A serious riot occurred at Wenchow on the Och instant, and the C.M.S.N. Ca.' previous trip. The people did not want any Tice to be exported; because, although there was plenty stored up in the granaries, they thougitt the price would go up, and so they posted up placards intimating that no Tice should be exported.
At this stage of affairs, the Agent of th M. bax public, the price of rice immediately jumped up thirty cents a picul, This made the poor people more dissatisfied, and the Tao'tai, to allay the diecoutent, issued a proclamation to the effect that no more rice was to be exported. Later on, the Agent went to the Tav-tai and told him he had previously hased a large quantity of rice and that he had chartered " steamer to take it away, and that if he were not allowed to ship it, he {would have to pay the charter money and would still hare the rice on hi hands, 'The Meefoo arrived from Sha to take the Agent's rice away, and then the people got more angry, upon which the Tao'tai issued another' proclamation to the effect that only a certain quantity of rice was to be exported. The angry feelings of the poor people, when this proclamation appeared, knew no bounds, The rice was pat into Boats to be sent to the Meefoo when the mob collected ud attacked the offices of the ©, BE. S N. Ca. For. tunately for the Agent, he lived with hi family elsewhere, for if the mob lind cai him they would have killed him. When they did fi ut, they set to work to demolish the office, the lower floor of which was also used asa store, and such was thole fury that they left nothing but two of the walls standing. They pulled the roof off the house, destroyed the books, smashed up everything inside the buildivy, stole some opium and money, and took away ron safe with Magistrate appeared upon the scene, and fury of the mob was directed towards hi and he consequently had me of it. He was dragged out chair which was smashed into wall pieces, he was unmercifully beaten and cut about the head with stones, the soldiers in the moxutime rendering' him At the same time, some j the mob in loot in cargo mae at the Customs where it was being examined, Que of the foreign officers had a narrow escape, as the mob appeared to be ahunt to vent their feelings on him, but he fortunately got into " boat and went over to the island, The mob then took the rice away into the city, hauling it over the walls from the boats, The C.M. Co.'s Agent finding how matters had turned out, ran away from Wenchow wont overland Nivgpo, reporting had occurred. The rities immediately despatch the Chao Wo to Wenchow to render nee, but by the time she arrived, the danger' was over, though the poor people were goi about the streets of Wenchow, saying it was good to be prior just then, Lecause the rich men had been despoiled and the poor had plenty of rice.
On the 10th instant, the mob, number-thousands, found some bouts under a guard of this was to be sent away by the Mecfuo, they seized it, but when they found it was not for exportation they allowed the soldiers to tuke it to the granary The family of the Agent, fearing the mob might attempt to wreak their ven-glance on them, very wisely concluded to come up to Siaughai, which they did in the Kiangpiau yesterday, the Agent joining them at Te although the Afeefvo arrived at Hongkong on the 14th instant, no account of the riot appears in the papers of that place.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.