Tue French mail has brought us the Blue Book containing the Correspordence respecting Anti-Foreign Riots in China, presented to both Houses of Parliament by Command of Her Majesty in July last. It is a book of 34 pages and we can only summarise it this morning, and the first impression of the reader will certainly be that when a crisis does occur, the country is very well served by its agents here from Sir John Walsham down, and that—as indeed we know from many other indications—the Marquis of Salisbury has throughly appreciated the gravity of the situation. The first telegrams the Blue Book contains are those announcing the outbreaks at Wuhu and Wusueh. and it shows the vigilance of our government towards British subjects abroad, that on June 9th telegrams were sent to the Consuls at Kiukiang and Hankow, "If you learn names of any British subjects who have received injuries in recent disturbances, telegraph them at once." 'I'he English Catholics are not behindhand in their anxiety for the safety of Catholic missionaries in China, for on the 12th of June the Duke of Norfolk writes to Lord Salisbury
consider the question of our Govern-"T have been asked to beg a to ment taking some action with regard to the outbreak in China against the Catholic missionaries on the Yangtze~ kiang.
"Tt is stated that the American and French governments have made complaints, and have demanded protection for their subjects, and the parents of English Sisters of Charity, etc., who are out in those parts are anxious as to the steps being taken by England.
"T have no doubt you have the matter in hand, but I promised to write to you on the subject."
The inclusion of this note in the Blue Book is an indication of the consideration the Roman Catholic Church in England enjoys, through its civil head the Duke of Norfolk, and Lord Salisbury replies as follows, on the 17th of June "Tam obliged by your letter of the 12th instant, respecting the recent outbreak of riots at various places on the Yangtze-kiang.
the reports received from our Minister "As far as Iam able to judge from at Peking and our Consular officers in those quarters, there has been no lack of readiness on the part of the Chinese authorities to take prompt action for the protection of foreigners and the suppression of disturbances, but I have consulted Sir John Walsham by telegraph as to whether there is occasion for further representations to the Ya-
Then follow Mr. Mowat's reports of the Wuhu riot, which are just what they ought to be, though it is curious that the mistake should have been passed of calling HE. Shen the "unewlyappointed " Governor of Anhui, as he was appointed to the post in 1888. Mi jin which Mr. Ford makes prophecies which events soon justified "From information that I have this.|couelusion that the position of affairs afternoon received, I am forced to the Mowat, we may note, draws attention all up and down the river is extremely to the prompt measures taken by Nieh critical, and that unless some vigorous patel from Sir John Walsham to Lord punishment of the ringleaders of the Taotai. Then comes a telegraphic des- measures are taken soon to procure the
salisbury, dated 21st June, which con-; late riot, there will be further outbreaks tains some very important paragraphs, if not here, at some other point on the contradicting altogether the idea that the Yangtze.
Chinese government "showed no lack of "It appears to methata demonstration readiness to take prompt action":—of force should be made without delay, "Joint action has been taken' if only to strengthen the hands of the by the foreign Representatives, who Chinese authorities and give them have been continuously engaged in courage to deal with the offenders. urging upon the Chinese Government} "'The conclusion I have come the immediate adoption of west stringent based partly upon the appearance of measures to protect foreigners against more incendiary placards, which shows the repeated outrages which have been that the men who are causing the committed on them... disturbance are gaining courage from "An Imperial Edict was, however, their immunity from punishment so far, published on the 13th instant... and also on the consideration that "his Edict and its publication in the though there is a considerable body of "Gazette" was obtained by us with troops now in the place, yet very little great difficulty. reliance can be placed on them, as they great deal now depends on the; seem to be utterly devoid of any' kind manner in which the Imperial orders of discipline, and apparently even the are executed by the high officials, Zhe authorities are not inspired by their Government at present seems powerless presence with confidence enough to to deal with the situation, of which they arrest; persons who must be perfectly well should begin to realise the gravity. known to hundreds of people in Wun," "For the present all questions of,—'The experience at Ichang fully cou-Cries may undoes scone fornia aeees ce potest at a able, the Government have quite enough and order. on their hands.". the 10th of July LordSalisbury sent This despatch alone (the italics are Sir John Walsham a despatch, the subs-ours) is a sufficient answer to those tance of which was telegraphed, in which
exaggerated the gravity of the Government to the Chin the gorky of in Gercomml te ULines Mister situation, The following i the Substance which. the Jatter had read to Sir Philij ister, of ord Salisbury's reply, dated 2nd Gussie at the Foreign Office on the ath understand that, in your o} inion, the outrages 80 tar perpetrated, attri-jinly. The telegram briefly recounts
it is desirable to obtain the punishment buting that at Wuhu to the action of of those most inculpated in the recent "a doctor connected with the French riots, and adequate measures for the missionary establishment," which shows Eeopeesion of foreigners, before Lyermary at beat Tsuvgli Zenit is th beally of indemnity for losses are considered. informed, or is quite careless as to In this view HM's Goveroment quite how it informs its Minister. The tele-concur, and they Jeave you full discre-gram mentions the arrests that had tion as to the mode of urging the matter been made, and the punishments that on the Yamen." had been inflicted, and goes on to say:—British residents in China generally At the instance of the 'I'sungli Ya-might think at first on reading this that men an Imperial Edict has been issued Sir John Walsham was hardly strong calling on the authorities to immediately enough to have this discretion left to investigate these events, and, according him; but prone to delay and procrasto Treaty, severely punish any persons tinate as he may have shown himself who may be found guilty. in other matters, there is no reason to doubt that he has risen to the seriousness of the ut crisis, and, as we shall see later on, that British interests are quite safe in his hands, when he once realises the importance of the case.
Following this comes a long despatch from Vice-Admiral Richards to the Admiralty, dated Shanghai, 23rd May, in which the Admiral recounts the riot news, and the measures he has taken to protect foreign residents in China. He forwards long extracts from the North-China Daily News, and includes a despatch from Consul Ford at Wuhu to Commander Tisdall, of the Linnet, "Sir J. Walsham has been to the Yamen and expressed great displeasure at the slowness of the action of the authorities.
"'The Teungli Yamen have answered that, owing to the distance apart of the places where the disturbances have occurred, and the difficulty of immediately finding and arresting those who are culpable, the Yamen consider that no undue delay in inquiring into the matter has taken place...
"The T'sungli Yamen are desirous that the Foreign Office should instruct Sir J. Walsham to show no undue impatience or feeling with regard to the matter."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.