have had to succumb to the many obstructions placed in the way of business; and though within the last three years some slight progress has been made, it has been fitful and effer-descent. Yetitis known that Kiukiang is capable of developing a large trade. Ithas the command of a large and fertile district; but so well have the avenues to trade been closed, that the greater part of the foreign commerce of the province is carried on, not by its own port of Kiukiang, but by bye-ways and across mountain passes from Ningpo, Swatow, or Chinkeang.
The most curious part of the attack on the missionary premises was that, although no difficulty seems to have been experienced in getting a mob to destroy the buildings—as indeed little was to be anticipated, when the city Magistrates did not think it necessary to make an attempt to preserve order—it seemed not to be possible to excite the people of the town; and the Missionaries found no difficulty in obtaining shelter and eventually making their escape from the city. Tm all difficulties at Kiukiang, the so-called literati and the mandarins connected with them have taken an active part. Some seven years ago, a bungalow built in the hills by the Foreign residents was attacked and destroyed, and the instigation of the outrage was distinctly traced to a literate of local influence. Fortunately, the doctrines which have prevailed to such a extent since, were not then so fashionable as now; and the perpetrators of the outrage had to make good the damage done, and make an apology. Still, every now and then, difficulties of a like nature arise; and we hear once or twice a year of attacks like the Inst being made on unoffending foreigners. This time, the outrage has occurred within the city, itself closely joining on to the Foreign settlement. Now we have no reason to alter the opinion we have always expressed, that the best method to encourage difficulties like the present is to temporise. A smart and effective punishment readily nips in the bud any desire to proceed to extremities. In this particular instance, no condign punishment is needed. The destruction has fortunately been confined to property, but for this the rioters were scarcely to be thanked. It is a well-known practice with the Chinese themselves to punish all officers who, either by misconduct or incapacity, have permitted a sedition to occur within their jurisdiction. Whether, therefore, the Magistrate who looked on did so approvingly or in helpless impotence, in Chinese eyes be is equally liable to be punished for his p fault. Of course, the measure to be meted out would in the eyes of justice be very different; but the fact of responsibility remains. We trust that, now a considerable armed force is either in the Yangtze or about to proceed thither, some sensible ground of action will be determined on, to put a stop to these repeated assaults, before they become so serious as to need more forcible means of repression.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.