23rd May. "Tuue anti-foreign feeling in the Yangtze Valley has evidently only been scotched not killed by the Imperial proclamation and the efforts of the Viceroys of Nanking and Wuchavg. It is to be hoped that we need not take seriously the latest reports of attacks on foreigners at Ichang and in Szechuan, but there is no doubt that the situation at Tanyang, on the Grand Canal near Chinkiang, is somewhat serious. The Roman Catholic premises that were destroyed there last your have now been rebuilt, and the Chapel is to be dedicated on Thursday and already placards have been posted, calling on the people to destroy the new buildings. A native employed at the mission was sent out by the Rev. J. Chevalier to pull down these placards, and while he was doing so, a soldier came up and expostulated with him. "What are you doing he said; " I've just put that placard up." The matter was reported to the 'T'aotai at Chinkiang and to the acting British Consul, Mr. E. F, Bennett, who has been showing great energy snd ability in the matter, but it was only with difficulty that he got the 'l'sotai to promise that the man should be arrested. All the taotai would do was to send a wei yuan to Tanyang with general instructions, and meanwhile threats are rife there against the Christians, and families are leaving the place. It is reported that the reconstructed Roman Catholic Mission at Wusieh is also threatened. On the other hand; it is said that the Literary Chancellor of this province who was recently holding an examination at Kintang, near anyang, called out the names of four of the assembled students and deprived them of their degrees, these four being the leaders of the riot at Tanyang last year.
The news received by the British Consul-General here from the Consul at Chinkiang was, we learn, at once communicated to the French Consul-General, and no time was lost in asking from the Governor of this province, and from the Viceroy, every protection for the Christians and the Missions. It is hinted that the Viceroy proposes to go to Tanyang in person on his homeward way.
another column will be found a letter from our Foochow correspondent on the subject of the riots at Chingho and Kienning, and it will be seen with some regret, that the missionaries attacked are not altogether blameless in the matter. At these times it is difficult to use too much discretion, as well as energy, in pushing Christianity in the interior. But it is a remarkable thing, that the news of the Chingho affair was known by Chinese at Chinkiang before it was known by foreigners here, and it is asserted that there is communication between Chingho and Tanyang: and it is noticed as a curious coincidence, that there were troubles at the same two places last year, that at Chingho being then suppressed, while at Tanyang it proved serious. It will be more serious than it now appears to be if it should turn out that the riots in Fukien and Kiangsu are connected, and that their occurrence at about the sane time is not merely fortuitous.
It will be seen from our Chinkiang correspondent's letter that there is no trouble now apprehended at that port, nor is there likely to be while there are gunboats there.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.